The Longhorn Cowfish Poisons Itself

The longhorn cowfish may be familiar to those who enjoy keeping saltwater aquariums. They are well-liked by fans of exotic fish due to their vivid yellow color and highly distinctive appearance. But because of their inherent ability to defend themselves, keeping them in an aquarium poses a special risk.

Most creatures have some means of self-defense, and the cowfish does this by releasing an ostracitoxin. So it's a lethal fish. But once more, it's not all that unusual. Many animals are poisonous or dangerous in some form. The longhorn cowfish's vulnerability to its own poisons is a problem. As a result, if the fish feels threatened or overexcited, the toxin will fill the tank and kill not only all the other fish but also the fish itself. Activated carbon can be used to eliminate the toxin from a tank, but by the time you need to do that, most likely everything has already perished.