Hawkfish are perching predators with bold, watchful personalities, often seen sitting on rock or coral heads surveying the tank. They’re generally reef-safe with corals but not with small crustaceans – cleaner shrimp, ornamental crabs and tiny fish are all at risk of being eaten. A minimum aquarium size of around 100–150 litres is recommended for smaller species like flame or longnose hawkfish, with larger systems for bigger individuals. They thrive in tanks with plenty of branching rockwork to perch on, moderate flow, a secure lid (they can jump), and tank mates that are too large to be viewed as food but not so aggressive that they bully them.
