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Cowfish

Longhorn Cowfish ~ Long-horned Cowfish Family: Ostraciidae

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Lactoria cornuta Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   Probably the most well known of the boxfish! The Cowfish, Longhorn Cowfish, or Long-horned Cowfish can be seen in almost every public aquarium. They are hardy and they love to eat!

   The Cowfish, Longhorn Cowfish, or Long-horned Cowfish are easily recognized by the horns on the forehead and the bottom rear of the body. These horns make them hard for predators to swallow. In any case their flesh is poisonous and would not make for a very good meal!

  NOTE: The Cowfishes in the genus Lactoria, especially this Cowfish, Longhorn Cowfish, or Long-horned Cowfish must be dealt with carefully. If overly harrassed or stressed, it can release the toxic substance, ostracitoxin. This is a response to stress and can poison your tank. Make sure you keep this fish in a comfortable and not overly stressed environment, and keep it well fed!

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Maintenance:
   Feed all kinds of live and frozen foods. The boxfish also eats greenstuffs. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. We generally feed squid, shrimp (the same kind people eat), mussels, and all kinds of chopped up fish. Be sure to wash these foods thoroughly before feeding. A good vegetable formula like Formula II is also beneficial. Live fish will also be taken but should not be fed exclusively.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:
   Cowfish, Longhorn Cowfish, or Long-horned Cowfish are found in the Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island. Inhabits inshore on coastal muddy or sandy habitats in still bays, and commonly found in harbours and estuaries. Small juveniles on protected shallow mudflats. Found in weedy areas near rocks or reefs. Juveniles often near river mouths and in brackish water. Adults are solitary, juveniles often form small groups. Large adults are shy. Feeds on benthic invertebrates by blowing away the sand

Foods:
   All kinds of meaty foods and greenstuffs. A bottom feeder. Puffers are primarily predatory fish in the wild though they do graze on a bit of algae. This puffer will enjoy all kinds of meaty foods including shrimp, worms, clams, various mussels, snails, tunicates, and fish.They are not picky eaters and will quickly become adapted to a variety of prepared aquarium foods and an occasional algae wafer. Flake food is not recommended. Even though they may eat it, puffers will not thrive on it.

Social Behaviors:
   Apparently this fish is sometimes aggressive and sometimes not. Keep an eye on newcomers with an established boxfish and any new boxfish that are added to the aquarium.

Sex: Sexual differences:
   Apparently many boxfish are easy to sex but we haven't found this information yet.

Light: Recommended light levels:
   No special requirements.

Temperature:
   No special requirements. Normal temperatures for marine fish is between 74 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit.

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Cowfish, Longhorn Cowfish, or Long-horned Cowfish adults can grow to 50.0 cm (20 inches). They usually only get about 40.0 cm (16 inches) in aquariums. Their size can be deceiving since they are usually very small at the pet stores.

Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   A minimum 100 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   No special requirements.

Availability:
   This fish is available from time to time.

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Latest Comments
Man, reading all these great comments I bought 2 pairs of 1" longhorn cowfishes in my 100 gallon aqu. Guess what I wiped out all my fishes and even inverts. Huge disaster I lost all everything cause these fishes. Vipul Verma 2009-09-16
We also have a cowfish called Charlie - only had him for a few months but already he's the main attraction in the tank! He eats out of your hand and if you go into the other room, he squeezes into one corner of the tank so he can actually still see you - we end up back in the other room to keep him company! Saw the comment about petting him - hmmm I'll have to give that a try! It's like having a 'puppy in a tank'. His latest trick is to annoy my boxer shrimp by swimming up to him really close... the shrimp then runs at him - he races off all excited then goes back and does it again! vicky 2009-07-31
Cowfishes are by far the coolest fish ever! We have one named helicopter that's been with us for 4 months, but already he has expressed himself to us. I've never seen a fish that actually has a personality. He is so brave and one can actually pet him. Yes he is great and does love to eat. He has parasites though, and doesn't let the cleaner wrasse or cleaner shrimp clean him. What should I do? Fernanda 2009-06-17
The Cowfish is by far my all time favorite. He lives with a Porcupine, Valintine and a Box. They all get along fine. Cow is so tame, I can pet his head between the horns. He's never let out the poison. They grow very fast! and eat like a cow :) 2 years old and 3" tall x 6" long body plus another 2" tail fin. It would eat constanty, but when he starts to spit back food as he eats, he's full. Cowfish are the closest thing to having a "Real Pet you can play with". They like people, are easy to care for, and always are happy to see you! chris 2006-04-29
I have had several Cowfish over the years and have found them to be a delight. No other fish expresses personality like a cowfish, they are so friendly. I have never been able to feed a Cowfish too much; they a perpetually hungry. When I have had Cowfish die in every instance it has been due to parasites brought into the take by a new addition and they have never released any poison. They are by far my favourite marine fish! Peter Wickert 2005-12-26
Some of the coolest comments:
Hi everyone, had a cowfish about 2 years now. Was less than an inch when I got him, now just over eight. Eats like a horse. Predictably my six year old daughter named him moo..... Anyway, he eats from my hands, let's me pet him, follows me round the room, great! On the negative side, squirts me if I dont feed him and squirts while I'm out, leaving streaks on the tank and puddles on the floor. Worst of all, on at least 3 occasions when cleaning, dropped my gaurd and he decided I was food! In less than a second has managed to shred enough skin off my wrist, finger, and arm to draw blood. Shouldn't bite the hand that feeds you! Try telling him that... Jaimie 2009-10-04
I have a longhorn cowfish named SPIKE. I have to sat that he/she is by far most simple fish to care for that I have ever had. He often begs for food and as we found out the other day gets very depressed when he can not see people. We have a blackout curtian on the tank due to to many windows in my place. we left it on a bit too long, and after taking it off Spike was dark in color and very reclusive. Also I think that it takes alot for them to release any toxin. Spike when we first got him got stuck in an intake and wound up breaking off one of his horns(it has since grown back) with no toxin release. Also he has chased a piece of food up the refugium intake and got his mouth stuck. He was stuck for atleast an hour before I noticed him (I have spike proofed the tank since then). He came out with a big hikky but again no toxin. We have also moved the tank and him without any toxin release. Needless to say I think that toxin release is very rare and most average aquarium stress will not be enough to provoke release. Josh 2005-12-16

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