Long Horn Cowfish

Care

The Long Horn Cowfish is an exquisite-looking species that attains a very large size and so really is only suitable for XXL fish-only aquaria. Juveniles are brightly coloured, but as the fish mature, these colours become more subdued and the long horns get progressively shorter. This member of the family Ostraciidae (boxfishes) can exude a toxin when stressed, which is capable of wiping out all the livestock within the aquarium. As such, this fish must be handled with great care and placed alongside appropriate tankmates that will not harass it or out-compete it for food. After a while, these fish can become quite tame, spitting water at the surface when it is feeding time. Keep only one per tank and not with any similar species.

Feeding

An omnivorous species that should be offered small meaty frozen foods such as Mysis shrimp, Spirulina enriched brineshrimp, chopped prawns/krill/mussel/cockle/squid etc as well as herbivore foods including marine algae. Floating foods are not recommended as the fish may ingest air which can lead to buoyancy problems. Feed small amounts 3 times per day.

Breeding

Unknown. In the wild, juvenile specimens are often found in brackish water near estuaries.