Hawkfish and Rabbitfish

Keith A · 09/07/2008, 11:34 AM

I've written on my hawkfish before and have another question. The Hawkfish (Hawaiian) has been the olny one in my 75 gal tank for a while until I started having GHA problems. I got a lawnmower blenny but the hawkfish terrorized him to where he keeps hidden behind one of the returns at the top of the tank. I took the hawkfish out yesterday with hopes that the blenny will come down and start grazing away and have yet to see it. I'll give him more time. I also got a one spot rabbitfish which seems to graze pretty well on the GHA. Anyway, I'm debating on getting rid of the hawkfish because all of the LFS around here tell me that he will be very territorial and aggressive with other fish that are put in after him. (1) Has anyone had the same experience with a hawkfish being aggressive to other fish?

(2) They told me that one spot rabbit fish are pretty resistant to disease and parasites (like ich). Is this true?

Keith

Flavum · 09/07/2008, 12:55 PM

yea ive seen that behavior alot in hawkfish. pretty normal. Rabbitfish in general are usually pretty good about being disease resistant although any fish can get sick obviously

stanlalee · 09/07/2008, 01:53 PM

hawkfish get sort of a bad rap. they have to go in LAST. they shouldn't be with bottom dwelling or rock skipping fish like blenny's. they should not be put in anytime with fish that wont fight back. Put them in last and put them with fish that can hold their own even a little bit and they mind their own business. I have a spotted hawk which is the most aggressive species of smaller hawks. He's with two false percs and a sixline which is significantly smaller than the hawk. the hawk tried to go after the sixline the first day I put him in but the sixline circled back and and gave him a good back fin nipping. that was the only fish smaller than the hawk. Once he knew he couldn't intimidate anything he doesn't bother anything. they should only be with small fish like pseudochromis, damsels, sixlines, clowns....fish that dont make mess once established. The rabbitfish (or any bigger water column swimming fish) will be no problem with the hawkfish when you return it as long as the rabbit fish is bigger (move some rocks around too). much more likely to put a dent in hair algae then the blenny though fish really dont help with hair algae. rabbitfish are hit or miss with hair algae although they are probably the least desciminate of grazers. A hawkfish is never going to like a blenny or anything else that spends time perching from rock to rock, thats their domain.

Keith A · 09/07/2008, 09:48 PM

So I'm gathering that you guys are leaning towards getting rid of him?? I'm in the process of restocking the tank and I'm not sure if I want to keep him out until I get the other fish in. After the QT process and getting 1-2 fish at a time, if I add him last then he'll be out for a while.

09/07/2008, 11:34 AM	#1
Keith A Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 253	Hawkfish and Rabbitfish I've written on my hawkfish before and have another question. The Hawkfish (Hawaiian) has been the olny one in my 75 gal tank for a while until I started having GHA problems. I got a lawnmower blenny but the hawkfish terrorized him to where he keeps hidden behind one of the returns at the top of the tank. I took the hawkfish out yesterday with hopes that the blenny will come down and start grazing away and have yet to see it. I'll give him more time. I also got a one spot rabbitfish which seems to graze pretty well on the GHA. Anyway, I'm debating on getting rid of the hawkfish because all of the LFS around here tell me that he will be very territorial and aggressive with other fish that are put in after him. (1) Has anyone had the same experience with a hawkfish being aggressive to other fish? (2) They told me that one spot rabbit fish are pretty resistant to disease and parasites (like ich). Is this true? Keith

09/07/2008, 12:55 PM	#2
Flavum Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Knox, TN Posts: 728	yea ive seen that behavior alot in hawkfish. pretty normal. Rabbitfish in general are usually pretty good about being disease resistant although any fish can get sick obviously __________________ Good guys, bad guys Which is which? The white collar worker Or the digger of the ditch? Man, who's to say who's the better man? I'm doing the very best I can Best I can - Minor Threat

09/07/2008, 01:53 PM	#3
stanlalee Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: hampton roads, va Posts: 1,799	hawkfish get sort of a bad rap. they have to go in LAST. they shouldn't be with bottom dwelling or rock skipping fish like blenny's. they should not be put in anytime with fish that wont fight back. Put them in last and put them with fish that can hold their own even a little bit and they mind their own business. I have a spotted hawk which is the most aggressive species of smaller hawks. He's with two false percs and a sixline which is significantly smaller than the hawk. the hawk tried to go after the sixline the first day I put him in but the sixline circled back and and gave him a good back fin nipping. that was the only fish smaller than the hawk. Once he knew he couldn't intimidate anything he doesn't bother anything. they should only be with small fish like pseudochromis, damsels, sixlines, clowns....fish that dont make mess once established. The rabbitfish (or any bigger water column swimming fish) will be no problem with the hawkfish when you return it as long as the rabbit fish is bigger (move some rocks around too). much more likely to put a dent in hair algae then the blenny though fish really dont help with hair algae. rabbitfish are hit or miss with hair algae although they are probably the least desciminate of grazers. A hawkfish is never going to like a blenny or anything else that spends time perching from rock to rock, thats their domain.

09/07/2008, 09:48 PM	#4
Keith A Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 253	So I'm gathering that you guys are leaning towards getting rid of him?? I'm in the process of restocking the tank and I'm not sure if I want to keep him out until I get the other fish in. After the QT process and getting 1-2 fish at a time, if I add him last then he'll be out for a while.