With its dark-brown body covered with a myriad of tiny white to pale-blue dots, the marine betta, a.k.a comet (Calloplesiops altivelis) is truly a dazzling sight to behold. Start out with a healthy specimen, and you’ll find it’s also a fairly hardy and rugged species despite its somewhat delicate appearance and shy nature. But success with this Indo-Pacific species demands thoughtful selection of tankmates, an appropriate aquarium environment, and oftentimes considerable patience. Physical traits The maximum reported size for this species is around 8 inches. In addition to its night-sky color and patterning, C. altivelis has long dorsal and anal fins that meet the caudal fin. A prominent ocellus, or eye spot, appears at the base of the dorsal fin, just ahead of the caudal peduncle, while the fish’s true eyes blend in cleverly with the body coloration. Combined, these characteristics make it difficult to determine whether the marine betta is coming or going. More: The Sturdy but Shy Marine Betta… More:
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