Hawkfish ignoring my anemone

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reefmaster

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
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Location
california
My anemone just moved to a different spot due to a new powerhead in my 30 gallon. My anemone moved near one of my hawkfish's favorite perching spot. The hawkfishes tail is in the anemone and he moves it around alittle, but it doesnt seem to bother him. My anemone is white, not sure what kind it is. i think its a seabe. Is this normal?
 
Well...if the anemone bothers the hawkfish, he'd move unless there's a source of force pushing him into it. An interesting documentary on National Geographic or Discovery channel about reefs explained that the clown fish behavior with anemones have also been seen in other reef fish such as hawks (gobies too). So, even though bizarre to our nature of what we know, evidently this behavior is spreading among other reef fish. This kind of proves the symbiotic relations between clowns and anemones are being leanred by other fish and taken advantage of. So your question "Is this normal?" really doesn't have an answer other than it's been discovered it's a new behavior among other reef fish besides clowns. Guess it depends if the hawkfish you have has ever seen and practiced such behavior.
 
The hawkfish probably just learned that having it by his territory keep sother fish or inverts away so he doesn't have to worry a whole lot.

Also like tct said, it's been seen in many fish. Damsels when very young have even been known to live in anemones like clownfish.
 
I have this problem with my Hippo Tang and my green BTA. The hippo will swim right past and hover around it even touching it. It does it all the time. I used to get freaked out thinking the anemone was going to kill the hippo but I dont even think about it anymore. It also steals the food from the anemone during feeding time.
 
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