I think are my favorite marine fish.. next to mandarin gobies and firefish.
they are so neat. Every time I visit the lfs, they inspire me to move to salt water one day =]
Not sure if those are even the correct names for those 3 fish, I know little of marine life other than the labels at lfs
Anyways, anyone have cowfish and how do you like them?
Well when they die or get stressed (which can be a degree change in water temp) they give off a neurotoxin that takes the whole tank with them. Avoid them unless you are extremely experienced.
I had a boxfish when I first started with marine (before i did any research!" ). He was my very first fish and had loads of character. Unfortunately my salt levels went very high and he just started sitting on the bottom of the tank. He was always at the top of the tank. Even when he was dying he never poisoned my tank but there is always an exception to the rule!!! I'd love another one but now I know how toxic they can be and the fact that some species grow to 18 inches I haven't had another!
I agree they are very neat to watch swim but require a BIG aquarium depending on the species 75 for some species and other toping out at 180 for the long horn species as they grow in size when they become and adult. Not to mention they are NOT reef safe as they eat corals and inverts. Can poison a tank, Ostracitoxin is exuded through the skin from almost all areas of the body, but primarily from the sides, and require pretty prestine water. I would pass on this fish.
This is my Long horn Cowfish - Kernal Popcorn... He rocks. Just to let you know we had a bit of a system crash over last wknd. We went away and to make story short too much water evaporated, causing the pump to pump air because the sump got to low and our heater is also located in the sump. Since pump wasn't pumping water to the main tank neither was the water being heated. Came home to a tank water temp at 59 F and no circulation except for to power heads...And he has been sucked into our weir once and right down to the sump intake area once. He is a trouper!!!
We saved the day and only lost the two plate corals(I'm still upset that they didn't make it) But all of our fish are absolutely fine. Even Kernol Popcorn... We have only been in the SW end of things for 8 mths and we just upgraded to the 72 gallon at Easter...
So good luck, and I would recomend this fish...I know the tank is to small for him but it will take him more than 3 yrs to out grow it, so by then we will get bigger tank