Longnose Hawkfish

The Longnose Hawkfish is a small, distinctively patterned reef fish in the hawkfish family (Cirrhitidae), the sole member of its genus, Oxycirrhites. Instantly recognizable by its elongated tubular snout and lattice-like red-and-white color pattern, it is widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific and popular in the marine aquarium trade. It is not migratory and lives a sedentary life perched on gorgonian sea fans and black coral colonies, relying on camouflage against these branching hosts. The species is not considered threatened, though habitat loss of deep gorgonian stands is a regional concern.

• Slender body with an unmistakable checkerboard/lattice pattern of red to orange crossbars on a white background
• Extremely elongated, pointed snout, longer than in any other hawkfish
• Large eyes set forward on the head
• Tufted cirri (hair-like projections) on dorsal spine tips
• Thickened lower pectoral rays used to grip coral branches
• Adults reach 9-13 cm

No other reef fish shares its combination of tubular snout and red lattice pattern, making misidentification unlikely.

Longnose Hawkfish are found on outer reef slopes and drop-offs throughout the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Hawaii and the eastern Pacific. They typically inhabit depths of 10-100 m, favoring areas with gorgonian sea fans, black coral, and wire coral where their coloring provides camouflage. Water is warm, clear, and current-swept, conditions that support the growth of the branching corals they depend on. They are non-migratory and remain closely associated with a single coral colony for extended periods.

This hawkfish perches motionlessly on coral branches using its thickened pectoral fins, ambushing small crustaceans and zooplankton that drift past. It lacks a swim bladder, which limits sustained swimming and reinforces its perch-and-dart hunting style. Individuals are often solitary or found in loose pairs, and males may guard small harems of females within a coral head, with dominant individuals capable of changing sex. Spawning occurs at dusk, when pairs rise briefly from the coral to release eggs and sperm into the water column.