Reef safe cowfish?

[msmith619]

As to the toxicity issue. I do not think all boxfish/cowfish are toxic. Some seem to be more toxic than others. I have not seen any posts about longhorn cowfish giving off toxins.

[corruption]

Again, from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longhorn_cowfish):

If severely stressed, this species may be able to exude deadly toxin, ostracitoxin, an ichthyotoxic, hemolytic, heat-stable, non-dialyzable, non-protein poison in the mucous secretions of their skin. It is apparently unique among known fish poisons; it is toxic to boxfish and resembles red tide and sea cucumber toxins in general properties.

All boxfish carry the toxin -- just because you haven't seen posts about it doesn't change that... As beautiful of fish as they are, IMO, they belong in the sea.

-Corruption

[allan]

Hey C,

Question regarding the cowfish. Once in the home, I assume that it's far to late to release back into the wild, correct? Just wondering. I doubt very much that I would have the opportunity to release SB back into the wild. Especially since their natural habitat is so far away. That being said I plan on checking into the local zoo or like institute when he gets very large.

On that note, and primarily because of the cleaner wrass, I've noticed behavior not cow-like. CF like to spend their time in the depths in their natural habitat, blowing sand and looking for worms and other invertabrates. Bob hovers near the top of the tank during the day. It's because of the cleaner. When he ventures into the depths of the tank the cleaner assumes that this is an open invitiation to pick at him. Bob hates this and will do a dolphin act across the surface of the tank to get away. Now in the morning when I'm feeding the night corals he swims around the bottom. The cleaner is typically holed up inside a piece of rock at that hour.

I'm thinking aside from that the reef (mine) is moderately stress free for Bob. Could be the feedings though.

[corruption]

I wouldn't call any aquarium-kept species something that could be released back into the wild -- once they have been in our care, theres too much possibility for minute biotia that doesn't normally exist in habitat being communicated into it. The show Ace mentioned the other day about Caulerpa is a prime example of this -- reintroduction can introduce far hardier, not-quite-native, far more invasive species into the waters.

As far as the cleaner wrasse goes -- honestly, if Bob is that reactive to the cleaner Wrasse, its probably more stressful on him than its letting on.. I'd keep an eye on things just out of fear, myself

-Corruption