All fish / Cirrhitidae

Longnose Hawkfish

Oxycirrhites typus

Also known as long nose hawkfish, longnose hawk, long-nosed hawkfish, hawkfish, クダゴンベ, 尖吻鎓, 长吻鎓

This slim hawkfish has a long, pointed snout and a white body covered in a red checkerboard grid. It perches on rocks and coral branches and hops between them, which makes it a lively and characterful addition to a reef tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Singly, or as a mated pair in a larger tank

Diet

Carnivore: mysis, brine shrimp, chopped prawn and other meaty frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaii and the Gulf of California

Breeding

Pairs spawn at dusk and release pelagic eggs that drift in the water. Raising the larvae is very difficult and captive breeding is rare, so most fish sold are wild caught.

Good to know

It will eat small shrimps and very small fish, so keep ornamental crustaceans with care. It can jump, so use a tight-fitting lid.