we are thinking about adding a cowfish to our tank. It has 2 clowns a neon dotty back, a skunk shrimp and a blood shrimp. The skunk shrimp always offers to clean the clown fish. Do you think that behavior would be stressful to the cowfish?
Cowfish question
- Thread starter Stacyod
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Joshua Kerstetter
Active Member
My cow fish is the most laid back fish I have. Nothing bothers him he bothers nothing. I love seeing his horns poking out of the water when I feed.
Bob Loblaw
Well-Known Member
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eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
What size tank?
Keep in mind how big they get: https://www.fishbase.de/summary/6399
MSB123
Someone out there put something smart here.
Yes. Mine is now outgrowing my 180. They grow fast.
I would suggest a minimum of 100
Looking ay your old posts, you only have a 30 gallon tank. So a cowfish is a no go.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
If the tank is only 30g I would STRONGLY recommend NOT adding a cowfish where clowns and a dottyback are already established, as cowfish can still be bullied and outcompeted by them.
My bad. He’s the expert. I’m just going off of a YouTube channel I saw where this girl had a baby cow fish in a smaller tank and then upgraded to a 150.
MSB123
Someone out there put something smart here.
No. Very bad idea. The “Ill upgrade later” idea and way to reef is not a good way to do it. Plus cowfish really need a tank of 100 gallons or larger for a baby, and 180 gallons or larger for a medium one and 300 gallons+ for an adult
MSB123
Someone out there put something smart here.
Taylor Nicole Dean?
Pretty bad tank care shown on that channel.
And how that fish “cheese” just died (most likely of stress)
Yea I think so. All I saw was one video as I was even looking into getting one of those fish. I’ll stick with a friendly puffer, they seem easier
MSB123
Someone out there put something smart here.
Yeah
Greybeard
2500 Club Member
Got a good friend that picked up a longhorn cowfish... Named him Emoji 
Thing was maybe 1/2" across when he came home. That was 6 months ago. Put him in a 29g tank, with a pair of fairly aggressive cinnamon clowns. Had to target feed him at first, but these days, he competes just fine. He's probably 3" long, horns growing in nicely. Happy, healthy, and growing rapidly.
When he gets big enough, he'll be moved into a 210, but he needs to be large enough to deal with the other inhabitants... a dinner plate sized koran angel, football sized spiny puffer, couple tangs, and a dottyback that's about half a pound.
Needless to say... at 1/2" in size, he'd not have lasted long in that tank. I don't see ANYTHING wrong with putting a juvenile fish in a smaller grow out tank while they're getting big and strong.
Thing was maybe 1/2" across when he came home. That was 6 months ago. Put him in a 29g tank, with a pair of fairly aggressive cinnamon clowns. Had to target feed him at first, but these days, he competes just fine. He's probably 3" long, horns growing in nicely. Happy, healthy, and growing rapidly. When he gets big enough, he'll be moved into a 210, but he needs to be large enough to deal with the other inhabitants... a dinner plate sized koran angel, football sized spiny puffer, couple tangs, and a dottyback that's about half a pound.
Needless to say... at 1/2" in size, he'd not have lasted long in that tank. I don't see ANYTHING wrong with putting a juvenile fish in a smaller grow out tank while they're getting big and strong.
MSB123
Someone out there put something smart here.
I have no problem with it either.Got a good friend that picked up a longhorn cowfish... Named him Emoji
When he gets big enough, he'll be moved into a 210, but he needs to be large enough to deal with the other inhabitants... a dinner plate sized koran angel, football sized spiny puffer, couple tangs, and a dottyback that's about half a pound.
Needless to say... at 1/2" in size, he'd not have lasted long in that tank. I don't see ANYTHING wrong with putting a juvenile fish in a smaller grow out tank while they're getting big and strong.
The issue is that this is going to be its permanent home with no plans to upgrade.
One thing about youtube, you don't see people posting vids of their plan going south if and when it does, way too much misinformation.
Also keep in mind cowfish can be pretty bad nippers, one I had partially ate 3 clams on intro, and tried to eat just about anything it could get in it's mouth.
Also keep in mind cowfish can be pretty bad nippers, one I had partially ate 3 clams on intro, and tried to eat just about anything it could get in it's mouth.
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Definitely no for 30 gallons, they need tanks well over 100 gallons as they grow.
I have my cowfish in a 55gal and were in the process of building a 120gal which he will be moved to. The physical build will be done in a couple of days and I plan to move him in there by the middle or end of March. Hes the sweetest little dude and he has so much personality
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