Diving with Hawkfishes

Lanta Marine Life | Cirrhitidae

The Hawkfishes are a family of 38 small species, with big heads, slightly elongated bodies, and short, rounded tail fins and can be seen at all sites on Koh Lanta diving trips. Hawkfishes range from 8.5 to 30 cm in length, and are only found in tropical waters, down to around 50 m.

Hawkfishes are mostly very colorful fish and are usually found perching on top of corals or sponges using their enlarged, thickened, scaleless lower pectoral-fin rays.

The latin family name Cirrhitids is derived from the many tiny tassel-like cirri at the tips of the spines on the first dorsal fin which make this family easy to identify (if you can get close enough). The second dorsal fin is merged with the first, but has no cirri.

All species feed on small crustaceans and fishes, however one species (Cyprinocirrhitus polyactis) mostly feeds on zooplankton.

Many species of Hawkfishes are solitary, however some species form pairs, and other species form small harems of several females dominated by a larger male. A female will change into a male if the dominant male leaves the harem or dies.

1 species found on this page:

Coral Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus)

Coral Hawkfish

(Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus)

Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus @ Koh Rok

The Coral Hawkfish, sometimes known as the Pixy Hawkfish, has a white body colour with dark reddish brown spots on the body and fins.

There are rows of spots through, and under the eyes, and small dark brown spots on the head. Some variations have a pink body with bright red spots.

Males are territorial and form small hermes with several females.

The Coral Hawkfish grows to 9.5 cm feeds on crustaceans and small fishes.