Cirrhitichthys falco

Randall, 1963

Falco’s Hawkfish, Dwarf Hawkfish

Range: Indo-West Pacific Ocean: Maldives to Samoa, north to Southern Japan, and south to the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.

Size: 3 inches (7 cm)

Natural Environment: Inhabits shallow coastal reef flats and usually perching on bases of coral heads and generally found at depths between 30 – 65 feet (10 – 20 m) where it feeds on small fishes and crustaceans.

General Husbandry: Occasionally seen in the trade and quite attractive having a whitish head and body with reddish brown spots mostly forming five vertical bands and several orange spots of the aft body and tail.

Can be maintained in reef or fish-only aquariums, which should contain various rocky areas where the species can take shelter if needing it, or perch/sit on and watch the activity of other tankmates or see where food enters the aquarium.

Even though not overly feisty, this species should not be housed with non-aggressive fishes such as anthias, dartfishes, small gobies and flasher wrasses.

As to diet, finely chopped products such as marine fish and crustacean flesh, clams, and other marine meaty foods and/or frozen carnivore foods should be fed twice daily.

Taxonomy:

Order: Perciformes

Suborder: Percoidei

Family: Cirrhitidae

Genus: Cirrhitichthys

FYI: Will eat small crustaceans/tubeworms.

Cannot be trusted with very small fish such as Neon Gobies.

Will defend its preferred sitting areas.

May annoy sessile invertebrates by sitting on them.

Adults do not possess a swim bladder.

Strong pelvic fins are used as supports when perching.

Experience Level: Beginner

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Diet: Carnivore

Coral Safe: Yes

Fish Safe: With caution

Invertebrate Safe: With caution

Acclimation Time: 30 minutes+

Aquarium Environment: Reef or fish-only aquarium

Tankmates: Moderately aggressive

Minimum Tank Size: 30+ gallons

Temperature Range: 72 - 81°F (22 – 27°C)

Specific Gravity: 1.020 - 1.026

pH: 8.0 - 8.5