Lyretail Hawkfish

The odd one out among hawkfish — instead of perching motionless on rock, it hovers several metres above the reef in open water, picking zooplankton out of the current. At around 14 cm it is one of the larger commonly-kept hawkfish, but also the most reef-tolerant of the family: it largely ignores corals and only occasionally picks at very small ornamental shrimp rather than hunting them outright. Give it steady flow, open swimming room and a tight lid, since this active mid-water swimmer can bolt when startled. All aquarium stock is wild-caught; there is no commercial captive breeding.