Flame hawkfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flame hawkfish |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification |
The flame hawkfish (Neocirrhites armatus) is a super cool marine fish known for its bright red color. It's a type of hawkfish and lives in the warm, tropical reefs of the Pacific Ocean. You can find them swimming at depths of about 1 to 10 meters (3 to 33 feet). This fish is also sometimes kept in home aquariums. It's the only known species in its special group, or genus.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The flame hawkfish got its official name in 1873 from a French scientist named Francis de Laporte de Castelnau. He found this fish near Noble Island in the Torres Strait, which is off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
He gave it the name Neocirrhites armatus. The first part, neo, means "new." The second part, Cirrhites, is like the name of another group of hawkfish. The last part, armatus, means "armed." This refers to some small, spiky parts on its face, near its gills.
What Does It Look Like?
The flame hawkfish has a body that's quite deep and flat, almost like it's been squished from the sides. It has a snout that's not too long. Inside its mouth, it has rows of teeth, with some bigger ones at the front of its upper jaw and on the sides of its lower jaw.
This fish has two main fins on its back:
- The dorsal fin has 10 spiny rays and 13 soft rays. Each spine has a little tassel-like tuft on its tip.
- The anal fin has 3 spiny rays and 6 or 7 soft rays.
Its tail fin is slightly rounded. The bottom six rays of its pectoral fins (the ones on its sides) are strong and not branched. The flame hawkfish can grow up to about 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) long. It's famous for its bright red color, often with black areas around its eyes and under its dorsal fin.
Where Does It Live?
You can find the flame hawkfish in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Its home stretches from the Ryukyu Islands and Ogasawara Islands in Japan, all the way across to the Pitcairn Islands. It also lives south near the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia.
While it can be found as deep as 25 meters (82 feet), it usually prefers shallower waters, often between 10 and 15 meters (33 to 49 feet) deep. These fish love living on reef fronts where there's a good amount of water movement from tides, and on underwater terraces.
How Does It Live?
Flame hawkfish are often seen hiding among the branches of live corals. They especially like corals such as Stylophora mordax or different types of Pocillopora coral. If something gets too close, they quickly dart deeper into the coral for safety.
Their diet mainly consists of small crustaceans, like tiny shrimp or crabs. They lay eggs and usually live in pairs. Adult flame hawkfish don't have a swim bladder, which is a gas-filled organ that helps fish float. Instead, they use their strong pelvic fins to perch on corals, almost like they're sitting down!
Flame Hawkfish in Aquariums
The flame hawkfish is a popular choice for people who have home aquariums. It's often available in pet stores that sell marine fish. Many hobbyists enjoy keeping them because they are so colorful and interesting to watch. However, they can be a bit expensive and need special care to stay healthy in an aquarium.
