Oxycirrhites typus

A long- snouted hawkfish ( Oxycirrhites typus) lurking in a gorgonian prey

The long- snouted hawkfish or long- snouted Hawkfish ( Oxycirrhites typus) is a fish of the family of the hawkfish ( Cirrhitidae ) and thus belongs to the order of Perciformes ( Perciformes ). It is the only species of the genus Oxycirrhites.

Features

Long- snouted hawkfish have a elongated, laterally compressed shape. Typical is the long extended snout. The fish have a karoartiges pattern of vertical and horizontal red stripes on a white ground. They are 10 to 13 inches long, females stay smaller.

Occurrence

Long- snouted Korallenwächter occur to Japan, Hawaii, the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands in the Red Sea and tropical Indo-Pacific, from East Africa.

Way of life

Long- snouted Hawkfish live at depths of 10 to 100 meters and are in hiding, where they are well camouflaged with their drawing in gorgonians and Antipatharians ( Antipatharia ). They live in harem associations, which consist of one male and two to eight females. Long- snouted Korallenwächter feed on small fish and crustaceans, which they capture in rapid advance of their coral.

Aquarium maintenance

Long- snouted hawkfish can be well kept in reef aquariums. You should be at least partially covered as in their natural habitat with gorgonian. Best kept a couple. The Harem in aquariums normal size fails due to aggression between animals. The fish spawn in the aquarium, where they can jump out of the water. The aquarium must therefore have a high enough margin. The fish should get absolutely frozen foods, such as brine shrimp, mysis and krill, but also eat grain pellets. They are like all Korallenwächter very voracious. Do they suffer from hunger so they can lay hands on shrimp and small fish, such as damselfish genus Chromis. With their mouth they can pinzettartigen amazingly large pieces of food to devour. Putting new fish in the aquarium, the long- snouted hawkfish are often pushy curious or even aggressive to newcomers. After one to two days, this behavior diminishes. Because of their red -and-white drawing they have nicknamed kitchen towels under seawater aquarium.