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Longnose Hawkfish

By The Aquarium Calculators Editorial Team ·

Oxycirrhites typus

Complete Longnose Hawkfish care guide covering carnivore diet requirements, semi-aggressive temperament, minimum 30 Gallons tank setup, and compatible saltwater tankmates. Difficulty: Easy.

Longnose Hawkfish

Quick Answer

Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) has a unique elongated snout and a red/white grid pattern. It requires a minimum 30 Gallons aquarium with a pH of 8.1 - 8.4 and temperature range of 24-26°C. As a carnivore with semi-aggressive tendencies, careful tankmate selection is essential.

Intro

Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) has a unique elongated snout and a red/white grid pattern. It spends most of its time perched on gorgonians or Acropora branches.

Setup

A 30-gallon or larger reef tank with branching corals or rock structures to perch on. Moderate to strong water flow. Tight lid.

Feeding

Carnivorous; eats mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, small pieces of fish, and pellets. Feed once daily.

Compatibility

Semi-aggressive; may eat small shrimp. Keep singly. Good with most reef-safe fish of similar size. Avoid small, timid species.

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Tank Position
Middle
Water Temp
24-26°C
Adult Size
See profile
Water pH
8.1 - 8.4

Species Characteristics

Adult Size
Lifespan
Growth Rate
moderate
Tank Compatibility
Community compatible
Indoor Aquarium
Yes

Water Parameters

Water Temperature
Humidity
Water pH

Tank Lighting

Tank Lighting
Standard lighting
Light Hours
N/A
Intensity
moderate

Feeding & Diet

Diet Type
Diet: Carnivore
Feeding Schedule
N/A
Live Food Options
N/A

Continue Learning

Recommended Tools

Fish Compatibility Calculator fish compatibility

Health & Disease

Ich (White Spot Disease) common disease • all fish

Related Guides

Understanding pH in Aquariums water parameters • ph

Similar Species

Banggai Cardinalfish Care Guide: Tank Size & Diet semanticSimilarity Blue Green Chromis Care Guide: Reef Tank & Diet semanticSimilarity Coral Banded Shrimp Care Guide: Water Params & Breeding semanticSimilarity

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Longnose Hawkfish should be kept together?
Keep one per tank, even in systems over 100 gallons (378 liters). Longnose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) use their pointed snouts to hunt in coral structures and are highly territorial toward conspecifics. Two individuals in any size tank fight to severe injury. A single adult requires a minimum of 30 gallons (113 liters) with a footprint of 30x12 inches (75x30 cm) and ample live rock or gorgonian branches for perching. Provide at least 5 vertical perching structures. Avoid with small ornamental shrimp (they will be eaten).
What are the exact marine water parameters for Longnose Hawkfish?
Target pH 8.1 - 8.4, specific gravity 1.023 - 1.025 (35-35.5 ppt), General Hardness 7 - 12 dGH, Carbonate Hardness 8 - 12 dKH, Total Dissolved Solids 32,000 - 35,000 ppm, and temperature 72°F - 78°F (22°C - 26°C). They enjoy perching high on live rock or gorgonian structures. Maintain nitrates below 15 ppm with weekly 20% water changes. Use a protein skimmer and moderate water flow (10x turnover). Provide strong rockwork with crevices. Stable salinity is critical; fluctuations cause stress.
What is the dietary and medication protocol for Longnose Hawkfish?
They are carnivores requiring 60% protein, 15% fat, 25% algae. Feed frozen mysis shrimp, fortified brine shrimp, chopped krill, and marine pellets twice daily. They will hunt small ornamental shrimp (cleaner shrimp, sexy shrimp) and small fish fry. Supplement with live ghost shrimp occasionally. Medication alert: Tolerate copper (0.15 mg/L Cupramine) but sensitive to hyposalinity. Praziquantel is safe. Quarantine with chloroquine phosphate (15 mg/L) for 14 days. Avoid formalin.
How to breed Longnose Hawkfish in captivity?
Breeding is extremely rare. Condition a bonded pair in a 75+ gallon reef tank with live rock and frozen mysis for 4 weeks. They are substrate spawners; the pair clears a flat rock surface. Spawning occurs at dawn; female lays 100-300 adhesive eggs. Male guards and fans eggs for 5-7 days at 75°F (24°C). Eggs hatch; larvae are pelagic and require rotifers and phytoplankton for 30-40 days. Metamorphosis occurs at 0.6 inches (1.5 cm). Not feasible for home aquariums due to specialized larval feeding.

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