SCRAWLED Cow fish
SCRAWLED
COWFISH (Acanthostracion quadricornis) Linnaeus, 1758
The Scrawled Cowfish has lots of personality, with "horns"
that are shorter than the Longhorn Cowfish of the Indo-Pacific, so there is less of a chance of them snapping off. They occasionally visit
the waters here, so they are more of a seasonal item. They grow from 8" to 15", although can reach 18" in the
wild. They have an almost puppy like personality and soon becomes a favorite fish! They chow on gorgonians,
anemones, tunicates, and crustaceans who move too slow in the ocean.
Keep them with calmer tank mates and make sure you visit with
your little cowfish, as they will start to recognize their owners and even will allow "petting." They need
plenty of room to swim so they do not chip their horns. Avoid sudden movements that may startle them...... again, the
horns may be chipped if they dash away and run into a rock or something. Don't worry, they grow back. It is suggested
to keep a full grown adult in 180 gallons. (for an 18" fish) A good rule of thumb may be 10 gallons per inch
of cowfish and tanks that are wider are better than tall narrower ones. So if in captivity the fish is 8", then
80 gallons or more should be sufficient.
Okay, now for the toxic fish issue. It seems that there are more reports of
people having no problems with their cowfish, than reports of toxins being released and a total tank wipe out when the cowfish
is stressed. Let's think about this logically. Fish and animals, in general, that use "defenses" such
as these, (skunks for instance), do it as a last resort, and in most cases, it is ANOTHER cowfish that causes the upset, especially
at feeding time. If the cowfish dies naturally, they do not release the toxin, since this toxin has to be consciously
produced by the fish in self-defense. When that happens, that would result in it's own death as well. Just
common sense and keeping it happy goes a long way. Keeping carbon in your filter is an excellent idea if such an issue
arises. If you see cloudy water and fish breathing heavily, remove them all to a fresh batch of sea-water, and
they should recover. Add carbon to the filter to remove the toxins after you have removed the fish.
When feeding them,
remember that they are omnivores and enjoy various chopped shrimp, clams, fish and squid, as well as Spirulina and seaweed
based foods. AVOID FLOATING FOODS since they will gulp air and cause buoyancy problems.
They appreciate sandy substrates
with caves with live rock (if possible).
FACTOID: Cowfish have bodies that are like a one piece suit of armor.
It consists of bony plates, that are fused together (unibody) with no scales, called a carapace. The only openings
that allow movement are the gills, fins, including the back fin, anus, nostrils, and the mouth. Temperature
72-82F PH: 8.0 to
8.3 Salt: 1.023-1.025 Minimum Tank size: 80-180 Tank mates: Mellow, easy going
fish Reef safe: Not
the best idea
Item #cowfish
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