Flame Hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus)

Flame Hawkfish are carnivores requiring 60% protein, 15% fat, and 25% plant matter and fiber. Feed a varied diet of frozen mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, chopped krill, clam meat, and high-quality marine carnivore pellets or flakes twice daily. New arrivals may be finicky eaters; coax them with fresh raw shrimp, squid, crab, or live brine shrimp until they accept prepared foods. Once acclimated, they become greedy eaters that will take food from your hand.

To maintain brilliant red coloration, supplement with astaxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin-enriched foods. Without carotenoid supplementation, their reds will fade to orange over time. Medication alert: Flame Hawkfish tolerate copper-based treatments well at standard therapeutic levels (0.35 to 0.5 mg/L Cupramine or 1.5 to 2.0 mg/L Coppersafe). They tolerate formalin and praziquantel. Chloroquine phosphate at 15 mg/L is safe for quarantine prophylaxis. Avoid hyposalinity below 1.018 specific gravity. Always remove activated carbon during medication cycles. Quarantine all new specimens for 21 days minimum.

Breeding Flame Hawkfish in captivity is rare and has not yet produced commercially viable offspring. The species is believed to be a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning individuals are born female and can transition to male under social conditions where no dominant male is present. In the wild, the male is generally slightly larger than the female.

Condition a bonded pair in a large tank of 100 gallons (378 liters) or more with frozen mysis and krill for 4 weeks. They are substrate spawners; the pair clears a flat rock surface under a coral head or rock overhang. Spawning typically occurs at dawn; the female deposits 100 to 300 adhesive eggs. The male guards and fans the eggs for 5 to 7 days at 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 degrees Celsius). Eggs hatch into pelagic larvae that require rotifers and phytoplankton for 30 to 40 days. Metamorphosis occurs at approximately 0.6 inches (1.5 cm). The extended planktonic larval stage makes successful rearing extremely difficult and is not recommended for hobbyists without dedicated larval rearing systems.

Flame Hawkfish are generally hardy and disease-resistant when provided with appropriate nutrition and stable water parameters. However, they are susceptible to Cryptocaryon irritans (Marine Ich), Amyloodinium ocellatum (Marine Velvet), Brooklynella hostilis (Brooklynella), Uronema marinum, and secondary bacterial infections following parasite damage.

Prevention requires strict quarantine of all new livestock for 21 days minimum. Maintain stable temperature between 74 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (23 and 27 degrees Celsius) and highly oxygenated water. Use copper-based treatments (Cupramine at 0.35 to 0.5 mg/L or Coppersafe at 1.5 to 2.0 mg/L) for Ich and Velvet in a bare-bottom quarantine tank. For Brooklynella and Uronema, copper is ineffective; use formalin baths or chloroquine phosphate at 15 mg/L instead. The 14-day copper method followed by transfer to an observation tank is effective for hawkfish. Always observe fish in non-medicated water for 2 to 4 weeks before introducing them to the display tank.

Color fading in Flame Hawkfish is a well-documented phenomenon in captivity and is almost always caused by dietary carotenoid deficiency. In the wild, their brilliant red coloration comes from astaxanthin and other carotenoids obtained from a diverse diet of crustaceans and zooplankton. In aquariums fed only basic flake or pellet foods, these pigments are depleted from the skin and scales over 3 to 6 months, causing the fish to fade to a dull orange or pink.

To prevent and reverse color loss, you must feed foods rich in natural carotenoids: frozen mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, fresh raw shrimp, krill, and spirulina-enriched pellets. Supplement with liquid astaxanthin or vitamin supplements containing beta-carotene. Some aquarists report color improvement within 2 to 4 weeks of dietary correction. Poor water quality (elevated nitrates above 20 ppm) and stress from aggressive tank mates can also suppress coloration. Ensure pristine water conditions and adequate territory to allow the fish to display its full brilliance.