Thornback Cowfish (Ostracion thornback)
Fish in the family Ostraciidae. Moderate care. Not Reef Safe.
Quick facts
Appearance
Distinctive boxy body shape with a tan or brown coloration and darker spots or blotches covering the head and body. Pronounced horn-like protrusions above each eye, giving it the "thornback" common name.
Diet and feeding
Feed a varied diet of small crustaceans (copepods, amphipods), small mollusks, and meaty foods. Supplement with quality flake or pellet food. They forage continuously and may pick at live rock and sand.
Difficulty and care for the Thornback Cowfish
Moderate - Thornback Cowfish requires standard marine aquarium maintenance and intermediate fish keeping skills.
Common health issues
Marine ich, Fin rot, Swim bladder disorder, Hole-in-the-head disease, Columnaris disease
Origin and habitat
Indo-Pacific region from the Philippines and Indonesia to Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.
Log Thornback Cowfish in your reef tank
Reef Trak gives you the full record on every species in your tank: acquisition date, source, photos, parameters at time of stocking, and links to maintenance and feeding events. Track Thornback Cowfish alongside everything else in your reef.
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