i am putting fish in my tank.i put a stingray in then a huma,dogface,maroon clown and a big long horn cow fish.the huma thinks he is the king already.do you think these fish will be ok?will the huma nip at the ray or cow fish?and do the dogfaces lay around alot or is he just getting at home to the tank?it is a 75 long and will be in a 150 with in a year.all of them are small at this time.any help please.
stocking fish?
- Thread starter b_rabun1
- Start date
the stingray is in deffinate danger of being nipped up by just about all of those fish I'd take him out asap. Also did you add all of those fish at once?
Monkeyfish
Active member
Keep an eye on the long horn cowfish. They are very passive and will not be able to compete for food with the other fish you mentioned. In addition, when stressed or dying, LHCF release a toxin into the water which is lethal to other fish and themselves!
what are some sign of the long horn letting toxin in the water?is there any way to tell?he has been eating ok today.he does have a very little ich break out.but none of the other fish have been mean to him at all.i really like him alot and would like to keep him if i can.so any help would be great.
Monkeyfish
Active member
Cows are ich magnets. I don't know if there are any warning signs other than observing a stressed or ill fish (lots of dark coloration, hiding in a corner, etc.). I believe that a clue that the toxin has been released is if the other fish in the tank appear lethargic and/or have difficulty breathing.
Keep in mind that these fish (cows) are slow, don't have scales, have a small stomach and mouth and like to "graze." Make sure he gets food several times a day and be sure to provide adequate vegetables in his diet - very important for boxfish. Feed him Ocean nutrition fromula 2 and/or nori or seaweed selects. Mine likes to be hand fed and this way I know he's getting enough of the right stuff to eat.
Also, they can grow to be about 18" long. I've heard of them growing as much as 5 inches in a single year.
Keep in mind that these fish (cows) are slow, don't have scales, have a small stomach and mouth and like to "graze." Make sure he gets food several times a day and be sure to provide adequate vegetables in his diet - very important for boxfish. Feed him Ocean nutrition fromula 2 and/or nori or seaweed selects. Mine likes to be hand fed and this way I know he's getting enough of the right stuff to eat.
Also, they can grow to be about 18" long. I've heard of them growing as much as 5 inches in a single year.
will he kill everything in my tank?i really like this fish but i am getting scared about him.i would really like to keep him,but if he is going to kill everything he will have to go.what other fish do you have in with him?he does have some brown spots on him but he was like that when i got him from the lfs.i really don't know what to do, like i said i won't to keep him but not at the price of my other fish.what would you do?
Monkeyfish
Active member
The cowfish will not bother anyone. The brown spots sound like his natural coloration. Cowfish are great pets (I love mine). Just know that you are taking a risk with it... especially if the tankmates are aggressive/fast. I wouldn't have put him in with the fish that you listed in your original post since they can be aggressive or become aggressive as they get older (especially the trigger). If you take good care of your tank and feed the cow the appropriate diet (and no one harasses him) he should live for years.
