Longhorn Cowfish, also known as Horned Boxfish, is a type of boxfish with long horns on its head like a cow or bull. It lives in the Indo-Pacific region.
This fish lives alone in coral reefs, near sandy or rubble bottoms, up to depths of 160 feet.
Longhorn cowfish eats algae, microorganisms, worms from sand flats, mollusks, small crustaceans, and small fish by blowing water into the sand.
It helps protect and create coral reefs by eating the invertebrates that damage them.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) hasn’t evaluated their conservation status yet.
There’s no concern about their population being affected by the aquarium trade at this time.
Longhorn cowfish live in coastal muddy or sandy areas like bays and estuaries.
Young longhorn cowfish often stay close to river mouths and brackish water while adults are solitary and shy.
They feed on bottom-dwelling creatures by blowing the sand away. People sometimes dry them out to make ornaments.
Be cautious if you want to keep them in a reef aquarium because they may cause issues with other tank inhabitants.
Longhorn Cowfish Interesting Facts
- Longhorn cowfish have distinct “horns” above their eyes, resembling a cow or bull.
- They help protect coral reefs by eating invertebrates that damage them.
- Found in the Indo-Pacific region, they inhabit marine and brackish waters near reefs.
- Longhorn cowfish grow up to 15.7 inches (40.0 centimeters) long and display colors ranging from green to orange with blue spots.
Longhorn Cowfish Habitat
Longhorn cowfish is found in the Indo-Pacific region, from the Red Sea and East Africa to islands like Marquesan and Tuamoto.
It also lives in areas from southern Japan down to Lord Howe Island. This fish inhabits marine and brackish waters near reefs.
Longhorn cowfish don’t migrate and are usually found at depths of 1 to 50 meters but can go as deep as 100 meters.
This fish thrives in tropical environments between latitudes of 42°N to 35°S and longitudes of 18°E to 123°W.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Longhorn Cowfish Physical Characteristics
Size: 15.7 inches (40.0 centimeters)
Longhorn cowfish grows up to 18.1 inches (46.0 centimeters) long, but it’s usually around 15.7 inches (40.0 centimeters) long.
It doesn’t have any dorsal spines and has 8 to 9 soft rays on both its dorsal and anal fins. Its color varies from green to orange, often with blue spots.
This fish is known for having two sharp “horns” above its eyes which are longer in young fish. These horns point forward and slightly upward.
There is also another pair of spines pointing backward near the lower rear edge of the carapace (shell). It has a steep snout shape, almost vertical.
Its tail fin is elongated (1.5 to 2 times body length) and has a flat edge that may appear ragged.
Longhorn Cowfish Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Ostraciidae |
| Genus: | Lactoria |
| Scientific Name: | Lactoria cornuta |
| Also Known As: | Longhorn Cowfish, Horned Boxfish |
| Conservation Status: | Unknown |