Hawks in a reef

[ruiny]

I know that hawk fish can be a hazard to shrimp and the such.
But I would like to hear from all you that have kept hawk fish in your reef. I would like to add a longnosed and a flame to my 280 gal with shrimp, snails and many other inverts.
So please share your experences
Thanks

 

[donski]

I had a flame hawk once.He scarfed my cleaner shrimp. One day about 2 inches of the cleaners antenna were sticking out of his mouth. Busted!

 

[hawkfish21]

I have kept a flame hawk for almost four years & a longnose for about 6 months in my 135 reef. They have never touched a thing.

 

[ACBlinky]

The pixy hawk in my 65g is well behaved when it comes to inverts, at least so far. He's never bothered the hermits, not even the tiny bluelegs, and I added a cleaner shrimp a while ago knowing that the hawk, sixline or dottyback might mistake it for lunch but it's still around; honestly, the hawk doesn't even seem to notice it.

 

[reefdadx2]

Just had a longnose hawk jump out of my tank the other. It was my fault. I didn't know they were jumpers and that the tank needed to be enclosed. Will not do that again and hope others take measures to avoid this. Michael R

 

[Bret61081]

Ive had a flame hawk since Oct with no problems. I have several shrimp and hermits and so far no problems(I prolly would not have said that!)

 

[sunfish11]

I had a longnose hawk in my reef for over a year. He ate a few hermits, but not enough to really make a difference. He also killed my peppermint shrimp. He never bothered the cleaners, he let them pick all over him. He finally leaped out of the tank to his death. The cats brought him into my room and left him by my bed. They are jumpers so beware of that. I really miss that fish...

 

[ruiny]

So if I like my shrimp I should pass on the hawks eh.

 

[Redfish]

I have a full size flame hawk in my reef. He does not eat any of the four cleaner or four fire shrimp in the tank. It should be noted that my shrimp are large adults. If I threw in a typical small cleaner or fire shrimp, I think I would be providing desert.

 

[luvtolean]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6967528#post6967528 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Redfish
I have a full size flame hawk in my reef. He does not eat any of the four cleaner or four fire shrimp in the tank. It should be noted that my shrimp are large adults. If I threw in a typical small cleaner or fire shrimp, I think I would be providing desert.

Yep, I watched a friend intro two cleanershrimp in his tank with a flame. One cleaner didn't even make it to a rock before the hawkfish got it.

They're real cool fish, but they are invert killers if they're small enough.

Hermits do pretty good with their shells though.

 

[Z-ReefKeeper]

If you intruduce the hawk's last and your shrimp are adults it should be fine.

 

[XeniaMania]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6967750#post6967750 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by luvtolean
Yep, I watched a friend intro two cleanershrimp in his tank with a flame. One cleaner didn't even make it to a rock before the hawkfish got it.

Pricey meal..:lol:

 

[rich99rich]

My flame hawk ate a cleaner shrimp. I've neer seen it touch snails or hermits.

 

[TWallace]

My flame hawk doesn't bother my snails, shrimp or crabs (even leaves emerald crabs alone). My two blood red fire shrimp are bigger than my flame hawk though and were introduced at the same time.

 

[onereefnotenuf]

every so often i find crab legs scattered across the bottom of my tank. i first thought it was my lionfish but after it was gone it still continued to happen. i think it is my flame doing it. the flame is one of my favorite fish however, big on personality!

 

[ruiny]

onereefnotenuf
If may be your crabs molting.

 

[onereefnotenuf]

i don't think so. there is flesh at the ends of the legs like they were pulled out.
also i never see any body pieces just legs and when a crab molts the body and legs usually stay in one piece but these are scattered around seperate from one another.

 

[acrocrazy]

They should be fine with that sort of tank volume..get them small if you could it helps alot