Longhorn Cow Fish

[Debwit]

Hello, is there anyone out there who can advise me about the longhorn cow fish? I bought one today and it id swimming either quite near the surface or hiding in the rocks and therefore not picking up much food. How long do I leave it before I need to worry?!!

 

[ben1987]

healthy fish can go a long time without food.

These dont like lots of low though as they arent particually strong swimmers.

How about some tank specs? how old? how big? water stats? equipment?

 

[scott133]

as ben said but always research before you buy

regards scott

 

[seffieuk]

yep agree with Ben and Scott - the flow has to be just right for them and there really needs to be no over boisterous fish or they will hide and probably not get the food they need. Try feeding after the lights have gone out.

What fish are you keeping with him and what sort of flow is in the tank?

Also, dont want to sound alarmist, but if/when s/he dies they can release a toxin into the water - get the body out quickly and do a large water change - if you are not already running activated carbon you might want to think about it now

Seffie x

ps they are cuties, can we have a photo

 

[Blown 346]

I agree with the others. Any new addition will most liely not eat for a day or two since they are stressed form there move from the LFS to the car to your house and then the tank.

Give them time and they will come around, its not uncommon for new fish to not eat for days. ALso the hiding will settle down as well, this can take a week or so before they get used to their new surroundings.

Like said alreay the cowfish can release a toxin which is poisonous to the tank and other fish. Do what was stated above if you find it didnt make it, and run carbon.

Mysis in the frozen cubes works well and will entice fish that dont want to eat.

 

[Debwit]

Thank you everyone. I bought some live brine shrimp which went down well with 'Horny' new name for him/her! Still a bit slow and remains in one location in the tank but I am a bit less worried. It's a new tank 44x30x11 built in between two rooms as part of t he wall. It's very impressive, but I am on a steep learning curve. Current inhabitants: 2 x clown fish; 2 x damsells, 1 x bengalli cardinal and a beautiful flame angel. Oh yes and two cleaner shrimp and some hermits and turbo snails. Will postpics soon

 

[Debwit]

I also forgot to answer some of your questions, sorry the tank is really new only set up at the beginning of August. It has a good flitration system with carbon but the flow maybe a little strong as using a TMC V400 protein skimmer. This was all under advice from some very good guys in Maidenhead Aquatics. They have really helped me and I'm positive wouldn't have set me up to fail. The water quality is tested by them at th moment until I get a bit more knowledgeable but the salt levels are at 1024 and the only high count is Nitrate at 10. Oh yes it's 265 litres!!

 

[Debwit]

Hello, is anyone out there as my Cow fish now has another problem, he looks like he's gone blind in one eye. It is very glazed over and looks as if it is swollen. The problem is he isn't focusing well and keeps missing the food! I try and hand feen him with a pipette but he just bumps into it whereas before he would eat quite well from it. How worried should I be or will he recover before he starves?

 

[seffieuk]

there are several things this could be, bacterial, fungal infections, trauma to the eye, poor nutrition

You might consider putting him in a qt tank and treating with antibiotics, if you are in the uk you will need to go to the vets for these.

One of my chromos injured his eye, it eventually disapeared all together and now he has only one - he is doing fine

Seffie x

 

[Debwit]

there are several things this could be, bacterial, fungal infections, trauma to the eye, poor nutrition

You might consider putting him in a qt tank and treating with antibiotics, if you are in the uk you will need to go to the vets for these.

One of my chromos injured his eye, it eventually disapeared all together and now he has only one - he is doing fine

Seffie x

If a fish goes completely blind is there any chance of survival cos I think my cowfish has lost his sight as he can't see the food at all now. I'm so sad about this

 

[seffieuk]

Do you mean he has lost the sight in both eyes Deb? If so I really would get to the vets and get some antibiotics, you might save his sight

Seffie x

 

[Debwit]

Do you mean he has lost the sight in both eyes Deb? If so I really would get to the vets and get some antibiotics, you might save his sight

Seffie x

It's all getting very traumatic. He keeps sitting on the bottom and although only one eye looks bad he just doesn't seem as if he knows where he is and has only taken the food from the pipette when I push it into his mouth! I think I have soem real problems with my tank at the moment, but unfortunately can't do a water change until tomorrow as have no water ready. Lost a damsel this morning and the other one doesn't look too healthy. The cardinal seems to be gasping more than normal too! The only fish that seems ok is the clown and all the invertabrates are fine.

 

[seffieuk]

Tank stats please?

Seffie x

 

[Debwit]

Tank stats please?

Seffie x

Cow fish now dead. Nitrate 0.4 Nitrite 0.1 Amm 0 Salt 1024. I have done a 75 ltr water change this afternoon and the clown and cardinal look much better. I called the help line fo the BSB treatment that I put n the tank 10 days ago and they said that the cow fish probably went into shock when the chemical was introduced to the tank and the oxygen levels dropped which may have causeed him to to release his toxins, which killed himself and his tank mates. Just curious as to why the other two have survived so far. Would welcome yor opinion Seffie

 

[seffieuk]

Tank stats please?

Seffie x

Cow fish now dead. Nitrate 0.4 Nitrite 0.1 Amm 0 Salt 1024. I have done a 75 ltr water change this afternoon and the clown and cardinal look much better. I called the help line fo the BSB treatment that I put n the tank

BSB treatment?

10 days ago and they said that the cow fish probably went into shock

why the heck would they sell a treatment that would put a fish into shock when used at the correct levels

when the chemical was introduced to the tank and the oxygen levels dropped which may have causeed him to to release his toxins, which killed himself and his tank mates.

It's possible, but again why would a chemical treatment cause a lowering of oxygen when it is designed for use in a marine tank

Just curious as to why the other two have survived so far. Would welcome yor opinion Seffie

It is unlikely the other fish would have survived if the Cow fish had released the toxins and they were in the water so long - I'm interested to know what this BSB treatment is, am I being dense!?

Seffie x