love my tank
New Member
What's everyones opinion of the long horned cowfish???
Long Horned Cowfish
- Thread starter love my tank
- Start date
U
usirchchris
Guest
Cool fish. Grows very fast. Needs a big tank. Peaceful low population is needed...they don't like to compete for food, and they require ALOT of food so they will starve obviously if scared from eating. The don't like alot of live rock. Are sensitive to quick light changes especially as they age, and need low flow as they are not the most agile of swimmers. Again, these fish get BIG so make sure you have a large tank to house it in...They don't bend like a regular fish does so a small tank would be certain death.
love my tank
New Member
How big is big? I do have a lot of live rock and I also heard they are not reef safe. I saw one and I thought he was awesome!!!!! I thought maybe he could work in my tank, but I'm thinking it's a big fat NO!
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usirchchris
Guest
Originally Posted by Love My Tank
http:///forum/post/2942535
How big is big? I do have a lot of live rock and I also heard they are not reef safe. I saw one and I thought he was awesome!!!!! I thought maybe he could work in my tank, but I'm thinking it's a big fat NO!
Big is close to 20 inches. They look cute when small, but they get BIG. They are definitely not reef safe. I would not suggest a cowfish, unless you are dedicating the tank for them. What suits them doesn't suit very many of the fish we keep. Congrats for getting info. before buying
. I had one in a 125 for about a year...went from 1" to around 6" mark in a matter of months. I lost mine to ich
. It was one of my favorite fish.
http:///forum/post/2942535
How big is big? I do have a lot of live rock and I also heard they are not reef safe. I saw one and I thought he was awesome!!!!! I thought maybe he could work in my tank, but I'm thinking it's a big fat NO!
Big is close to 20 inches. They look cute when small, but they get BIG. They are definitely not reef safe. I would not suggest a cowfish, unless you are dedicating the tank for them. What suits them doesn't suit very many of the fish we keep. Congrats for getting info. before buying
love my tank
New Member
I see lots of fish I would love to own, but I respect the fact that not all fish will do well in captivity, or at very least my tank. I'm all about harmony!
U
usirchchris
Guest
Originally Posted by Love My Tank
http:///forum/post/2942636
I see lots of fish I would love to own, but I respect the fact that not all fish will do well in captivity, or at very least my tank. I'm all about harmony!
Awesome
http:///forum/post/2942636
I see lots of fish I would love to own, but I respect the fact that not all fish will do well in captivity, or at very least my tank. I'm all about harmony!
Awesome
alabama reefer
Member
I have had my Longhorn Cowfish for a year. It has not bothered any corals. He will graze on my live rock and eat cubed mysis and brine shrimp along with seaweed sheets. Definitely everyones favorite when they view my tank. I was leary of the purchase but glad I did it now.
dreamweaver
Member
Although I find cowfish in general, VERY appealing (primarily due to their unique presentation), I've always been too fearful to buy one due to their abilility to exude toxic slime if bothered by other tank mates or if they're dying.... I've read that this slime can wipe out an entire tank..... Can't deny that I'm curious about the people who have been successful in keeping them --- but I'm just too afraid of what might happen....
cleve_seahorse
Member
Originally Posted by dreamweaver
http:///forum/post/2943979
Although I find cowfish in general, VERY appealing (primarily due to their unique presentation), I've always been too fearful to buy one due to their abilility to exude toxic slime if bothered by other tank mates or if they're dying.... I've read that this slime can wipe out an entire tank..... Can't deny that I'm curious about the people who have been successful in keeping them --- but I'm just too afraid of what might happen....
Thats what I keep telling my hubby to prevent him from buying one.....I just don't want it nuking a tank , even if its a species tank [live rock is expensive], has anyone had that happen?
http:///forum/post/2943979
Although I find cowfish in general, VERY appealing (primarily due to their unique presentation), I've always been too fearful to buy one due to their abilility to exude toxic slime if bothered by other tank mates or if they're dying.... I've read that this slime can wipe out an entire tank..... Can't deny that I'm curious about the people who have been successful in keeping them --- but I'm just too afraid of what might happen....
Thats what I keep telling my hubby to prevent him from buying one.....I just don't want it nuking a tank , even if its a species tank [live rock is expensive], has anyone had that happen?
alabama reefer
Member
My cowfish competes pretty well for food although it is not graceful it uses the powerhead current to project it across the tank. He has been stressed to the extreme when he got stuck to the side of my powerhead (don't know how long) and part of his side fin was cut off. It regenerated the fin but during the whole ordeal never released any toxins. From what I have read it is a rare occurance and usually even with death it never releases the toxin.
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usirchchris
Guest
Originally Posted by Alabama Reefer
http:///forum/post/2944058
My cowfish competes pretty well for food although it is not graceful it uses the powerhead current to project it across the tank.
As always there are exceptions to the rule
. My cowfish compete rather well themselves, but as a rule of thumb they are considered quite shy.
Originally Posted by dreamweaver
http:///forum/post/2943979
Although I find cowfish in general, VERY appealing (primarily due to their unique presentation), I've always been too fearful to buy one due to their abilility to exude toxic slime if bothered by other tank mates or if they're dying.... I've read that this slime can wipe out an entire tank..... Can't deny that I'm curious about the people who have been successful in keeping them --- but I'm just too afraid of what might happen....
My longhorn passed and did not nuke my tank. From what I have read it is very rare that they nuke a tank. Not saying they can't...because they can, but I have only read of a couple documented cases of this happening. I think the biggest problem one has to consider is the eventual size of most cowfish. There are only two commonly traded...the white spot, and turret or camel cow that stay under a foot. Most are closer to the 2' range.
http:///forum/post/2944058
My cowfish competes pretty well for food although it is not graceful it uses the powerhead current to project it across the tank.
As always there are exceptions to the rule
Originally Posted by dreamweaver
http:///forum/post/2943979
Although I find cowfish in general, VERY appealing (primarily due to their unique presentation), I've always been too fearful to buy one due to their abilility to exude toxic slime if bothered by other tank mates or if they're dying.... I've read that this slime can wipe out an entire tank..... Can't deny that I'm curious about the people who have been successful in keeping them --- but I'm just too afraid of what might happen....
My longhorn passed and did not nuke my tank. From what I have read it is very rare that they nuke a tank. Not saying they can't...because they can, but I have only read of a couple documented cases of this happening. I think the biggest problem one has to consider is the eventual size of most cowfish. There are only two commonly traded...the white spot, and turret or camel cow that stay under a foot. Most are closer to the 2' range.
djbond99
New Member
I like Cowfish, but mine is no way reef safe. He ate my pulsating xenias this weekend, really chew up my kenya trees, and really ate up my 5 inch xenia I had. He doesn't seem to mess with my polyps at all, or my frogspawn. But the other soft corals he loves, and I had to literally make them unreachable so he would get at them