Marine Betta – Calloplesiops altivelis
The marine betta, also known as comet, comes from the Indo-Pacific ocean region. This is a different looking fish with a good reputation for being hardy rarely affected by disease or poor water quality. It is also known to be a predatory fish.
Maximum Size: The maximum length is 8.0 inches
Minimum Tank Size: 55 gallons or larger tank is appropriate
Care Level: The marine betta is a hardy fish. On a scale of 1 –10, (10 being easy) it would rate a “7”.
Tank Conditions: Temperature 77 - 79°F; Specific gravity: 1.021 – 1.024; pH: 8.1 – 8.3; nitrate should be no more than 25 ppm.
Color: The marine betta is a unique fish. Its primary color is brown. Its fins meet each other helping to give the fish an oval shape. The body is dotted with mostly white spots. A large black spot framed in white sits just below the back part of the dorsal fin.
Temperament: The marine betta is not overly aggressive as a juvenile but as an adult can become aggressive to other marine betta and similar colored fish. These fish may consider smaller fish as prey food.
 Reef Compatible: The marine betta will eat ornamental shrimp and other such invertebrates.
Diet: Carnivore - will take a varied diet of chopped shrimp, brine shrimp, chopped squid and clams as well as flake food. They should be fed 2-3 times each day. High quality vitamin enriched foods should be fed several times each week.
Habitat: Provide with plenty of hiding places and live rock growth for grazing on and to use for shelter. Good water quality is important. Betta need good water quality for health and color retention.
Lighting: No special lighting requirements are necessary. They may not like brightly lit areas of the tank.
Filtration: Efficient biological filtration with protein skimmer and activated carbon are important for the marine betta’s health.
Compatibility: Marine betta in general can be kept with boxfish and moray eels and they should not be housed with sharks, rays and small non-aggressive fish such as firefish and cardinalfish and can be a problem if housed with many others – check with your aquarium shop if you plan on buying one of these fish.
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