TankBud

Falco hawkfish

Cirrhitichthys falco

Also known as Dwarf Hawkfish, Coral Hawkfish, Speckled Hawkfish

SaltwaterFish

Falco hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys falco)
q phia · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
2.8 in
7 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Cirrhitidae
Origin
Indo-Pacific reefs, from the Maldives to Samoa, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to the Great Barrier Reef

Overview

The Falco hawkfish is small and has a calm temperament, so it is one of the few hawkfish suited to a nano reef. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

The Falco hawkfish's Pocillopora perches double as an early warning system in the wild. The coral's resident crabs and shrimp scatter or pinch at anything that brushes the branches. That gives the hawkfish a heads-up whenever a predator approaches its hideout.

Caring for the Falco hawkfish

Set up the Falco hawkfish in at least 29 gal (110 L), with live rock, ledges and coral branches to perch on. Fit a tight lid, since it can jump.

Hold the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Its mouth is small for a hawkfish, so offer finely chopped mysis, krill and other small meaty foods rather than large chunks. Feed it once or twice a day.

The Falco hawkfish is one of the calmest, least aggressive hawkfish available. It still defends its perch, and it can squabble with similar-looking tank mates or other hawkfish.

It is reef safe with caution, and corals are never a target. Its natural diet is small crustaceans, though, so ornamental shrimp and tiny crabs are at real risk.

Good to know

The Falco hawkfish is one of the smallest hawkfish in the aquarium trade. Like the rest of the family Cirrhitidae, it has no swim bladder. It props itself on rock and coral with stiffened lower pectoral fin rays, rather than swimming freely. Its pale body carries a fine reddish-brown speckled pattern, which gives it the alternate name speckled hawkfish. The pattern also helps it blend into coral rubble while it watches for prey.

In the wild

The Falco hawkfish ranges across the Indo-Pacific, from the Maldives to Samoa. It reaches north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. It lives on coral-rich reef slopes to about 46 m. It favors stands of Pocillopora coral, even where coral cover is sparse.

Common questions

What size tank does a Falco hawkfish need?

A Falco hawkfish needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Falco hawkfish need?

A Falco hawkfish is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 8.1–8.4.

What does a Falco hawkfish eat?

A Falco hawkfish eats small meaty foods such as finely chopped mysis and krill, once or twice a day. Its mouth is small for a hawkfish, so skip large chunks.

How big does a Falco hawkfish get?

An adult Falco hawkfish reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).

Related species