All fish / Cirrhitidae

Yellow Hawkfish

Cirrhitichthys aureus

Also known as golden hawkfish, yellow hawk, gold hawkfish, aureus hawkfish, オキゴンベ, 金高身鎓, 黄鹰鱼

A golden yellow hawkfish with faint darker blotches and tufted cirri on the tips of its dorsal spines. Like other hawkfish it perches on rocks and coral, darting out to grab food, which gives it plenty of character. It is hardy and comes from slightly cooler subtropical waters.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

Keep singly or as a mated pair

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, krill, chopped seafood, quality frozen and pellet foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Northwest Pacific: southern Japan, Taiwan, China coast; also reported from India and Indonesia

Breeding

It is a pelagic spawner: pairs rise into open water at dusk to release eggs that drift. Spawning has been seen in aquariums, but raising the tiny larvae is rarely achieved.

Good to know

It will eat small shrimps and tiny fish, so it is not reef safe with ornamental crustaceans. Provide a tight lid and plenty of rock perches.