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Arc-eye Hawkfish

Paracirrhites arcatus

Marine Marine Indo-Pacific

Distinctive for the colourful horseshoe pattern behind each eye, this bottom-dwelling ambush predator perches atop corals and rocks using thickened pectoral fins. While hardy and full of character, it poses a direct hazard to ornamental crustaceans and diminutive benthic fish, which it swiftly captures and consumes.

Also called: Arc-eye hawkfish, Arc eye, Arc eyed hawkfish.

14 cm adult length, drawn to scale. torpedo body.

Saltwater species. The planner judges it with a marine rule set. A reef or fish-only tank takes months to mature and costs more to run than freshwater. See the marine page.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 1 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 14 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 200 L, at least 90 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 50 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 3 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 22 to 26 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 8.1 to 8.4 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 8 to 12, KH 8 to 12 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Medium Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Moderate Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size Single fish is fine Not a schooling species.
Temperament Semi-aggressive Territorial: strong.
Swims in Near the bottom Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 7 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Suits a first tank A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.
Jumps Yes Keep the tank covered.
Salinity Marine, about SG 1.023 to 1.025 Needs salt water, a different build and a longer-running tank than a freshwater set-up.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Arc-eye Hawkfish is an carnivore that swims in the lowest part of the tank. It is safe with plants. Give it plenty of cover. It will eat fish small enough to swallow.

Tankmates

Works with

Depends

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.