Red Banded Hawkfish
Cirrhitops fasciatus
| Stock | Variations | Price | Quantity |
|---|
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Full guarantee terms →Ships Monday – Thursday for next-day arrival at your nearest FedEx Hold location — typically ready by 9 AM. We monitor every delivery.
Shipping details →
Monday – Friday 8 AM – 9 PM
Saturday 12 PM – 4 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 9 PM
Healthy, stable animals from vetted suppliers — inspected before packing, shipped overnight. Decades of experience built this model so we can deliver premium livestock at 30%+ less than you'd pay elsewhere.
| Care Level | Easy |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Semi-Aggressive |
| Reef Safe | With Caution |
| Functional Benefit | Ornamental Only |
| Diet Type | Carnivore |
| Mininum Tank Size | 30 gallons |
| Max Size | 5 inches |
| Temperature | 72–78°F |
| pH Range | 8.1–8.4 |
| Specific Gravity | 1.022–1.025 |
The Red Banded Hawkfish (Cirrhitops fasciatus), also sold as the Blood Red or Redbarred Hawkfish, is a perch-loving reef fish with bold red coloration and darker banding. It’s a Hawaiian species that spends much of the day posted on rock ledges or coral-like branches, watching the tank and making short, quick moves to grab food.
What You’ll Observe:
- Perching “like a lookout” on the highest rock points, then hopping between favorite spots
- Quick, targeted dashes toward drifting food, followed by an immediate return to its perch
- Eye-tracking behavior as it follows activity outside the glass
- A consistent routine of claiming a few preferred perches and revisiting them throughout the day
For best results, provide stable rockwork with multiple ledges and shaded resting areas so it can choose a comfortable perch. Offer meaty foods (like mysis and other chopped marine items) on a consistent schedule to keep it engaged at feeding time. Many aquarists keep it successfully in reef displays, while choosing shrimp and other small motile inverts with care.
Will it eat cleaner shrimp or peppermint shrimp?
Some individuals ignore larger cleaner shrimp, but many will hunt smaller “snack-sized” shrimp—especially right after introduction or at night when shrimp roam.
Is it normal for a new hawkfish to pick one “spot” and sit there a lot?
Yes—hawkfish commonly adopt a few lookout perches and rotate between them rather than cruising the whole tank.
Can a hawkfish learn to take pellets, or will it only eat frozen?
Many will transition to pellets once they recognize the feeding routine; starting with frozen and mixing in pellets often speeds this up.
Why did the head/body color darken compared to the store photo?
Temporary darkening can happen with mood, lighting, or stress; color often normalizes after it settles into a consistent day/night cycle.
Will it knock over coral frags when it perches?
It can—placing frags in sturdier racks or securing loose pieces helps, since hawkfish like to land on elevated spots.
Shipped with pure oxygen and temperature control so it arrives stress-free and ready to eat.
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