How to Care for Cowfish in a Salt Water Aquarium

The cowfish is a peaceful marine creature from the Indo-West Pacific. This small fish is immediately identifiable by the prominent hornlike spikes that project from both its head and from the lower rear corners of its rectangular body. The hardy, but slow moving cowfish becomes an easy target for fin nipping fish, which should not be included in its aquarium. Although the comical appearance of the cowfish makes this salt water creature popular among aquarists, it requires specific considerations when placed in an aquarium.

Things You'll Need

  • 40-gallon salt water aquarium
  • Sponge or plastic filter intake covers
  • Peaceful tank mates
  • Meaty sea food, finely cut
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Instructions

    • 1

      Offer the cowfish an aquarium with a minimum volume of 40 gallons.

    • 2

      Ensure that the filtration and aeration in the salt water aquarium is not too powerful. Cowfish are poor swimmers and are easily stressed by strong currents, which blow them about the aquarium.

    • 3

      Ensure that the inlet pipes to filters are covered with sponge or plastic grids to prevent the cowfish from being sucked against them.

    • 4

      Ensure that the tank mates you choose for the cowfish are not aggressive. The peaceful cowfish is not able to defend itself and is not a sufficiently fast swimmer to escape from aggressive fish placed in its aquarium.

    • 5

      Do not turn your aquarium lights on in an otherwise dark room. Cowfish are easily startled by sudden movements and may injure themselves by swimming into aquarium décor or into the glass of the aquarium.

    • 6

      Do not place swift predators, such as triggerfish, in the same aquarium as cowfish. These fish will invariably get to food items first and this competition for food will cause the much slower moving cowfish to eventually starve to death.

    • 7

      Do not place large sea anemones in the same aquarium as cowfish. The long tentacles of anemones can deliver a fatal sting, and the cowfish could be captured and eaten by the anemone if it is pushed toward this invertebrate by currents in the aquarium.

    • 8

      Avoid stressing the cowfish. When stressed, cowfish produce a toxin, termed ostracitoxin, that kills other fish in the confines of a home aquarium. As the water quality quickly deteriorates because of the dead and dying fish, the cowfish normally dies as well.

    • 9

      Include peaceful and slow swimming fishes, such as seahorses, pipefishes and mandarins in the cowfish aquarium.