The long nose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites Typus) is one of the most popular types of hawkfish. It is found primarily in Indo-Pacific waters, among other places, and especially in shallow water close to black corals and rocks.
Long nose hawkfish are often solitary fish yet strongly territorial with one male presiding over a group of 2 to 7 females. Long nose hawkfish have curious eyes that follow everything that goes on around them while awaiting their prey.
Long Nose Hawkfish Habitat
In the Maldives, the Long Nose Hawkfish is almost always found around sea fans and black corals. Long-nose hawkfish usually find areas of corals and rocks where they can passively wait for their food to float by. Long nose hawkfish are known to have a very curious nature and their eyes will usually follow any movement that’s happening around them. This species is highly adaptable and can also learn to live inside caves if necessary.
Long Nose Hawkfish Appearance
The long nose hawkfish is recognized by its characteristic red and white netted design. They have a long-nosed snout, shaped like a trumpet, for which they are named. They use their long nose to pull food from tight places such as crevices within the coral reef.
The long nose hawkfish male tends to be smaller and more colorful than the female. You can identify the male by black lines on the pelvic area and the caudal fins. They are also protogynous synchronous hermaphrodites which means they start their lives as females and then later on turn into males if necessary.
Long Nose Hawkfish Diet
The long nose hawkfish is a carnivorous specimen that feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates and zooplankton. This fish spends most of its time perched on a rock, sea fan or a piece of coral waiting to attack their prey. Their teeth are shaped and modified, especially for grasping free-swimming crustaceans, which are their principal source of food.
Long Nose Hawkfish Behavior Towards Scuba Divers
The long nose hawkfish is one of the least aggressive hawkfish and therefore poses no threat to scuba divers. They are very curious fish and you can see them observing scuba divers intensely from a distance.
Long Nose Hawkfish Reproduction
The long nose hawkfish is known to lay eggs and are the only hawkfish that have been reported to spawn in captivity. They tend to engage in monogamous relations and have been known to perform a courtship dance to attract a mate. The male sets up a territory that includes 2 to 7 females and each night around twilight he visits each female around the coral block looking for the right one to court. When the male finds a suitable female they swim upwards and release the eggs and the sperm together.
Threats to Long Nose Hawkfish
The biggest threat to the long nose hawkfish is its commercial use in aquariums and fish tanks. However, they are not an endangered species and their populations are quite normal and healthy.
See more: Jellyfish