Long nose Hawk compatible with Skunk Cleaner shrimp?

lessans · 05/24/2006, 01:04 PM

I want to buy a Long nose Hawk, but I've read that the hawkfish will eat small shrimp. Do you think my 2 inch long cleaner shrimp will survive if I buy a Long nose Hawk?

bigdee65 · 05/24/2006, 01:20 PM

its a toss up. I have know people that had a long nose hawk for extended periods of time without touching a single shrimp and other that had all there shrimp gone within a few weeks.

The best chance you have is to introduce the hawk after the shrimp are in the tank and they might not bother them. But like I said its a chance you have to take if you want a hawk fish.

AquaReeferMan · 05/24/2006, 01:21 PM

It might if you buy a small one. My buddy Mishap had a Arc Eye with his cleaners and Peps. I guess it all depends. I read that a lot of people place the shrimp in second and the hawk just thinks its food. Its 50/50. I tried housing a Falcon hawk and it went after my large cleaners right away. So since you have your shrimp in already try getting a small hawk and try it.

guitar_lord · 05/24/2006, 01:32 PM

I wouldnt try it if I were you...
I got rid of my hawkfish

They are great fish dont get me wrong.. never seen a fish with so much personallity.. but if you want to keep shrimp (like I do) they just dont work. (unless you get lucky)

I wasted about $40 bucks. So i guess it depends how much money you can throw away without being upset

Good luck

cardgenius · 05/24/2006, 02:11 PM

If the shrimp is in before the hawkfish you should be fine.

TWallace · 05/24/2006, 02:15 PM

My flame hawk never bothers my cleaners or the two blood red fire shrimp I had (they both died though from non-hawkfish related reasons). I think it may also depend on shrimp size vs. hawkfish size. Long noses and flames don't get very big (maybe 3 inches tops?), but Arc Eyes and Freckleds get up to twice that size.

nccmike · 05/24/2006, 02:33 PM

I added mine after the cleaner and they do well together.
Really cool fish. Is not afraid of anything.

zemuron114 · 05/24/2006, 03:26 PM

longnoses get big dont forget. INtro the smallest possible longnose u can find (1-2") and make sure your cleaner is BIG. Add the longnose after, and hope for the best

lessans · 05/25/2006, 10:57 AM

zemuron114, please tell me your definition of the word "BIG". Remember the word "big" is a relative term. So if I added a 1-2" Long nose Hawk how big would you recommend the shrimp to be?

nccmike, that isn't a Longnose Hawk. This thread is about the long nose hawkfish.

technoshaman · 05/25/2006, 11:03 AM

I had my lyretail and longnose hawk in my reef with a cleaner that died of old age (was over 2 years old) I am assuming. They never bothered him but some peppermints I caught down at the gulf a couple summers ago became lunch shortly after introduction.

I also have / had a marine betta in my main tank that left that cleaner alone. Were one to be added now I am pretty sure he'd get eaten.

pufferpoison · 05/26/2006, 03:20 PM

what about a coral banded shrimp and a flame hawkfish?

BreadmanMike · 05/26/2006, 03:50 PM

FWIW, I currently have a peppermint, skunk cleaner,arc eye hawk, longnose hawk, and a flame hawk all in my 125. I put the shrimp in first, so they knew all the hiding places just in case... I haven't had any problems yet(knock on wood).

05/24/2006, 01:04 PM	#1
lessans Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Decatur, GA Posts: 913	Long nose Hawk compatible with Skunk Cleaner shrimp? I want to buy a Long nose Hawk, but I've read that the hawkfish will eat small shrimp. Do you think my 2 inch long cleaner shrimp will survive if I buy a Long nose Hawk? __________________ "Oh, Mother, I come baring a gift. I'll give you a hint. It's in my diaper and it's not a toaster" -Stewie Griffin Current Tank Info: current tank: 20 gal reef; former tanks: 65 gal reef, 10 gal freshwater

05/24/2006, 01:21 PM	#3
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	It might if you buy a small one. My buddy Mishap had a Arc Eye with his cleaners and Peps. I guess it all depends. I read that a lot of people place the shrimp in second and the hawk just thinks its food. Its 50/50. I tried housing a Falcon hawk and it went after my large cleaners right away. So since you have your shrimp in already try getting a small hawk and try it. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

05/24/2006, 01:32 PM	#4
guitar_lord Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: London ON Canada Posts: 482	I wouldnt try it if I were you... I got rid of my hawkfish They are great fish dont get me wrong.. never seen a fish with so much personallity.. but if you want to keep shrimp (like I do) they just dont work. (unless you get lucky) I wasted about $40 bucks. So i guess it depends how much money you can throw away without being upset Good luck __________________ -Brian- Current Tank Info: 65 gallon mixed reef

05/24/2006, 02:11 PM	#5
cardgenius Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 527	If the shrimp is in before the hawkfish you should be fine. __________________ I'm no hero...never was. I'm just an old killer hired to do some wet work.

05/25/2006, 10:57 AM	#9
lessans Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Decatur, GA Posts: 913	zemuron114, please tell me your definition of the word "BIG". Remember the word "big" is a relative term. So if I added a 1-2" Long nose Hawk how big would you recommend the shrimp to be? nccmike, that isn't a Longnose Hawk. This thread is about the long nose hawkfish. __________________ "Oh, Mother, I come baring a gift. I'll give you a hint. It's in my diaper and it's not a toaster" -Stewie Griffin Current Tank Info: current tank: 20 gal reef; former tanks: 65 gal reef, 10 gal freshwater

05/24/2006, 01:20 PM	#2
bigdee65 Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Westchester, NY Posts: 704	its a toss up. I have know people that had a long nose hawk for extended periods of time without touching a single shrimp and other that had all there shrimp gone within a few weeks. The best chance you have is to introduce the hawk after the shrimp are in the tank and they might not bother them. But like I said its a chance you have to take if you want a hawk fish.

05/24/2006, 02:15 PM	#6
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,464	My flame hawk never bothers my cleaners or the two blood red fire shrimp I had (they both died though from non-hawkfish related reasons). I think it may also depend on shrimp size vs. hawkfish size. Long noses and flames don't get very big (maybe 3 inches tops?), but Arc Eyes and Freckleds get up to twice that size.

05/24/2006, 02:33 PM	#7
nccmike Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 158	I added mine after the cleaner and they do well together. Really cool fish. Is not afraid of anything.

05/24/2006, 03:26 PM	#8
zemuron114 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Pilgrim State (Mass) Posts: 4,039	longnoses get big dont forget. INtro the smallest possible longnose u can find (1-2") and make sure your cleaner is BIG. Add the longnose after, and hope for the best

05/25/2006, 11:03 AM	#10
technoshaman Reefer Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Austin TX Posts: 1,275	I had my lyretail and longnose hawk in my reef with a cleaner that died of old age (was over 2 years old) I am assuming. They never bothered him but some peppermints I caught down at the gulf a couple summers ago became lunch shortly after introduction. I also have / had a marine betta in my main tank that left that cleaner alone. Were one to be added now I am pretty sure he'd get eaten.

05/26/2006, 03:20 PM	#11
pufferpoison Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: S.E. Kansas Posts: 684	what about a coral banded shrimp and a flame hawkfish?

05/26/2006, 03:50 PM	#12
BreadmanMike Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,886	FWIW, I currently have a peppermint, skunk cleaner,arc eye hawk, longnose hawk, and a flame hawk all in my 125. I put the shrimp in first, so they knew all the hiding places just in case... I haven't had any problems yet(knock on wood).