Can I have a red hawk fish?

So I want a hawk fish really badly, but I think there might be an issue. I have 2 peppermint shrimp already in the tank. They are pretty big (about 1 - 1.5") but I know that hawks can sometime try to eat some shrimp. would it be a problem with these guys? I don't want them to become a meal.

 

the short answer yes

the long answer yes the hawk would eat the shrimp



me and my stupid sense of humor lol

 

Dang! Well what would be a good fish to add? I have a 29 gallon that has about 40 lbs of LR and I am starting to add coral. I already have the shrimp, a bicolor pseudo (he is actually the exception and is very very chilled. he does not get aggressive like a lot of pseudos can), a lawnmower blenny, an emerald crab, a few blue legged hermits (they are still a little smaller than a dime), and a few random snails. I know i will be adding a clown, or possibly a clown pair. I will probably go with a couple of black aussie clowns when I add them....or it, depending on if I actually get a pair. I also plan on adding a 6-line as soon as my LFS owner can get one in for me. I love those little guys. So any suggestions on other fish options?

 

a type of basslet may be a good option. i would not get a royal gramma though do to the similarity to your bicolor pseudo.

its a good thing you didn't get a hawkfish if you planning on getting a sixline. ive expierenced some very harsh aggression between hawkfish and sixlines. appearently they fill very similar niches in the reef. with the exception that sixlines are shrimp safe

 

Well i have a reef tank with a Flame Hawkfish about 3 inches in length. I have a cleaner shrimp, a pistol shrimp and a variety of crabs. She has nipped at the pistol once but nothing happened, the cleaner shrimp is fine and the crabs seem to go unharmed.
However, my cousin had a hahawkfish of some sort and it devoured his two peppermint shrimps.

So it all depends. I dont have any peppermints, but as long as your hawk is well fed and is smaller than the peppermints, you might have a chance. If your unwilling to take chances... dont get one.

 

I have a red hawk fish 3 six line wrasses 2 pepermint shrimp and a cleaner shrimp all have been there for a while and all play nice together.

 

I have one as well. If you get one you have to be willing to sacrifice some shrimp. Maybe you get lucky and he doesn't go after them, but you still risk them. Mine has eaten my fire shrimp (lasted about a year) and some small peppermints. I also have a coral banded, but he does not mess with him ;D.

 

Yeah, flame hawkfish make for an amazing addition to the reef tank. Theres always a head poking around one of your corals looking for something; with those googly eyes.

 

keep in mind your tank is 7 times bigger then his. the ability of fish to hide is important. my past bad expierences with hawk fish was in a 20 gallon. i picture it as only eating one meal a day when you have a 2 big pizzas in front of you.

 

Lol yeah I did not look at the size of the tank. I am used to haveing so much stuff and not having things interact to much.