Size
Cowfish can be as small as 4 inches and as large as 40 inches.
Physical Characteristics
These cowfish are typically yellowish to olive green in colour with strong “armour” plates covering much of their bodies. They also feature dark patches or splotches and dark scrawling patterns. They get their moniker “cowfish” because of ‘horns’ that cover their large eyes and have a profile that slopes to a puckered mouth.
Habitat
cowfishes’ primary habitat in the Indo-Pacific region are coral reefs in lagoons, on reef flats, protected seaward reefs and in coastal muddy or sandy habitats in still bays, and in harbors and estuaries. Adults are often solitary and territorial.
In Captivity
- Tank size
Keep boxfish and cowfish in an appropriately sized aquarium. A minimum of 125 gallons, depending on the adult size of the species, is recommended.
- Building your habitat
In order to maintain health, ensure that the water is properly filtered. To replicate the water currents and high oxygen levels present in the boxfish and cowfish’s native habitat, slow to moderate water circulation should be offered. Stable water quality (pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite) and water temperature are crucial to the health of aquatic life. Bring a sample of your water to Petco for a free analysis if you are unsure of its quality. A protein skimmer can help maintain high dissolved oxygen levels and excellent water quality. Use an aquatic heater to maintain the water’s temperature so that it doesn’t change by more than +/-2 degrees over the course of a day. The specific gravity ought to hold steady. No more than +/-0.001 of a specific gravity change should occur throughout a 24-hour period.
Don’t forget to leave lots of space for swimming and plenty of substrate, pebbles, and hiding spots.
Live stones can be added to create a natural food supply for boxfish and cowfish.
- Feeding
A healthy omnivorous diet for boxfish and cowfish includes: flakes, pellets, frozen or freeze-dried food and a balanced diet with variety to ensure proper nutrition. When feeding your boxfish or cowfish, keep the following in mind:
- Feed modest amounts two to three times daily, no more than the fish can consume in one to two minutes depending on the species and size.
- When feeding, thaw frozen food. To ensure optimal eating, keep in mind that younger fish frequently lose out to older, faster fish. Offer no floating food because breathing in air can affect buoyancy
- Aquatic mates
May get along with some calm species, like: Clownfish, Fire/dartfish, Gobies, Dragonets, Cardinalfish, Reef-safe wrasses.
Because boxfish and cowfish may release deadly toxins when stressed, do not keep with aggressive fish. Not recommended for reef tanks.
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