Flame hawk + lysmata shrimp experiences ?

[Sparkss]

We aquired a flame hawfish from a fellow reefer as part of a larger buyout. We are trying to decide if he would go into our 380 (with 5 peppermints and 1 skunk cleaner shrimp, all pretty good sized), or if we will need to go into our sump until we find him a good (better suited) home.

So any and all experiences with Flame Hawks in tanks with cleaner shrimp are welcomed.. Please share your experiences with us to help us decide.

Thanks

 

[mpoletti]

Tom- I have a Flamehawk in my 90 with a coral banded, a peppermint, a fire, and a cleaner shrimp. I also have 2 different pistols as well. The main thing I have heard is never add a shrimp after the hawk is established. Every fish is different, but that is the rule of thumb I have always gone by.

 

[mpoletti]

BTW. I love the personality that they have.

 

[Sparkss]

we love the personality too, which is the only reason we are even considering it . or your feedback.

BTW, have you ever had any issues with it being aggressive towards other fish ? Or had any mysterious fish disappearrances that you suspected the hawkfish for ?

Thanks

 

[mpoletti]

No. He has been a perfect gentleman. I have a royal gramma that punks him more than anything.

 

[MrMikeB]

Tom,

The flame hawks are notorious for going after shrimp. Like Mark says though it depends on the specimen and how much you are feeding it (or not ). I would ask Vern if he had any in there before to get a good judge of potential character. To me its easier not to add the fish than risk the shrimp, however I am rather partial to shrimp, so I may be biased.

 

[corndogg]

I had a flame hawk I just got rid of. I was always worried he'd go after my cleaner shrimp. Ironically, he started nipping at my birdsnest. This was the same coral that my flame angel went for too. Polyps must look extra tasty.

 

[GreshamH]

Re: Flame hawk + lysmata shrimp experiences ?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9648521#post9648521 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
We aquired a flame hawfish from a fellow reefer as part of a larger buyout. We are trying to decide if he would go into our 380 (with 5 peppermints and 1 skunk cleaner shrimp, all pretty good sized), or if we will need to go into our sump until we find him a good (better suited) home.

So any and all experiences with Flame Hawks in tanks with cleaner shrimp are welcomed.. Please share your experiences with us to help us decide.

Thanks

Like Mike said, Flame Hawks are notorious for going after shrimp, cleaners included. They're known for harassing other fish and even eating small fish.

Not only that, but in a coral tank, hawks tend to pearch on corals. Usually one or two, which causes stress on the corals. I've seen more then a few colonies killed this way.

IMO hawkfish have no place in a coral reef tank, unless the object is not to keep the corals, but rather a habitat for the hawk.

 

[Sparkss]

Gresh
Yea, we ended up just putting him into the sump last night, along with the oblique lined dottyback (Mccullochi Pseudochromis). Both are absolutely beautiful fish, but neither have a place in our reef tank . Look for some FS threads on them sooner than later , although they are doing fine in the 150g sump/fuge and don't seem to mind (but I am sure that both of them are doing a good job decimating the pod population in there ). At least the pods deep in the chaeto seem safe, for now .