Cow fish?

akabryanhall · Feb 18, 2011

Anyone keep this in their tanks? I think they are the coolest fish, but have heard they can take a whole tank down if they die.

dougers31 · Feb 18, 2011

You're gonna have quite the tank if you go with cow fish and ribbon eels;)

KLR · Feb 18, 2011

They are sweet fish,and I believe some are reef safe? The problem is is if they get stressed,punctured,beaten up,sick,etc. They release toxins and its basically a nuke in your tank.

I think if you have the right flow and fish combo they can be successfully kept in a tank

akabryanhall · Feb 18, 2011

dougers31 said:
You're gonna have quite the tank if you go with cow fish and ribbon eels;)

Lol not really planning on getting either unless I get a big FOWLR.

BlazinNano · Feb 18, 2011

They are poisonous. If they die say good by to the tank. Not sure what they do to corals but I know all fish would be toasted.

akabryanhall · Feb 18, 2011

What about if you run carbon constantly? Will that reduce the effects?

Alattner · Feb 19, 2011

KLR said:
They are sweet fish,and I believe some are reef safe? The problem is is if they get stressed,punctured,beaten up,sick,etc. They release toxins and its basically a nuke in your tank.

I think if you have the right flow and fish combo they can be successfully kept in a tank

holly cow and this will be the reason i will never own a cow fish. no point in losing your whole tank over one fish

SD Actuary · Feb 19, 2011

I got a Longhorn Cowfish and a Cubicus Boxfish at the same time about 6 months ago in my 120. Both fish did not touch a single coral or invert, they ate like pigs too. They have the funniest and most curious personalities. I have heard that cowfish are very disease prone and when I woke up one morning the cowfish was dead. Nothing wrong with the rest of the tank tho. After the mourning process we got another one, after about 5 days we noticed him pecking at my Welso. We removed him and traded him to the LFS. The boxfish is doing fine and loving life.

Not sure if this will help your decision in getting one or not, just my experience with these funny little fish