Rare Polynesian Flame Tail Hawkfish Color Change?

[Pacific East Aquaculture]

Interesting story about our Rare Polynesian Flame Tail Hawkfish that I would like to share with everyone! We got in four Polynesian Flame Tail Hawkfish for the first time ever with our last French Polynesian shipment from our collection station located in Tahiti. These fish are extremely rare and this is the first time they have been available to the aquarium trade. They are collected in very remote islands of French Polynesia. We still have two of the four Flame Tail Hawkfish available for sale. These fish have been housed in adjacent cubicles at our facility for the five weeks that we have had them. A dramatic color change has occurred in one of the Flame Tail Hawkfish at our facility. Both of these fish originally looked like the top photo and the second one, as you can see, completely changed to a bright golden color. From the research we have conducted, we think that the color change must be due to a dominance display and/ or male and female interaction, but considering the rarity of these fish, it is definitely hard to say. Any suggestions?

 

If anyone is interested in purchasing both or either of these extremely rare fish they are on sale for $199.99 each from their original price of $295.00 each. This is a great deal considering their rarity! Email me (Alyssa) at alyssa@pacificeastaquaculture.com if you are interested in purchasing one or both of these awesome fish!

 

These fish and all of our French Polynesian fish are quarantined at our collection station for two months prior to our French Polynesian partners shipping them to us. All fish eat pellet food and frozen foods of various types before they are shipped to Pacific East Aquaculture. We quarantine all fish for a minimum of two weeks before they become available for sale.

 

We also have 4 Black tangs available, one Pink-line Wrasse and Flame Hawkfish too!

 

Reef Aquarium Fish for Sale | Maryland Saltwater Fish for Sale

 

Edited September 24, 2013 by Pacific East Aquaculture

[zygote2k]

Do these hawkfish have the same issues as the Arc-Eye Hawkfish?

pretty fish by the way and I'm hoping that you don't break up the "pair" considering how rare they might be and the fact that no one has seen the color change.

Edited September 23, 2013 by zygote2k

[zygote2k]

some quick research leads me to believe that this ---  http://reefbuilders.com/2011/02/28/yellow-hawkfish/ --- is just the male or female of the flame tailed hawkfish which turns out is a close relative of the Arc-Eyed Hawkfish.

[Pacific East Aquaculture]

We also get the Yellow Hawkfish, the Flame Tailed Hawks are not the same as the Yellows.

 

 

The yellow one did not come in with this color, developed this coloration over time being housed in separate tanks next to each other. Our partner in French Polynesia has not seen this coloration in the wild where he collects these fish.

[zygote2k]

how about a side by side of the 2 yellow colored hawkfish? just to see the similarities.

[Pacific East Aquaculture]

Don't have any yellow in stock at the moment, but you can see the difference comparing the reef builders link photo with the photo we have on our site.

[TheyCallMeMr.703]

Very Nice.

[L8 2 RISE]

Very cool looking!  

 

 

Do these hawkfish have the same issues as the Arc-Eye Hawkfish?

pretty fish by the way and I'm hoping that you don't break up the "pair" considering how rare they might be and the fact that no one has seen the color change.

 

What issues do arc-eye's have?