Scrawled Cowfish toxin?

[hunterisgreat]

So I really want a scrawled cowfish. Some say it can nuke a tank, others have many die with no such event... so doing some research, wikipedia says:

"Ostraciidae of the Genus Lactophrys also secrete poisons from their skin into the surrounding water, further protecting them from predation."

Then goes on to say "The scrawled cowfish, Acanthostracion quadricornis, belongs to the Ostraciidae family and is closely related to boxfish and trunkfish.... Formerly classified in genus Lactophrys"

Further digging finds statements that "All members of Ostraciidae" can produce toxin, and an equal number of statements that say only some species can...

divertom.com also has caribbean scrawled cowfish for sale listed as "non poisonous"

Any insight?

 

[namxas]

It depends on HOW the fish dies, or whether they are distressed. The toxin is a defense mechanism and is typically released when the fishes are being harassed or preyed upon. Harassed can also mean stressed/frightened.

IMHO, boxfishes are more trouble as fin nippers than tank nukers, but it CAN happen. It's about your desire for the fish vs. your loss tolerance.

 

[snorvich]

An interesting thread about them.

 

[hunterisgreat]

It depends on HOW the fish dies, or whether they are distressed. The toxin is a defense mechanism and is typically released when the fishes are being harassed or preyed upon. Harassed can also mean stressed/frightened.

IMHO, boxfishes are more trouble as fin nippers than tank nukers, but it CAN happen. It's about your desire for the fish vs. your loss tolerance.

presently I have 2 flounder, 2 naked gobies, 3 chalk bass, 1 lantern bass, and 1 long nose anchovy in a 210 tank with ~250lbs of liverock.... Don't think anything in there would harass it, as everything except the anchovy is usually in, or on the rocks or sandbed.

Thoughts?

 

[Dmorty217]

Wouldn't worry on harassment issues or feeding problems as far as aggressive feeders but the can get large (1.5ft) so I would caution the fish if a 210g is the long term home.

 

[namxas]

The cowfish may pick at the eyes of your flounders.

 

[hunterisgreat]

Wouldn't worry on harassment issues or feeding problems as far as aggressive feeders but the can get large (1.5ft) so I would caution the fish if a 210g is the long term home.

Just talked to the seller. He said the ones he as are ~1 inch right now so how long would the 210 be suitable? Its pretty wide open with swimming space.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Cowfish grow to 6" very quickly, but then their growth slows down quite a bit.

I know of a LH cow that was 8yrs and still was only at 8", so I wouldnt think a scrawled cowfish growth would be all that different, so I would say a 210 would be a good size tank for at least that long.

 

[Dmorty217]

Just talked to the seller. He said the ones he as are ~1 inch right now so how long would the 210 be suitable? Its pretty wide open with swimming space.

Well that will vary from person to person, but i have a orange shoulder tang that was purchased at just over the 1" mark and now after a year is at 7"