Clown trigger and longhorn cowfish ?

[kevmorr90]

Anyone know if you can keep a clown trigger and longhorn cowfish together? Does the trigger know the cowfish is poisonous and would leave him alone or will I find them both dead ? Cow fish I’ve had for a 4 months and is about 1.5 inches , the clown trigger is 6” that I want to get

 

[sc50964]

If your tank is 200G or more, the two will be fine. It’s not the aggression that’s the concern. It’s the slow speed of the cow when it comes to trigger’s speed to food. What other fish do you have or plan to get? Cows don’t do well long term with aggressive fish and fast current which trigger enjoys.

 

[kevmorr90]

If your tank is 200G or more, the two will be fine. It’s not the aggression that’s the concern. It’s the slow speed of the cow when it comes to trigger’s speed to food. What other fish do you have or plan to get? Cows don’t do well long term with aggressive fish and fast current which trigger enjoys.

I have a 180 with sailfin tang/hippo tang/ lemon peel angel/Singapore angel/emperor angel/half black angel/diamond goby/zebra goby/filefish/ Clark clowns/porcupine puffer/niger trigger/valentini puffer. And they all get along

 

[sc50964]

I have a 180 with sailfin tang/hippo tang/ lemon peel angel/Singapore angel/emperor angel/half black angel/diamond goby/zebra goby/filefish/ Clark clowns/porcupine puffer/niger trigger/valentini puffer. And they all get along

Has the cowfish been living with this group in the 180G for 4 months? If so, I wouldn’t worry about trigger mistaking it for food.

 

[kevmorr90]

Yea none of the others bothers him.

 

[sc50964]

I was never brave enough to put my past cow or box fish with my prized collection of angels and tangs bc of the accidental release of its toxin in my 42G when I upgraded its pump, and that killed the entire tank of small fish. Once they get used to captivity, they are easy to feed even with pellets and will come up to the surface to spit water at you asking for food. That’s also not a good thing bc they apparently can get swim bladder issue but I never had mine long enough to be like that.

 

[kevmorr90]

I was never brave enough to put my past cow or box fish with my prized collection of angels and tangs bc of the accidental release of its toxin in my 42G when I upgraded its pump, and that killed the entire tank of small fish. Once they get used to captivity, they are easy to feed even with pellets and will come up to the surface to spit water at you asking for food. That’s also not a good thing bc they apparently can get swim bladder issue but I never had mine long enough to be like that.

I was told the longhorn was easier to keep than others so I took the chance and he’s doing good. Very friendly, him and the porcupine puffer are always at the front of the tank waiting for you

 

[sc50964]

I was told the longhorn was easier to keep than others so I took the chance and he’s doing good. Very friendly, him and the porcupine puffer are always at the front of the tank waiting for you

Female boxes less than 4” are easy to keep. They are as easy as cow in terms of getting them to eat and used to captivity. Male boxes of any kind are more difficult and more prone to shipping issues & ich IME.

 

[kevmorr90]

Female boxes less than 4” are easy to keep. They are as easy as cow in terms of getting them to eat and used to captivity. Male boxes of any kind are more difficult and more prone to shipping issues & ich IME.

How do you tell the difference?

 

[sc50964]

How do you tell the difference?

male blue and scribbled boxes are more colorful than their female counterparts. Long horn cows and yellow boxes don’t have that color difference.

 

[kevmorr90]

male blue and scribbled boxes are more colorful than their female counterparts. Long horn cows and yellow boxes don’t have that color difference.

So no way to tell on the longhorn

 

[sc50964]

So no way to tell on the longhorn

No but they are easy to keep short term as long as they are small to medium IME.

 

[kevmorr90]

No but they are easy to keep short term as long as they are small to medium IME.

Do they get aggressive when big ?

 

[sc50964]

Do they get aggressive when big ?

Only towards it’s own species.