Saltwater
Comet
Calloplesiops altivelis
Plesiopidae, Plesiopinae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 20 cm
- Body shape
- Deep-bodied
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 192 liters
- Diet
- Missing
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Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Native
Lives wild in Australia, China, Christmas Island, Fiji, France, Guam, Indonesia, Japan, and 19 more countries.
More about the species
Description
Adults are found near reefs, and in caves and crevices along drop-offs. A nocturnal species that hides under ledges and in holes by day. They possess a false eye which is actually the dorsal fin ocellus confuses predators because it poses an inverted image of a fish. When alarmed, this fish will poke it's head into a hole and expose its tail end which mimics the head of the moray eel. Eggs are guarded by the male parent. Have been reared in captivity. Reported to be living in a marine aquarium for 8 years and 6 months (Danilo Ronchi, Italy, pers.comm. 2014 February). Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Barrosia barrosi
- Callopresiops altivelis
- Plesiops altivelis
In other languages
- Kometbars, Mirakelfisk
- Komeettakala
- Marine betta
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.
From freshwater to saltwater3 min read
What is different in a saltwater aquarium: salt, refractometer, live rock and corals. An introduction for anyone thinking of giving it a try.