All fish / Cirrhitidae

Spotted Hawkfish

Cirrhitichthys aprinus

Also known as blotched hawkfish, threadfin hawkfish, spotted hawk, aprinus hawkfish, red spotted hawkfish, ミナミゴンベ, 斑金䱵, 斑鳍鹰鱼

This small, stocky hawkfish has a pale body covered in reddish-brown blotches, a dark eye-spot on the gill cover and little tufts on the tips of its dorsal spines. It sits perched on rocks and corals watching its surroundings, which gives it plenty of character, and it is hardy and adapts readily to aquarium foods.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Keep singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, chopped seafood and meaty frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean, from Indonesia and the Philippines to Japan and northern Australia

Breeding

It is a pelagic spawner, with pairs rising into the water column at dusk to release eggs. Spawning has been seen in home aquariums, but rearing the tiny larvae is difficult and rarely achieved.

Good to know

It will eat small shrimps and may harass very small or slow fish, so choose tankmates with care. A tight lid helps, as hawkfish can jump.