Cirrhitops fasciatus
Tiny red-barred hawkfish perched on Hawaii's reefs in 26-27C water, seen year-round at sites across the islands.
A small, chunky fish at only about 8 cm, usually spotted perched motionless on a coral head with its lower body propped on thickened, tasselled pectoral fins. Look for a pale to whitish body crossed by four or five broad reddish-orange bars running down the flanks, giving it a barred rather than spotted or blotched look. The head often shows fine reddish speckling, and the fins are translucent with faint red markings, blending it into red or pink encrusting coral.
Expect to find it wedged into a perch on a coral head or reef ledge, propped up on its stiff pectoral fins and staying almost still for long stretches while it scans for passing prey. It is a sit-and-wait hunter, darting out briefly to snap up small crustaceans before returning to the same perch, and it tends to hold its ground rather than bolt when a diver approaches slowly. Most sightings are on reef structure in shallow to moderate depths, where it blends well against red and pink coral growth.
Like other hawkfish, it lacks a swim bladder, which is exactly why it perches on coral rather than hovering in open water like most reef fish.
Sightings show no detectable season, and with water sitting steadily around 26.2 to 26.7C, it is present on Hawaiian reefs year-round. Any month you dive Hawaii is a fair shot, though as an uncommon fish it takes a patient look at coral heads to find one.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
This one is very much a Hawaii specialty among logged dives, showing up at reef sites right across the island chain rather than concentrating in just one or two spots. If you are diving Hawaii's reef systems and checking coral heads carefully, this is one of the resident hawkfish worth adding to your reef checklist.
Mapping where Redbarred Hawkfish is logged…
It is most reliably found on reef sites throughout Hawaii, with logged sightings spread across the islands rather than clustered in one hotspot. It has not been widely documented outside Hawaiian waters in diver records.
There is no strong seasonal pattern, and water stays around 26 to 27C year-round in Hawaii, so it can turn up on any dive. Patience scanning coral heads matters more than timing your trip to a particular month.
Look for a small, roughly 8 cm fish perched on coral with four or five broad reddish bars crossing a pale body. It rests propped on tasselled pectoral fins rather than swimming freely, which is a strong clue you are looking at a hawkfish.
They stay small, reaching only around 8 cm, which makes them easy to overlook against a busy coral head. Their size is one reason they are logged as uncommon even where they occur.
No, they pose no threat to divers. They are small, reef-bound fish that hold still on coral and have no interest in interacting with people.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Pixy Hawkfish
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