Oxycirrhites typus

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Facts
Latin name Oxycirrhites typus - Bleeker, 1857
Local name Longnose Hawkfish
Family Cirrhitidae - Oxycirrhites
Origin East Indian Ocean, West Indian Ocean, The Red Sea, The Mexican Golf, West Atlantic
Max length 13 cm (5.1")
As aquarium fish
Minimum volume 100 l (26 gal)
Hardiness Hardy
Suitable for aquarium Suitable with care
Reef safe Reef safe with caution
Aggressiveness Might be aggressive towards similar species
Feed
Recommended Larger crustaceans (Shrimp, crabs...)
Small crustaceans (Krill, mysis, artemia...)
Maybee Fish
Beware of
Jumps out of open aquaria

This species is known to jump out of open aquaria.

Can be a threat to small fish

This spicies might be a threat to smaller fishes.

Threat towards crustaceans

This species poses a threat towards shrimps and crabs etc., which are relatively small.

Small aquaria

This species can be kept in a small tank, if it is specifically equipped to meet its needs.

It is recommended however, to keep it in an aquarium which is larger then described above.

Keep in mind
Looses colour in the aquarium

In the aquarium the colour of this species can become matte.

Food with plenty of pigment and generally a varied diet of high quality can help alleviate colour loss.

Personality

This species often has a fun and interesting personality.

Can coexist as a pair

They can live as a pair provided they are introduced simultaneously.

Can be aggressive

This species can be aggressive when kept together with fish that are very similar, or if they are not provided with adequate space.

Descriptions and further reading
Description

This species likes eating prey which is larger then its mouth, in which case it will smash it on a rock to break it into pieces small enough to eat. This is not a problem, as long as one is aware of it.

Family description (Cirrhitidae)

Hawkfish stay still and wait for food most of the time, they are therefore suitable for smaller aquaria.

One must be aware that Hawkfishes can be very aggressive.

Very aggressive genera
The very aggressive species will sometimes attack many different types of fish, even the ones that are larger than themselves.

Cirrhitops
Cirrhitus
Paracirrhtes

Semi aggressive genera
The semi aggressive species are most threatening towards fish whose behaviour mimcks their own, and fish which are introduced after they have settled in.

Cirrhitichthys

Less aggressive genera
The less aggressive species are rarely threatening towards fish that which do not resemble them.

Cyprinocirrhites
Neocirrhites
Oxycirrhites


Larger Hawkfishes might eat small fish, shrimps etc. in the aquarium. Species of the Cyprinocirrhites and Neocirrhites genera are least likely to eat shrimps etc.

Hawkfish do not place many demands on their surroundings or water quality, as they are fairly hardy.

It is possible to keep several Hawkfish together, but sometimes they will suddenly begin to fight after some time in the aquarium.
This may be due to them changing gender so one can end up with two males.

FishBase
Aquarium trade Yes
Distribution Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and South Africa (Ref. 11228) to the Hawaiian Islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia. Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California to northern Colombia and the Galapagos Islands (Ref. 9289).
Danish common names Langnæset falkefisk
English common names Longnose hawkfish
Long-nose hawk
Long nose hawkfish
Long-nose hawkfish
German common names Langnasen-Büschelbarsch
French common names Poisson bécasse à carreaux
Poisson-bécasse écossais
References and further reading

About references

Bob Fenner. 2012. The Longnose Hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus) - Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine - (Engelsk)

Scott W. Michael. 2001. Basslets, Dottybacks & Hawkfishes: v. 2 (Reef Fishes) - TFH Publications / Microcosm Ltd. - (English)
James W. Fatherree. The Hawkfishes - Reefs Magazine - (English)
Bob Fenner. Hawkfishes, Family Cirrhitidae Part IPart IIPart III - Wet Web Media - (English)