▁has ▁any ▁sp ines ▁but ▁both ▁have ▁nine ▁soft ▁ray s , ▁while ▁the ▁ca ud al ▁fin ▁is ▁fan - sh aped ▁and ▁has ▁ten ▁ray s . ▁A ▁typical ▁length ▁for ▁this ▁fish ▁is ▁; ▁the ▁colour ▁is ▁variable , ▁and ▁changes ▁to ▁match ▁the ▁fish ' s ▁surr ound ings ; ▁generally ▁pale ▁tan ▁with ▁sp ots ▁or ▁w ig gly ▁mark ings ▁in ▁yellow , ▁m au ve ▁or ▁blue . ▁In ▁some ▁regions , ▁this ▁fish ▁is ▁to xic . ▁ ▁Distribution ▁and ▁habitat ▁The ▁th orn back ▁cow fish ▁is ▁native ▁to ▁the ▁tropical ▁Ind o - P ac ific ▁region ▁between ▁ 3 2 ° N ▁and ▁ 3 2 ° S . ▁Its ▁range ▁extends ▁from ▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁of ▁Africa ▁between ▁T anz ania ▁and ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Mad agas car , ▁to ▁Japan , ▁Indones ia , ▁Australia , ▁Hawai i ▁and ▁R apa ▁Island . ▁It ▁occurs ▁in ▁areas ▁of ▁sand , ▁rub ble , ▁cor als ▁and ▁alg ae ▁both ▁in ▁l ago ons ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁sea ward ▁side ▁of ▁re ef s . ▁It ▁can ▁be ▁found ▁as ▁deep ▁as ▁ ▁but ▁a ▁more ▁normal ▁depth ▁range ▁is ▁between ▁about ▁. ▁ ▁E col ogy ▁This ▁fish ▁is ▁usually ▁solit ary ▁but ▁the ▁males ▁are ▁territorial ▁in ▁the ▁bre eding ▁season . ▁The ▁di et ▁consists ▁of ▁small ▁in verte br ates , ▁which ▁are ▁exposed ▁by ▁j ets ▁of ▁water ▁from ▁the ▁mouth ▁blow ing