Cowfish?

[RipSlider]

Hi,

I'm just starting to plan my first marine set up, the first bits of equipment etc have been brought, but I still am many months away from actually stocking fish, so maybe this question is a little bit too early, but could anyone tell me if it's possible to stock cowfish in an aquarium, and if they have any special requirements?

I'm going to have a pretty big tank at 7 foot, so I think I will have the space, I just don't know if it's possible.

The reason I ask is that her self just granted permission for a marine set up on the condition that we could get a cowfish. ( which has already been christened "Moo" )

If I can't keep one well and safely, then so be it, I'll break the news when the spending is over, but if I can, I'll need to plan future purchases around it, at least to some extent, so I figure it's probably best to find out now. I can't find a lot of info on them, so I'm expecting the answer to come back in the negative.

Many thanks

Steve

 

[Aquascaper]

Cowfish require a big tank (125g+) which you have so that's a

They have the ability to release ostracitoxin, a poison that can kill all tank inhabitants so that's a

Basically they are a cool fish but they eat corals so it would have to be a FOWLR tank with plenty of open water for the larger species (no problem with a 7 foot ), this obviously severely limits what else you can keep in the tank though.

Have a look round this site as it may help answer your questions and help you decide:

Click here

 

[superman]

Cowfish get much too large for even a 400 gallon tank and would get stressed out in tanks under 400 gallons. I have kept them before, and then seeing how big the eventually get, they need a ton of room to move about as they are a clumsy swimmer. Add on the fact that they CAN release a pretty potent toxin, just another fish that is better left in the ocean. VERY cool fish though, you have good taste.

 

[Puffer punk]

Hi,

I'm just starting to plan my first marine set up, the first bits of equipment etc have been brought, but I still am many months away from actually stocking fish, so maybe this question is a little bit too early, but could anyone tell me if it's possible to stock cowfish in an aquarium, and if they have any special requirements?

I'm going to have a pretty big tank at 7 foot, so I think I will have the space, I just don't know if it's possible.

The reason I ask is that her self just granted permission for a marine set up on the condition that we could get a cowfish. ( which has already been christened "Moo" )

If I can't keep one well and safely, then so be it, I'll break the news when the spending is over, but if I can, I'll need to plan future purchases around it, at least to some extent, so I figure it's probably best to find out now. I can't find a lot of info on them, so I'm expecting the answer to come back in the negative.

Many thanks

Steve

Cowfish get much too large for even a 400 gallon tank and would get stressed out in tanks under 400 gallons. I have kept them before, and then seeing how big the eventually get, they need a ton of room to move about as they are a clumsy swimmer. Add on the fact that they CAN release a pretty potent toxin, just another fish that is better left in the ocean. VERY cool fish though, you have good taste.

i dont agree with any of this he has a seven foot long tank i think he will get away with this . i mean whats the piont in saying ' no you need a 400gal+ tank to keep a cow fish' when a 400gal tank could be 24(long)by120(deep)by24(wide)

i honestly do think you'll get away with it but that is just IMO

 

[RipSlider]

OK, confused now!

Any other opinions?

Steve

 

[Aquascaper]

I would be more inclined to take the information from the website as the way to go, those guys have obviously done a lot of research to come up with such an informative site.

 

[superman]

The problem is that Cowfish CAN get very large. I agree that I was a little vague on the dimensions that I was referring to when I said 400 gallons, I would not do a tank that was any more narrow than 3 feet along it's more narrow stretch. They need to turn around easily without hitting stuff, there hard exoskeleton works against them when they scrape against things (like glass) it actually can cause the skin that covers the exoskeleton to form sores or infections.