Boxfish??

[SeaHorsie*03]

Do very many people here keep boxfish? I can't find very much information about them on the internet. They look like really interesting fish, they are really pretty too IMO.

I have a few questions for anyone who knows about or has boxfish or cowfish.
I am interested in the smaller kinds that get about 6 inches ( not 12inches or more, I can't have a 200 gallon aquarium), like the blue spotted boxfish, or any other smaller species, but lots of these questions would apply to both.

1- Are they extremely delicate fish?

2- About what size of aquarium do they need?

3- How much of a risk is there of them poisoning the aquarium and killing all the fish if they are kept with peaceful fish, and how long would you have to notice before all the fish die?

4- Have you or someone you know had the tank poisoned by boxfish or cowfish?

5- Are they very prone to certain diseases?

6- Are they very messy fish?

7- What smaller boxfish or cowfish make good aquarium fish besides the blue spotted boxfish, if there are any. I read that the blue spotted are more likely to poison the tank than most. :(

8- If there is anything else I should know about them could you please let me know?

Thanks, sorry for all the questions, if you could answer any of them, that would be great :) I couldn't find very much info about them at all, also, if you know of a good website with info on them, let me know 2.

Thanks!
:spin1:

[_FishFreak_724]

1- Their not delicate, but their not that hardy either. More of one of those moderate hariness fishes.

2- It depends on what speceices your looking at, but generally between 75-180 Gal.

3-If thy are kept w/ peaceful fish, theres not that much of a risk, just make sure nothing aggravates it ... As for time, somewhat between 15min-2hrs .

4- Yes i kno someone that has had their tank poisoned because the boxfish was weak (on its way out) and got stuck to the filter intake. ( If you see the fish is injured, weak, or dying it is best to remove it- to be safe. ) But he did a 30% waterchange and he didnt lose anything exept for the boxfish itself.

5- Not really ...

6- No.

7- You can get away w/ a longhorn, bluespotted, or yellow cubicus box in anthing bigger than a 75. ( But a yellow cubicus would be fine in a 55.)

8-They are omnivores and do apprecieate their veggies as much as they like meat. Generally keep them happy with good water quality and little/or no stress, and a good diet and you will have a true "horse" of a fish.

Hope I Helped.

[AquaKnight]

My Dad had one wipe his tank out. I was a tike at the time, but we caught it (and most of the other fish) at the beach. Yellow longhorn I believe, standard box. Was doing good, but remember it just dying one day. We had no idea about proper tank care back then. Tap top off, gravel, etc lol.

[thepudge]

I have a longhorn. Loves veggies, is VERY active and friendly, and is not scared of anything. Not as worried about it poisoning the tank as I am of it nipping at my fingers when they are in the tank. My longhorn was actually aggressive to a small dogface puffer I tried to add into the tank. Never heard of an aggressive cowfish before.

A while ago I had a small longhorn die and release its poison. I did a waterchange and didn't lose anything, but it was clear the other fish in the tank were unhappy. Rumor has it longhorn poison isnt as bad as the other boxfishes.

[sunfishh]

This site should help some
http://www.cowfishes.com/

[dlsmith21]

I just lost my cow about 2 weeks ago. Had him for over a year and it was the first time I ever cried about a fish..lol. He was 5" and the greatest fish I ever owned. Very personable and always out swimming. He did not release any toxins upon dying. He was fine one day and dead the next. ( have never found out why) I had him in my 75g when I first got him and he loved to " play" in the flow from the aquaclear 110. The only thing I ever saw that was a problem was him getting tossed about in the flow from my ph's. They aren't the most elegant swimmers and I think that is one of the most endearing things about them.

[mayo-92]

sorry im kind of hacking the thread here but i to would love a clown fish in the near future but always have been put of by them putting out that POISON and i would like to know are they slow growing fish or not and what would be good fish to keep with them flasher wrasses and such

[Maika'i]

You can get away w/ a longhorn, bluespotted, or yellow cubicus box in anthing bigger than a 75. ( But a yellow cubicus would be fine in a 55.)

both of those get at least a foot and a half, theres no way 55 gallons would be fine, or even a 75

[SeaHorsie*03]

Thanks for all good information. :) That is really helpful, I always do lots of research before I get any animal and I couldn't find very much on boxfish. :reading:

So would a 55-75 gallon aquarium be okay for a 6" blue spotted (hawaiian) boxfish? or do I need bigger.
I have a couple other questions I didn't think of...
Do the yellow cubicus and longhorns really get up to 18 inches in captivity?
And do they nip at other fish?

Thanks!
:wave:

[kh6sat]

I have one ..... female box fish. I ususally keep one or two in the tank becasue they are interesting to watch. Although they are known to excrete a poison when excited, I've never had a problem with them. I caught many of them in the past and never had a problem. They are timid and keep to themselves.

[kh6sat]

I've had boxfish and cowfish. None of them ever poisoned my tank. They are somewhat delicate. From my observations they are sensative to ich, about them same as tangs. They will be the first to show signs of illness. I've had them in a 37 gallon aquarium and now in a 120 galon aquarium. Depends on the size of the fish. Mine have been around 3 inches long. They are not messy. Not any more messy than other fish. They should be ok around other peaceful fish. I guess you could have a poisoning problem if you have it with agressive fish.

[thepudge]

55 is too small for a longhorn or a yellow box. However, I think in most cases a 75 is ok for a longhorn. Although they can get a foot and a half in the wild, it is rare for a longhorn to exceed a foot in captivity -- they just can't get the same diet at home as in the wild. If you are lucky enough to have your cowfish start pushing a foot it would be time for a new home.

In the interests of disclosure, my cowfish is in a 75, so I have to be defensive about it :)


*edit - now that I think of it, it is pretty rare for people to have cowfishes larger than 7 inches in their tanks, I have only seen it a couple of times on this board.

If you're worried about tanksize for a longhorn, get a thornback, they stay much smaller and would be fine in a 55

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10617705#post10617705 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Maika'i
both of those get at least a foot and a half, theres no way 55 gallons would be fine, or even a 75

[SeaHorsie*03]

Would a 55 gallon be a good size for a blue spotted boxfish (Ostracion meleagris)? They only get about 6 inches from what I read. Or do they need a larger aquarium than that.
If 55 gallons would be okay, would it be hard to keep the water quality good, or would a boxfish be a big bioload for a 55 gallon?

I would like to have a 55 gallon if it is the right size for the fish to live comfortably in, but if way on the small size, I would want to get a bigger tank or a different kind of fish.

Thanks for all the advice! :)

[Ranzan]

for a blue spotted box fish a 55 gallon is bare minimum IMO i think they should at least be in a 70+

[thepudge]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10627941#post10627941 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ranzan
for a blue spotted box fish a 55 gallon is bare minimum IMO i think they should at least be in a 70+

Agreed.. Also blue spotted boxes are more poisonous than cowfish, if I did put one in a 55, it would either be the only fish or housed with very non-aggressive, smaller fish.

[SeaHorsie*03]

Ok thanx,
Ill get at least a 75 gallon aquarium if I get one.
I would definitely add only smaller very peaceful fish, the aquarium would be mostly focused on the boxfish so that wouldn't be a problem.