Flame Hawk ate the eyes off my cleaner shrimp

Lee_Bay · 01/28/2006, 02:07 PM

Any body else have this type of behavior from a Flame Hawk? He was vicious. Even after the shrimp was laying on the sand almost lifeless, he was still picking at it making sure it was gonna die.

rayjay · 01/28/2006, 02:25 PM

Never had one myself, but several hobbyists around here lost their shrimp to flame hawks, but a couple others have them with shrimp and haven't had a problem. Might be a personality thing, but I won't try it myself other than a fish only.

JENnKerry · 01/28/2006, 03:35 PM

They will eat any ornamental shrimp. Lesson learned.

jgoodrich71 · 01/28/2006, 03:46 PM

I'm surprised he only ate the eyes.

Lee_Bay · 01/28/2006, 04:10 PM

True, lesson learned. I just read in DRS. Foster and Smith, "Will prey on small shrimp"

I saw them fighting and stopped him when i saw the eyes were gone and got the shrimp out, still too late though. He would have ate the whole thing if i hadn't.

Will he be that agressive toward other fish, or just shrimp. I don't want to lose anything else or buy anything to watch it die.

crzy4reefs · 01/28/2006, 05:37 PM

he will be fine with fish it's the shrimps and crabs you have to worry about, hawkfish are known to eat shrimps and crabs

szwab · 01/28/2006, 09:38 PM

crustaceans are their natural diet. they are not mild mannered at times and can be territorial you may have problems if you add smaller fish than the hawk.

JENnKerry · 01/29/2006, 08:41 AM

There are cases where the hawk knocked small snails off the glass and ate them. They are a cool fish if you can get past all that. You will also be surprised at how wide these guys can actually open their mouths.

stevebydac · 01/29/2006, 12:54 PM

I used to have a flame that was annoying like that. Then he accidentally collided with my golden stripe grouper's mouth.

ri · 01/29/2006, 12:58 PM

I would suggest doing your homework before you buy -

ri

Gobie · 01/29/2006, 01:01 PM

They eat invertebrates in the wild and small fish.

01/28/2006, 02:07 PM	#1
Lee_Bay Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 442	Flame Hawk ate the eyes off my cleaner shrimp Any body else have this type of behavior from a Flame Hawk? He was vicious. Even after the shrimp was laying on the sand almost lifeless, he was still picking at it making sure it was gonna die.

01/28/2006, 02:25 PM	#2
rayjay Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: London, Ontario, Canada Posts: 3,969	Never had one myself, but several hobbyists around here lost their shrimp to flame hawks, but a couple others have them with shrimp and haven't had a problem. Might be a personality thing, but I won't try it myself other than a fish only. __________________ Seahorses. Culture nanno, rotifers and brine shrimp. Current Tank Info: Seahorses

01/28/2006, 03:35 PM	#3
JENnKerry Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jersey Posts: 7,384	They will eat any ornamental shrimp. Lesson learned. __________________ We Don't Have a Signature..... Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon Reef

01/28/2006, 04:10 PM	#5
Lee_Bay Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Kentucky Posts: 442	True, lesson learned. I just read in DRS. Foster and Smith, "Will prey on small shrimp" I saw them fighting and stopped him when i saw the eyes were gone and got the shrimp out, still too late though. He would have ate the whole thing if i hadn't. Will he be that agressive toward other fish, or just shrimp. I don't want to lose anything else or buy anything to watch it die. __________________ "I SUPPORT K.R.A.C." [Originally posted by nrike "that has to be one of the ugliest tanks i seen in my life. but nice effort"] Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon display

01/28/2006, 09:38 PM	#7
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	crustaceans are their natural diet. they are not mild mannered at times and can be territorial you may have problems if you add smaller fish than the hawk. __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

01/28/2006, 03:46 PM	#4
jgoodrich71 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 849	I'm surprised he only ate the eyes.

01/28/2006, 05:37 PM	#6
crzy4reefs Moved On Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: RI Posts: 2,260	he will be fine with fish it's the shrimps and crabs you have to worry about, hawkfish are known to eat shrimps and crabs

01/29/2006, 08:41 AM	#8
JENnKerry Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Jersey Posts: 7,384	There are cases where the hawk knocked small snails off the glass and ate them. They are a cool fish if you can get past all that. You will also be surprised at how wide these guys can actually open their mouths. __________________ We Don't Have a Signature..... Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon Reef

01/29/2006, 12:54 PM	#9
stevebydac Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rhode Island, USA Posts: 410	I used to have a flame that was annoying like that. Then he accidentally collided with my golden stripe grouper's mouth.

01/29/2006, 12:58 PM	#10
ri Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Spencerport, NY Posts: 3,717	I would suggest doing your homework before you buy - ri

01/29/2006, 01:01 PM	#11
Gobie Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 668	They eat invertebrates in the wild and small fish.