TankBud

Pixy hawkfish

Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus

Also known as Spotted Hawkfish, Sharp-headed Hawkfish, Coral Hopper

SaltwaterFish

Pixy hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus)
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
29 gal
110 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One male per tank
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 and eastern Pacific reefs, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Central America

Overview

The pixy hawkfish is a hardy hawkfish that hunts confidently from a perch on the rockwork. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

The pixy hawkfish is a protogynous hermaphrodite that lives in small harems in the wild. One male defends a patch of reef that overlaps the home ranges of several females. If the resident male disappears, any one of those females can turn male herself.

Caring for the pixy hawkfish

Give the pixy hawkfish at least 29 gal (110 L), so a single fish has room to establish a territory. Add plenty of live rock with coral rubble, overhangs and perches within easy striking distance of open sand or rubble patches.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. Offer a varied carnivore diet of mysis, krill and chopped marine meats.

The pixy hawkfish is mostly peaceful, but it is intolerant of other hawkfish. It can be aggressive toward fish added after it has settled in, so add it later in the stocking order. Choose similarly sized tank mates, and keep only one male per tank.

It is reef safe with caution, since it will not touch corals but treats small shrimp, crabs and tiny fish as prey. It is not a safe companion for a cleaner shrimp or a nano fish collection.

Good to know

The pixy hawkfish, Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus, belongs to the hawkfish family Cirrhitidae. It is named for its sharply angled head profile and the small dark spots scattered under and around the eye. Those spots separate it from similar hawkfish that carry lines in that area. Its base color varies widely, from pale gray to pink, overlaid with gray, black or red blotches. Like other hawkfish, it has no swim bladder. Thickened lower pectoral fin rays let it perch on rock and coral instead of holding position in open water.

In the wild

The pixy hawkfish is widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific and into the eastern Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Central America. It lives on clear lagoon and seaward reefs, from just below the surface to about 40 m. It rests directly on or beneath stony and soft coral heads.

Common questions

What size tank does a pixy hawkfish need?

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

What temperature and pH does a pixy hawkfish need?

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

What does a pixy hawkfish eat?

A pixy hawkfish eats a varied carnivore diet of mysis, krill and chopped marine meats. It also treats small shrimp, crabs and tiny fish as prey.

How big does a pixy hawkfish get?

An adult pixy hawkfish reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

Related species