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Redspotted Hawkfish

This redspotted hawkfish (Amblycirrhitus pinos) has found a perch between two pieces of coral. Hawkfishes get their name from the way they hunt their prey. They like to find a perch high above the ocean floor where they wait and watch for prey, just like a hawk. This species is common throughout the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico including the waters of Florida, Texas, and the Caribbean Sea. It grows to a maximum size of about 4 inches (10 centimeters) and feeds mostly on small crustaceans and other small invertebrates.