All fish / Cirrhitidae

Swallowtail hawkfish

Cyprinocirrhites polyactis

Also known as lyretail hawkfish, swallow-tail hawkfish, cirrhitichthys polyactis, orange hawkfish, イトヒキゴンベ, 鲤鎓, 燕尾鷹鎓

This hawkfish has an orange to tan body with darker mottling and a deeply forked, lyre-shaped tail. Unlike most hawkfish, it spends much of its time swimming in open water picking off plankton, so it is more active than its perch-sitting relatives. Keepers like it for its colour and unusual hovering behaviour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or as a pair

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, enriched brine shrimp, copepods and finely chopped seafood, fed several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa to Japan, Indonesia and Australia

Breeding

It spawns pelagic eggs at dusk after a short courtship. Captive breeding is rare and larval rearing is difficult.

Good to know

Formerly named Cirrhitichthys polyactis, so it is now placed in Cyprinocirrhites. It may eat small shrimps and very small fish, so choose tankmates carefully.