All fish / Cirrhitidae

Redbarred Hawkfish

Cirrhitichthys falco

Also known as falco hawkfish, dwarf hawkfish, coral hawkfish, red barred hawkfish, falco's hawkfish, サラサゴンベ, 福氏副鎓, 鹰鳊

This is a small, hardy hawkfish. It is white with red-brown blotched bars and has small tufts of cirri on the tips of its dorsal spines. Keepers like the way it perches on rock and coral and watches what is going on, and it has plenty of character for its size.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Keep singly or as a mated pair

Diet

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

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 7 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific, East Africa to Samoa and Japan

Breeding

It forms pairs or small harems and spawns pelagic eggs at dusk. Spawning has been seen in captivity, but rearing the larvae is very difficult.

Good to know

The name Cirrhitichthys fasciatus does not seem to be a valid species, so this entry treats it as the closely matching Cirrhitichthys falco. It will eat small shrimps and very small fish, and other perching bottom-dwellers may be harassed.