Long Nose Hawkfish & Cleaner Shrimp

LisaB · 02-04-2004, 03:57 PM

OK, is this combo just asking for it? I really like my shrimps, but the long nose hawkfish is such a cool fish. Is this a bigger gamble than adding a dwarf angel to my reef? I really want a "show" fish, but it seems that either my tank is too small or there's some risk involved in adding the fish I like.

I have a 58 gallon currently stocked with a false perc, 2 bangaii cardinalfish, 2 firsfish, 2 cleaner shrimp and a brittle star. Thanks!

reefrunner · 02-04-2004, 04:09 PM

IME, if the shrimp are not tiny and they were there first, the long nose hawk will not bother them. Any small shrimp added after the hawk are fair game.

RanRoc · 02-04-2004, 06:58 PM

Cleaner shrimp are an expensive treat for hungry fish! BUT, if you feel compelled to try, I agree with reefrunner...larger shrimp, and get a small hawk. HTH
-RY

Tarasco · 02-05-2004, 08:17 PM

I asked about this a while ago, and the experiences that I heard are that the small hawk will eventually get big. People say that about a year or two after the addition, the hawk will finally figure out that the food has been walking around in the tank with them. Longnoses will grab the shrimp and smash them against rocks to break them up, I think.

But you never know. I bought some peppermints a month ago even though I have a medium sized flame hawk, and he hasn't touched them. Yet.

reefrunner · 02-05-2004, 09:11 PM

I have kept several hawks and several shrimp together for years at a time, my experience is different than stated above, but I kept my hawks (flame, falco and longnose) well fed.

02-04-2004, 03:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
LisaB Fire Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Anchorage, AK Posts: 60 View Gallery Karma Komment	Long Nose Hawkfish & Cleaner Shrimp OK, is this combo just asking for it? I really like my shrimps, but the long nose hawkfish is such a cool fish. Is this a bigger gamble than adding a dwarf angel to my reef? I really want a "show" fish, but it seems that either my tank is too small or there's some risk involved in adding the fish I like. I have a 58 gallon currently stocked with a false perc, 2 bangaii cardinalfish, 2 firsfish, 2 cleaner shrimp and a brittle star. Thanks! __________________ LisaB "Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable. Let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all." Douglas Adams, GRHS

02-04-2004, 04:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
reefrunner Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cedar Key, FL Posts: 1,069 View Gallery Karma Komment	IME, if the shrimp are not tiny and they were there first, the long nose hawk will not bother them. Any small shrimp added after the hawk are fair game. __________________ Kevin Check out my gallery!

02-04-2004, 06:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
RanRoc Scopas Tang Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central Florida: GO KNIGHTS!!! Posts: 443 View Gallery Karma Komment	Cleaner shrimp are an expensive treat for hungry fish! BUT, if you feel compelled to try, I agree with reefrunner...larger shrimp, and get a small hawk. HTH -RY __________________ My Disclaimer for any Advice I Give: I Could Be Wrong... Randy's Rockin' Reef MANGROVE ROOT GANG

02-05-2004, 08:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
Tarasco Plate Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 724 View Gallery Karma Komment	I asked about this a while ago, and the experiences that I heard are that the small hawk will eventually get big. People say that about a year or two after the addition, the hawk will finally figure out that the food has been walking around in the tank with them. Longnoses will grab the shrimp and smash them against rocks to break them up, I think. But you never know. I bought some peppermints a month ago even though I have a medium sized flame hawk, and he hasn't touched them. Yet. __________________ Mike "I saw what the governor makes. That's like four hands of blackjack." -- Charles Barkley on why he wasn't seriously considering becoming the Governor of Alabama

02-05-2004, 09:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
reefrunner Contributing Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cedar Key, FL Posts: 1,069 View Gallery Karma Komment	I have kept several hawks and several shrimp together for years at a time, my experience is different than stated above, but I kept my hawks (flame, falco and longnose) well fed. __________________ Kevin Check out my gallery!

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