Truly Reef Safe?

[Spooky]

Looking for some opinions on a particular fish. I've done some reading already but would like some further thoughts. I really want a longnose hawkfish but have heard mixed things regarding it's invert compatibility. In everyone's experience will it harm cleaner shrimp? Snails? Small hermits? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks
Spooky

 

[fanaglethebagle]

Hit or miss usually, just dont count on keeping small shrimp / hermit crabs

 

[smcnally]

Yup, ditto on what fanagle said. They are very shy too...I had one and had to fish it out of my overflow every day for about a week.. Very cool fish though, and I would like to get another one some day. I don't know what happened to mine, it just disappeared one day.

 

[smpross]

I have two hawkfish. Neither is a longnose, but both LOVE to eat hermits!

Scott.

Fanagle.... Love the Avatar!

 

[Spooky]

Someone please define small shrimp as related to this thread. Meaning all relatively small cleaner shrimp? Peppermint, skunk, scarlet, ect? How about coral banded shrimp or pistol shrimp? As far as crabs go is the belief no hermits will be safe or likely safe? Would it be less likely to prey upon my inverts if it was very well fed? Really don't want to give up on the idea of keeping one of these fish.

 

[B.rian]

i have one that does not bother hermits. i haven't tried shrimp in with him, but he doesn't care about hermits or snails at all.

 

[GinaD]

I have a pygmy hawke in with about 6 shrimp and several small crab and he hasn't bothered any of them to date. Of course, the cleaner shrimp is about the same size as the hawke...

 

[pjed99]

My longnose hawk cost me $30 when I bought him and 2 cleaner shrimp and about 40 hermits later he is worth about $100. I couldn't figure out who was eating them until I saw a cleaner shrimp hanging out of his mouth. I will never put a hawkfish in reef tank again. One bad experience is enough. Worst part about it was he was my favorite fish. Good luck

 

[Cheetos]

I have an arceye hawkfish that doesn't bother crabs or shrimp....so far!

 

[Chris L]

if you get it small and all the shrimp are already established you stand a better chance

 

[Gina McReeferson]

David loves those and has wanted one for a long time, but we love our cleaners and fire shrimp too much to risk it. It's not easy to get a fish out of a 240 gallon if he doesn't work out as planned.

-Gina