Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Creature Feature #131: Cowfish


The Cowfish is a species of Boxfish, named for her two long "horns", found in both genders. She can grow up to 50cm and makes her home in coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific region. A solitary bottom-feeder, she blows jets of water into the sandy floor to expose invertebrates and other tasty treats. She is a slow swimmer, and easily caught by hand wherein she emits a grunting noise. If she becomes threatened or extremely stressed, she can exude a deadly toxin - ostracitoxin - which is fatal to other Boxfish. Despite these traits and her territorial nature, she is finding popularity amongst the tropical fish trade.

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