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Flame Hawkfish
Hawkfish

Flame Hawkfish

Neocirrhites armatus

A jewel of a hawkfish — deep scarlet with a black-edged dorsal — that perches inside branching corals like an ember among the polyps. It is coral-safe and stays put, but it is an ambush predator: cleaner and peppermint shrimp, small crabs, and tiny bottom fish are all at risk, so it is invert-unsafe and best without small, timid tankmates. Hardy and long-lived, but a committed jumper that needs a tight lid and, ideally, only one per tank (or a bonded pair).

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
3.5"
Min tank
30 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe with caution
Diet
Carnivore
Zone
Rockwork, Bottom
Keep just one per tank — two will fight.
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Tankmates

How Flame Hawkfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Coral HawkfishTwo hawkfish fight over the same perches. Coral Hawkfish are described as very territorial toward other hawkfish outside very large tanks with abundant rockwork.Picasso TriggerfishPicasso Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Falco HawkfishTwo small aggressive hawkfish of different genera at similar size/aggression tend to fight over the same perches.Arc-Eye HawkfishCross-genus perch competition; the bold Arc-eye will pressure a Flame hawkfish for territory unless the tank is large.Dragon WrasseDragon Wrasse has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Golden Dwarf MorayGolden Dwarf Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Rectangle TriggerfishRectangle Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Six-Line SoapfishSix-Line Soapfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Painted FrogfishPainted Frogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Dogface PufferDogface Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Porcupine PufferPorcupine Puffer has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.Spanish HogfishSpanish Hogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Flame Hawkfish.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Kole TangFlame Hawkfish and Kole Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sixline WrasseFlame Hawkfish and Sixline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Melanurus WrasseFlame Hawkfish and Melanurus Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Springer's DottybackFlame Hawkfish and Springer's Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple DottybackFlame Hawkfish and Purple Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Midas BlennyFlame Hawkfish and Midas Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Longnose HawkfishFlame Hawkfish and Longnose Hawkfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Potter's AngelfishFlame Hawkfish and Potter's Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor BlennyFlame Hawkfish and Bicolor Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Coris WrasseFlame Hawkfish and Red Coris Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Saddleback ClownfishFlame Hawkfish and Saddleback Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Cherub AngelfishFlame Hawkfish and Cherub Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Multicolor AngelfishFlame Hawkfish and Multicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Starry BlennyFlame Hawkfish and Starry Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Spotted MandarinFlame Hawkfish and Spotted Mandarin both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Rusty AngelfishFlame Hawkfish and Rusty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Emperor AngelfishFlame Hawkfish and Emperor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Regal AngelfishFlame Hawkfish and Regal Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Fourline WrasseFlame Hawkfish and Fourline Wrasse both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Neon DottybackFlame Hawkfish and Neon Dottyback both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.