This Scrawled Cowfish was caught by some local fishermen in a drag net in the shallow waters along the shore, close to the dock. Seeing how interested the boys were in fish, and because they were aiming to catch bait fish, when they accidentally caught this Cowfish, they threw it onto the shore for the boys to examine. It was about 1 foot in length, and had a hard, rigid body, with two horns on the front of its head and a beautiful yellow-blue pattern.
Scrawled Cowfish are a type of boxfish. They can reach a maximum of 18 inches and gets the name Cowfish from the two horns on its head. They can change colour depending on environment and situation. Scrawled Cowfish feed on invertebrates, tunicates and sometimes marine vegetation, and can be found among seagrass, using camouflage for protection. They are eaten throughout the Caribbean region. We have seen a different species of boxfish caught, grilled whole on a beach BBQ, and served whole, peeling the skin back to reveal the flesh.