Camel Cowfish

[Steven91]

So I'm thinking about getting a camel cowfish for my 120 gal tank, and my lfs has one in stock, saw it eating and its a pig. I've read that they could nuke a tank (though evidence doesn't seem to really support it killing a whole tank). I really dont have any coral in my tank, just some zoas and leathers (nothing fancy) and from what i can find they seem to be reef safe with caution. I do have a yellow tang in my tank that really doesnt bother anyone, i think my foxface has put it in its spot. I do have a couple wrasses, yellow coris and leopard wrasse, so I dont think I have anyone that will bother it.

Should I get the camel cowfish and if i do, does anyone have any suggestions or things to look out for with them?

Video of it at the fish store, its so cute

 

[Fishfreak2009]

Be careful with powerheads. They aren't the best swimmers and can get stuck. They tend to nip/eat corals, and are easily bullied. Avoid cleaner wrasses, as they will pester and harass them mercilessly.

 

[Steven91]

Be careful with powerheads. They aren't the best swimmers and can get stuck. They tend to nip/eat corals, and are easily bullied. Avoid cleaner wrasses, as they will pester and harass them mercilessly.

Dont have and really dont plan on getting any cleaner wrasses (can never keep them alive and gave up) and right now i'm using a grye 3k as my powerhead though i run it about half power

 

[Steven91]

Figured I would provide an update , I did end up getting the cowfish and why did no one tell me how cute they can be and how they look for you when you come to the tank. He's eating well and out of my hand

Dont mind the dirty glass please

 

[Dave1993]

how big do they get max size just searched 4 inches is that correct?

 

[Steven91]

how big do they get max size just searched 4 inches is that correct?

From what I've researched max is 10" but in captivity they don't usually get bigger than 6-8"

 

[i cant think]

Figured I would provide an update , I did end up getting the cowfish and why did no one tell me how cute they can be and how they look for you when you come to the tank. He's eating well and out of my hand

Dont mind the dirty glass please

View attachment 2619971

He’s beautiful - That was a nice grab at the LFS. Is he eating for you? If so how well does he eat?

 

[Steven91]

He’s beautiful - That was a nice grab at the LFS. Is he eating for you? If so how well does he eat?

He's eating for me (was eating at the lfs as well). He's eating frozen mysis from my hand actually so it gives me a chance to see how much he eats. He eating a good bit for the his size

 

[i cant think]

He's eating for me (was eating at the lfs as well). He's eating frozen mysis from my hand actually so it gives me a chance to see how much he eats. He eating a good bit for the his size

Great to hear, I wish you luck and hope you update us about him

 

[Steven91]

figured i would post a little update on Marble, he's still eating well and has put on some size, he also loves to eat clams on a half shell from my hand, doesnt like it if i put it on a shelf to make it easier on me

 

[i cant think]

figured i would post a little update on Marble, he's still eating well and has put on some size, he also loves to eat clams on a half shell from my hand, doesnt like it if i put it on a shelf to make it easier on me

Got any photos? They’re interesting looking fish, don’t think I’ve seen anything like it.

 

[Steven91]

Got any photos? They’re interesting looking fish, don’t think I’ve seen anything like it.

This is from this morning, sorry about the dirty glass

 

[i cant think]

This is from this morning, sorry about the dirty glass

I see what you mean, even in photos he looks bigger!

 

[cdw79]

Great video about the species as a whole from a knowledgeable reefer with first hand experiences. Give it a watch

 

[Steven91]

I have some bad new....Marble has unfortunately passed away, along with some other fish (had a full size fox face, along with a clarkii clownfish) due to a return pump failure. My ecotech m2 stopped working (got another one sent to me) but was scoping out a few dead fish tonight. It's heart breaking, though I enough surface movement for gas exchange and heater working, guess I was wrong

 

[i cant think]

I have some bad new....Marble has unfortunately passed away, along with some other fish (had a full size fox face, along with a clarkii clownfish) due to a return pump failure. My ecotech m2 stopped working (got another one sent to me) but was scoping out a few dead fish tonight. It's heart breaking, though I enough surface movement for gas exchange and heater working, guess I was wrong

Such a shame you lost marble and I hope everything else works out!
Also, I don’t think it was lack of Oxygen, I think you had a spike in ammonia as clowns can usually survive through anything. Did you lose all fish?

 

[Steven91]

Such a shame you lost marble and I hope everything else works out!
Also, I don’t think it was lack of Oxygen, I think you had a spike in ammonia as clowns can usually survive through anything. Did you lose all fish?

I did not lose all my fish, still have my tangs somehow

 

[i cant think]

I did not lose all my fish, still have my tangs somehow

Hm… I know someone facing a similar thing where they’ve lost the easier fish but somehow kept their tangs thriving… I wonder if tangs aren’t as disease/issue prone as we know them to be?

 

[Steven91]

Hm… I know someone facing a similar thing where they’ve lost the easier fish but somehow kept their tangs thriving… I wonder if tangs aren’t as disease/issue prone as we know them to be?

Maybe, wouldve thought for sure i would've lost my leopard wrasse and my small yellow tang, both of which are doing fine along with my bigger purple tang

 

[Steven91]

debating if i wanna try to get another cowfish or get a clam, hard to decide