hanley0019
New Member
I feed my cowfish frozen krill. How often should i feed it. Its my first meat eater so i wanna make sure im feeding it right.
longhorn cowfish feeding
- Thread starter hanley0019
- Start date
ophiura
Active Member
I am assuming you have researched this fish a lot, in particular with its relative poor survival rate and ability to release a toxin that could kill other fish? 
If you already know, sorry, but it needs to be mentioned in case. Not a beginner fish I'm afraid...and pretty, but potentially quite deadly.
Definitely watch the current in the tank as they are relatively weak swimmers. Also avoid more boisterous tankmates that may stress it. Is it eating currently? It needs a fairly diverse diet...IMO whatever it will eat should be given (try some of the other frozen formulations). What other types of fish do you have? How big is the tank? How old is the tank? How often do you currently feed?
If you already know, sorry, but it needs to be mentioned in case. Not a beginner fish I'm afraid...and pretty, but potentially quite deadly.Definitely watch the current in the tank as they are relatively weak swimmers. Also avoid more boisterous tankmates that may stress it. Is it eating currently? It needs a fairly diverse diet...IMO whatever it will eat should be given (try some of the other frozen formulations). What other types of fish do you have? How big is the tank? How old is the tank? How often do you currently feed?
hanley0019
New Member
yes i did read about it. Ive had it 2 days and fed it both days. It ate 2 or 3 krill each day. tank is a 90 gallon that ive had for about 5 months. Tankmates are 1 blue hippo tang, 1 yellow tang, 1 false perc clownfish, 1 longspine urchin, 2 damsels. Im just not sure if i should feed it everyday a few times a week. Dont want to over feed it but i dont eant to underfeed it either. Im just trying to make sure it doesnt release that toxin.
subielover
Active Member
I would not consider those suitable tankmates. I would be very worried about it getting stressed and releasing it's toxin, which could kill all of your fish. In fact, I would return it.
aquaknight
Active Member
Cowfishes natural diet is more or less the same as their close relatives, puffers. They need to feed a nice diverse diet just like puffers, clams, silversides, squid, shrimp, scallops, etc. Be sure to soak their food in a vitamin supplements as well. They eat a surprising amount of greens too, so if you can get him to occasionally nip at nori on a clip, great.
They do get rather large, rather quickly, nearly a foot. I am not positive on the toxin being 'releasable.' I suspect at least half of the cases were simply the cowfish died (their poor survival rate does hold true tho) and it's a large fish rotting a tank, which can quickly start showing effects, regardless of what large fish dies. That said, I wouldn't have one in a tank without a healthy amount of carbon running all the time.
They do get rather large, rather quickly, nearly a foot. I am not positive on the toxin being 'releasable.' I suspect at least half of the cases were simply the cowfish died (their poor survival rate does hold true tho) and it's a large fish rotting a tank, which can quickly start showing effects, regardless of what large fish dies. That said, I wouldn't have one in a tank without a healthy amount of carbon running all the time.
anjiro
Member
Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/2876366
Cowfishes natural diet is more or less the same as their close relatives, puffers. They need to feed a nice diverse diet just like puffers, clams, silversides, squid, shrimp, scallops, etc. Be sure to soak their food in a vitamin supplements as well. They eat a surprising amount of greens too, so if you can get him to occasionally nip at nori on a clip, great.
They do get rather large, rather quickly, nearly a foot. I am not positive on the toxin being 'releasable.' I suspect at least half of the cases were simply the cowfish died (their poor survival rate does hold true tho) and it's a large fish rotting a tank, which can quickly start showing effects, regardless of what large fish dies. That said, I wouldn't have one in a tank without a healthy amount of carbon running all the time.
+1 I'm pretty sure the toxin only gets released when the fish dies. A buddy of mine had one once, he removed it less than 2 hours after it died. We went to a movie and when we came back it was a goner. His tank crashed. 110 gallon, everything died within the week. Def not a safe fish...
http:///forum/post/2876366
Cowfishes natural diet is more or less the same as their close relatives, puffers. They need to feed a nice diverse diet just like puffers, clams, silversides, squid, shrimp, scallops, etc. Be sure to soak their food in a vitamin supplements as well. They eat a surprising amount of greens too, so if you can get him to occasionally nip at nori on a clip, great.
They do get rather large, rather quickly, nearly a foot. I am not positive on the toxin being 'releasable.' I suspect at least half of the cases were simply the cowfish died (their poor survival rate does hold true tho) and it's a large fish rotting a tank, which can quickly start showing effects, regardless of what large fish dies. That said, I wouldn't have one in a tank without a healthy amount of carbon running all the time.