Cowfish Companions

Cowfish release a toxin when stressed, and that would kill all other fish in the same aquarium. You can keep them with VERY peaceful fish, but if stressed they will more likely then not release it into the water. So in other words keep them with something that will cause minimum stress to the fish, if anything.

froglover007 said:

Cowfish release a toxin when stressed, and that would kill all other fish in the same aquarium. You can keep them with VERY peaceful fish, but if stressed they will more likely then not release it into the water. So in other words keep them with something that will cause minimum stress to the fish, if anything.

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The legendary toxicity of Cowfish is vastly overrrated. I have never heard of a documented case of a Cowfish wiping out a tank in all the years I've been in the hobby and the trade. Other members of the Boxfish familiy, particularly The Blue or Black Boxfish Ostracion meleagris (Blues are males , blacks are female) are another matter entirely.

SubRosa said:

The legendary toxicity of Cowfish is vastly overrrated. I have never heard of a documented case of a Cowfish wiping out a tank in all the years I've been in the hobby and the trade. Other members of the Boxfish familiy, particularly The Blue or Black Boxfish Ostracion meleagris (Blues are males , blacks are female) are another matter entirely.

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It all depends on volume of water, aquascaping, equipments (filters, efficiency of protein skimmer), quality of chemical medias, and also types of tankmates.
Have kept just about most Box avail w/ very little complications but there were few occassions where I had to scratch my heads for possible answers.
Thus I would be very cautious when choosing its/their tankmates, especially in small aq.
Personally I loved the tiny cubicus, not as desirable when older/larger.

BTW, what is dogfish? Not a puffer, I hope.

I think the OP means a dogface puffer.

jpappy789 said:

I think the OP means a dogface puffer.

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If so, I dont think it is good choice as cow's tankmate.

If this is FOWLR or even reef, why not other passive fish such group of firefish, purple anthias or other anthias, Bengaii Cardinals, Pygmy angels.
When proprly aquascaped, i would keep with an either juvie (2") emperor, blue face or ather angels. Start with juvie thought as they will grow together in 120. Have cowfish as one of the first resident before others.
ther are many different types of gobies, blenny, pseudochromis or their cousins.
Even small butterfly is ok though butterfly is more on delicate side (maybe after tank is well mature), Mandarin.
Definitely at least (1) small foxface to control algae in fowlr when enough algae present

Many Many possiblities/combo in 120G tank.

you could probably do tiny gobies, green chromis, bicolor blenny. other blennies and gobies are too aggressive. mandarin and other dragonets are a lot of work unless u have a mature self sustaining pod population. your talking about a year old tank there.