Cowfish Quirk - Cute or Concerning?

[pelikinesis]

Had my cowfish for about a month or two now, shes been doing great, no issues at all. The only thing is is that every once in a while (once a weekish) she’ll like, gyrate and turn herself all over the place. Sometimes onto rocks, sometimes just barrel rolling all over the place. Cant find anything online about it, just curious if its a known thing they do or what. No visible parasites and perfect Perameters.

Weird turning? (Only time ive been able to film)

Perfectly normal 30 seconds afterwards

 

[Rob A]

It looks like it is caught in a current mine does that all the time. What size tank is that it looks pretty small?

 

[christinna77]

#fishmedic if you could take a peek at this

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Had my cowfish for about a month or two now, shes been doing great, no issues at all. The only thing is is that every once in a while (once a weekish) she’ll like, gyrate and turn herself all over the place. Sometimes onto rocks, sometimes just barrel rolling all over the place. Cant find anything online about it, just curious if its a known thing they do or what. No visible parasites and perfect Perameters.

Weird turning? (Only time ive been able to film)

Perfectly normal 30 seconds afterwards

That sure doesn't look normal....

How long have you had this fish?
Is it eating well?
The water looks really cloudy to me, is that just an artifact of the video? I worry that it could be a reaction to toxins from dinoflagellates, or low dissolved oxygen from free floating bacteria (causing the cloudy water).

 

[pelikinesis]

Had my cowfish for about a month or two now, shes been doing great, no issues at all. The only thing is is that every once in a while (once a weekish) she’ll like, gyrate and turn herself all over the place. Sometimes onto rocks, sometimes just barrel rolling all over the place. Cant find anything online about it, just curious if its a known thing they do or what. No visible parasites and perfect Perameters.

Weird turning? (Only time ive been able to film)

Perfectly normal 30 seconds afterwards

That sure doesn't look normal....

How long have you had this fish?
Is it eating well?
The water looks really cloudy to me, is that just an artifact of the video? I worry that it could be a reaction to toxins from dinoflagellates, or low dissolved oxygen from free floating bacteria (causing the cloudy water).

Nope, just post water change (hose visible in background and water level low) i also run a **** ton of carbon and uv cuz im afraid of the cowfish/boxfish poison (ostratoxin?) but she literally does it for like 2 minutes put of the week, and then resumes being a regular cowfish. Shes in a 40 breeder by herself for now with a 75galHOB and a fluval 307.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Nope, just post water change (hose visible in background and water level low) i also run a **** ton of carbon and uv cuz im afraid of the cowfish/boxfish poison (ostratoxin?) but she literally does it for like 2 minutes put of the week, and then resumes being a regular cowfish. Shes in a 40 breeder by herself for now with a 75galHOB and a fluval 307.

Longhorn cowfish are not really known for producing enough toxins to cause issues - not like some boxfish do.

 

[pelikinesis]

Nope, just post water change (hose visible in background and water level low) i also run a **** ton of carbon and uv cuz im afraid of the cowfish/boxfish poison (ostratoxin?) but she literally does it for like 2 minutes put of the week, and then resumes being a regular cowfish. Shes in a 40 breeder by herself for now with a 75galHOB and a fluval 307.

Longhorn cowfish are not really known for producing enough toxins to cause issues - not like some boxfish do.

So ive heard. Idk just paranoid lol,

 

[Dom]

That sure doesn't look normal....

How long have you had this fish?
Is it eating well?
The water looks really cloudy to me, is that just an artifact of the video? I worry that it could be a reaction to toxins from dinoflagellates, or low dissolved oxygen from free floating bacteria (causing the cloudy w

It seems to be rubbing against the rocks. I immediately thought "flashing".

Is that not what flashing looks like?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

It seems to be rubbing against the rocks. I immediately thought "flashing".

Is that not what flashing looks like?

Could be, but flashing is more of a directed motion, scratching a certain body part against a hard surface. I looked at the video again and I did see some possible scratching……cowfish swim differently, so I missed that at first.

I’m still concerned about the cloudy water - particulates can cause fish to scratch.