I suspect this pair of Long-Horned Cowfish are mates, since I have
seen them together on numerous occasions in the same dive spot. Each one is about five
inches in length. I presume they are named "cowfish" after the horns, since they
don't have udders and don't "moo" (though they do grunt when held). When they're
blowing into the sand looking for a meal you might say they were "grazing".
Normally they avoid divers, but cowfish are fairly slow swimmers, barely able to swim
faster than a diver. This was taken during a night dive when they're easier to approach. Identification: Lactoria cornuta |