Fosters Hawkfish

Foster’s Hawkfish – Care & Description

The Foster’s Hawkfish is a bold, hardy and character-filled marine fish known for its alert personality and perching behaviour. Instead of constantly swimming in open water, this fish often sits proudly on rockwork or coral branches, watching the tank around it before darting out for food. Its striking pattern and confident nature make it a great feature fish for a suitable marine aquarium.

This species is generally hardy once settled and is best suited to aquariums with plenty of live rock, ledges and perching spots. Foster’s Hawkfish can be territorial, especially toward smaller or more peaceful fish, so it should be added with care to community reef tanks. It may also prey on very small shrimp or tiny ornamental crustaceans, so caution is recommended in tanks with cleaner shrimp, sexy shrimp or very small invertebrates.

Care Requirements

Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Reef Safe: With caution
Diet: Carnivore
Minimum Tank Size: 250 litres+ recommended
Adult Size: Up to around 20 cm
Water Temperature: 24–26°C
Salinity: 1.023–1.026
pH: 8.1–8.4

Feeding

Foster’s Hawkfish should be offered a varied meaty diet. Suitable foods include frozen mysis shrimp, brine shrimp, chopped seafood, krill, marine carnivore blends and high-quality marine pellets. Feed once to twice daily, depending on the tank’s stocking and nutrient levels.

Tank Compatibility

Best kept with medium-sized, confident marine fish. Avoid housing with very tiny fish or delicate, shy species that may be bullied. Use caution with small ornamental shrimp, as hawkfish are natural predators and may view them as food.

Ideal Aquarium Setup

Provide a mature marine aquarium with stable water parameters, good filtration and plenty of rockwork. Hawkfish enjoy elevated perching spots where they can rest and observe their surroundings. A secure lid is recommended, as they can jump when startled.

Please Note

Actual colour, pattern and size may vary slightly between individual fish. Livestock availability and appearance may differ from images shown.