This fish, also called the horned boxfish, belongs to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfish. Their conservation status is "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List. This fish is recognizable by its two pairs of long horns on the front of its head and beneath its tail. Males and females have a yellow to olive base color with white or bluish spots. They lack an operculum, or a gill cover, and instead have a small slit instead. These fish can grow up to 18 inches in length.
They are omnivores and feed on bottom layer algae, various small/micro organisms, and marine protozoans. They blow jets of water into sandy substrates to feed on invertebrates.
These fish are primarily found in the Indo-Pacific region including subtropical waters of the Red Sea and East Africa through Indonesia, Japan and Korea, as well as Australia and Southern Africa. They like to stay in sand or rubble on the bottoms of coral reef lagoons, flats and protected areas.
They are a reef fish, often solitary and territorial
Has a unique method of swimming called "ostraciiform locomotion" – in which the caudal fin moves from side to side – that causes the cowfish to look like it's hovering.
With no pelvic skeleton, this species lacks pelvic fins.
Their horns are thought to have evolved to make this cowfish hard for most predators to swallow.
Their flesh is poisonous!
They release ostracitoxin when they become stressed by sudden movements, bright lights, and loud sounds.
(Fish was recommended by @marsuuv. Disclaimer, fish does not bark like in video.. :( )
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