TankBud

Flame hawkfish

Neocirrhites armatus

Also known as Brilliant Red Hawkfish

SaltwaterFish

Flame hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus)
Brian Gratwicke · CC BY 2.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.5 in
9 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Reef safe
Reef safe with caution
Family
Cirrhitidae
Origin
Western Pacific, from the Ryukyu Islands and Micronesia south to the Great Barrier Reef and the Line Islands

Overview

A hardy, bold little perching fish that adapts quickly and eats readily, making it one of the easier hawkfish to keep. It is semi-aggressive: it defends a home den and may chase small gobies, blennies, or newly added timid fish, so add it after shyer tankmates are settled. It leaves corals alone but treats small shrimp, feather dusters, tiny hermits, and other small crustaceans as food, so it is reef safe with caution.

In the wild

The flame hawkfish lives among the branches of live Pocillopora and Stylophora corals on shallow, surge-swept reef flats. It perches down inside the coral thicket and darts out to grab food, then retreats back to its den. In the aquarium it wants strong flow and a rock structure with caves and ledges it can claim as home. Like other hawkfish it has no swim bladder and rests rather than swims, and it is an accomplished jumper that needs a tight lid.

Good to know

Neocirrhites armatus is the only species in its genus. Its solid scarlet body with a black-edged dorsal ridge and dark eye markings sets it apart from the patterned longnose hawkfish. Thickened lower pectoral fin rays act like little legs, letting it prop on coral and rock in high-flow zones.

Did you know

Flame hawkfish are strongly tied to living Pocillopora coral heads in the wild and will often adopt a single coral or rock cave as a permanent perch, retreating into it whenever startled.

Common questions

What size tank does a Flame hawkfish need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Flame hawkfish need?

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

How big does a Flame hawkfish get?

An adult Flame hawkfish reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).

Related species