are cowfish bad to have, are they reef safe?

[|2ain]

i have a cowfish and someone at the petstore said there the most diseased fish in the ocean, the person who told me this was 15 years old, is this true, also will he eat my reef.

 

[neowind]

Cow fish will eat your tube worms!! The bad thing is if they get stressed or die they will release a toxin that will crash your tank. Also they can't swim very well and reefs need allot of circulation. The heavy circulation can cause the fish to get stuck in PH's and other problems with blowing it around the tank. Awsome looking fish though.

 

[|2ain]

are you kidding me, if this thing gets pissed it can release somethign that could kill my whole tank....is it worth having?

 

[inigomontoya]

I think it is rare that they release their toxin. I have seen proof of other tanks that were established and had many fish in addition to the cowsfish. the cowfish did not make it. The livestock in the tank was fine. Do a search on cowfish and you can see what some of their owners experience with them. I think they just take some careful maintenance.

 

[gjohnnyp]

I must agree. It is very unlikely the cow will release toxins. It has to be under extreme conditions and dead in the tank for like a week. I have read alot on them and getting mine this weekend.

 

[birdy]

I was just thinking the same thing Carole, They need a minimum of 140gallons I think, probably more like a 200gal. They also need very docile tankmates as they do get stressed easily and get ich, and anytype of boxfish can release toxins but it does have to be a life or death situation (at least in their minds). Be sure it is getting enough food, because they can be outcompeted for food.

 

[blue steel]

Cowfish do look really cool, but they do have the potential for releasing a deadly toxin(as long as you get a dead fish out fast enough and keep the stress levels down). I used to have one and it had ich a couple of times and would nip at my rocks, I eventually had to take him out.