Longhorn Cowfish
Lactoria cornuta
The Toxic Horned Box (20 inches / 50 cm). Adorable, goofy, and curious. But it grows massive, swims poorly due to its rigid bone shell, and acts as a biological weapon.
Température de l’eau
22 - 26 °C
Valeur du pH
8.1 - 8.4
Type d'eau
Marin
Niveau dans le bac
Fond et milieu
Taille adulte
45 cm
Volume minimal du bac
>= 500 L
Groupe minimal
>= 1
KH
1 - 6 dKH
Description de l'espèce
Geographical Origin and Habitat: MARINE. Indo-Pacific (from the Red Sea and East Africa, to Indonesia, up to Japan). Inhabits calm coastal estuaries, harbors and seagrass meadows on sandy/muddy bottoms.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Longhorn Cowfish (Lactoria cornuta). Iconic and bizarre: rigid body encapsulated in a bony carapace, "calf" snout and, above all, two long protruding frontal "horns" (and two posterior ones).
Social Behavior: Slow and clumsy swimmer (uses only the small fins for propulsion, helicopter style). Peaceful towards other fish and curious. Establishes a strong bond with the owner who feeds it, following him from the glass.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Background ranging from sandy yellow to bright olive yellow/green. Studded with beautiful blue ocellated spots. In case of stress it can fade into a pale beige. No externally identifiable sexual dimorphism.
Soins, reproduction et cohabitation
Aquarium Setup: Huge Fish Only With Live Rock (FOWLR) tank (min. 500 liters / 130 gallons). Warning: the aquarium must have MEDIUM/SLOW water flow. Blasted currents would make it crash against the rocks, seriously injuring it given its poor swimming skills.
Diet and Feeding: Voracious omnivore. Sweeps the bottom blowing away the sand. Provide gel foods, nori algae, chopped clam/mussel pulp (to wear down the beak teeth) and mysis. Frequent but measured meals.
Water Quality: Standard marine quality but ZERO tolerance for thermal shock. Pay attention to wavemakers (protect the grills): swimming badly, they risk being sucked in and remaining trapped, killing themselves.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: NOT Reef-Safe: will devour polychaetes, snails, shrimp and peck at corals. Tankmates must be very calm (Batfish, Seahorses or Anthias). Forbidden Triggerfish, pufferfish and fast Surgeonfish that would stress it.
Aquarium Breeding: Impossible. Pelagic species that releases floating eggs in the open sea at sunset (Haremic serial spawners).
Risks and Diseases: TOXIC BOMB. Like boxfish, if severely stressed, sick or scared to death, it can release Ostracitoxin through the skin: a poisonous foam that will kill all the fish in the tank in a few minutes.
Origine et répartition géographiques
MARINE. Indo-Pacific (from the Red Sea and East Africa, to Indonesia, up to Japan). Inhabits calm coastal estuaries, harbors and seagrass meadows on sandy/muddy bottoms.
Origine
Océans tropicaux et récifsAmérique du NordAfrique et MadagascarAsie du Sud et du Sud-EstAsie de l'Est
Profil de poisson
- Tempérament
- Semi-aggressive
- They are docile, curious, and can become quite tame, often learning to beg for food from their owners. They are never aggressive towards other peaceful species. Their main danger is the toxin they can release when heavily stressed or bullied.
- Régime alimentaire
- Omnivore
- They are omnivorous benthic feeders that graze on invertebrates, algae, and sponges in the wild. In the aquarium, they need a varied diet of meaty foods like squid, clam, and mysis shrimp, along with marine algae. Offering hard-shelled foods helps keep their continuously growing teeth ground down.
- Espérance de vie
- 8-12 years
- Taille adulte
- 45 cm
- Ratio des sexes
- Solitary
- They are best kept individually in a home aquarium due to their massive spatial requirements. Keeping multiple cowfish often leads to severe aggression between conspecifics. A single specimen makes a fantastic, interactive wet pet.
- Fréquence d'alimentation
- Twice daily
- They should be fed small portions two to three times a day. Because they are slow, deliberate eaters, make sure faster fish do not steal their food. Target feeding is often necessary to ensure they receive adequate nutrition.
- Charge biologique
- High
- The Longhorn Cowfish produces a very heavy bioload, especially as it grows to its massive adult size. A heavy-duty protein skimmer and large biological filters are strictly required. Frequent, large water changes are vital for maintaining acceptable water quality.
- Courant
- Moderate
- Lactoria cornuta needs steady, moderate circulation distributed across the aquarium rather than a narrow, forceful jet. Huge Fish Only With Live Rock (FOWLR) tank (min. 500 liters / 130 gallons). This preserves useful water exchange while retaining calmer shelter for rest and feeding.
- Risque de saut
- Yes
- Jumping risk is very low due to their bulky, rigid body shape. However, a secure lid is still recommended to prevent splashing or accidental leaps if severely startled. A lid also prevents other pets from interacting with the tank.
- Reproduction
- Oviparous
- Breeding the Longhorn Cowfish in a home aquarium has not been successfully achieved. They are pelagic spawners that release eggs and sperm into the open water column. The larval stage is incredibly difficult to sustain in captivity.
- Compatibilité et compagnons
- Peaceful
- They are peaceful, slow-moving fish that should not be kept with fast, aggressive, or fin-nipping species. They must be kept with calm companions to avoid stress. Crucially, when stressed or dying, they can release ostracitoxin, a potent poison capable of wiping out the entire tank.
- Niveau dans le bac
- Middle/Bottom
- They explore all levels of the aquarium but spend significant time near the substrate hunting for food. They often blow jets of water into the sand to uncover hidden prey. They require a very large, open tank to maneuver their rigid bodies.
Modèles et paramètres scientifiques
FishBase
Fenêtre sur les données scientifiques officielles de l’espèce
FishBase v25.04Données synchronisées le : 15/06/2026
- Niveau trophique
- 3,5 ± 0,37 se
- Résilience
- Élevée (moins de 15 mois)
- Singularité phylogénétique (PD50)
- 0.5625
- Relation bayésienne longueur-poids
- a = 0.02042, b = 2.76
- VulnérabilitéVulnérabilité modérée (36 / 100)
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