Blackside Hawkfish
Paracirrhites forsteri
Perching hawkfish that rests on coral heads watching for prey.
Family
Cirrhitidae
Avg Size
18-22 cm
Habitat
The blackside hawkfish is native to the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific, ranging from East Africa and the Red Sea to Japan, New Caledonia, and Australasia. In Australia it occurs from the north-west of Western Australia around the top of the country to the Queensland-New South Wales border. It lives on the seaward sides of reefs and over soft-bottomed lagoons to depths of 30 m (100 ft) and more.
Behaviour
An ambush predator, it typically waits on a coral head, propped up on its stiff pectoral fins, ready to dart out at passing crustaceans or small fish. It is mostly solitary but may be seen in pairs or small harems of one dominant male and several females. Like others in its family, it is a sequential hermaphrodite: adults begin life as females, and the largest female in a group changes into a male if that role becomes vacant.
Where & When to See It
Shaab Sabina
Bluff Point
Shabrur Um Gamar
Shag Rock (Kingston)
Careless Reef
Abu Ramada North
Panorama Reef
Gota Abu Ramada
Banana Reef
Small Giftun
Soma Bay Garden
Belina Wreck
Abu Ramada South
Hamda
Ras Disha
The Barge at Bluff Point
El Erug
El Fanadir
El Fanous West
El Mina Wreck
Turft El Shahed
Erg Abu Ramada
Turtle Reef
Umm Gamar North
Umm Gamar South
Erg Sabina
Rocky Island
Rosalie Moller
Zabargad Island
Abu Ghalawa
Abu Kifan
Salem Express
Erg Somaya
Big Giftun
Shaab Abu Nugar
Shaab Claudia
Shaab Eissa
Abu Hashish
Shaab Eshta
The Ulysses
Shaab Maksur
Shaab Petra
Sha'ab Sharm
Shaab El Erg
Shaab Sataya
Shark & Yolanda Reef
Shark Observatory
Shark's Bay
Siyul Kebira
Small Crack
South Ras Abu Galum
SS Turkia
Temple
The Alternatives
The Islands
Thistlegorm
Thomas Reef
Three Pools
Turtle Bay
Umm Kharalim
White Knight
Woodhouse Reef
Chrisoula K
Dunraven (Beacon Rock)
Elphinstone
Habili Ali
Kimon M
North Ras Abu Galum
The Canyon
The Caves
Tower
Abu Dabbab
Sodfa
Abu Nuhas
Aida
Amphoras
Big Brother Island
Blue Hole - El Bells
Carnatic
Daedalus Reef
Eel Garden
Eel Gardens
Far Garden
Fiddle Garden
Fury Shoals
Giannis D
Gordon Reef
Gota Kebir
Gota Soraya
Habili Gaffar
Jackfish Alley
Jackson Reef
Kormoran
Laguna Reef
Lighthouse
Little Brother Island
Middle Garden
Moray Garden - Golden Blocks
Napoleon Reef
Near Garden
North Gabr El Bint
Numidia
Paradise
Pinky Wall
Ras Abu Helal
Ras Bob
Ras Burg
Ras Ghamila
Ras Ghozlani
Ras Katy
Ras Nasrani
Ras Um Sid
Ras Zaatar
Sha'ab Samadai (Dolphin House)