Marine Betta

Calloplesiops altivelis - The Marine Betta or Comet is highly sought after because it is a unique, stunning, graceful, and peaceful medium sized reef fish with a great personality. With coloration reminiscent of the night sky, it's easy to see why they are called "comets."

Like many live food eaters, wild caught Marine Bettas are difficult to keep in captivity because they don't easily convert to prepared food diets and prefer expensive live shrimp diets. These captive bred Marine Bettas are better suited to aquarium life, as they've been trained from a young age to eat commercial foods such as Easy Reefs DKI pellets, PE Calanus, Hikari mysis and spirulina brine, small TDO pellets, and Easy Reefs Masstick. 

Marine Bettas are peaceful toward other fish and even do well in pairs or groups if added to the aquarium at the same time. It is also safe to introduce juveniles to adults. They do not eat coral or clams, but may eat very small shrimp. They spend much of their time under overhangs, but many keepers report that with patience they can become tame over time, recognizing their humans and begging for food at feeding time like "puppies." They grow quickly when they are small, but their growth slows down when they reach ~ 4" in length. They can live for many years and some individuals may grow to a max size of 8". 

This species is nocturnal/cryptic and may disappear in a large tank with a lot of rockwork, then reappear when it is comfortable with the new territory. We recommend introducing them using an acclimation box so you can keep a close eye on them during the acclimation period. 

If you've always dreamed of owning a Marine Betta but couldn't justify attempting a wild caught one, now is your chance to get a sustainably and ethically captive bred Marine Betta!