The Comet (Calloplesiops altivelis) is a type of marine betta found in the beautiful waters of Okinawa. They hide in caves during the day. At night they come out to feed on small crustaceans. They are a mysterious fish and can be challenging to photograph. Comets are uncommon, yet very little is know about the behavior of these cryptic animals.
- Scientific name: Calloplesiops altivelis
- Common Name: Comet (Marine betta)
- Distribution: Ryukyu Islands
- Habitat: submarine caves
- Diet: crustaceans and fish
- Average Size: 20cm
Calloplesiops altivelis © Shawn Miller
Calloplesiops altivelis © Shawn Miller
Look close, can see the resemblance between the comet and the spotted moray eel?
Gymnothorax meleagris © Shawn Miller
When threatened the comet will stick its head into a hole and expose its tail end, which mimics the head of the a dangerous moray eel. The caudal fin also has detailed white lines that resemble the razor sharp teeth.
Calloplesiops altivelis © Shawn Miller
Having trouble getting close to marine life during your night dives? I recommend using the Light & Motion Sola 1200 red light feature. This feature enables the user to photograph marine life during the night without disturbing them. Most marine animals do not see the color red or react less to the red light.
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Underwater setup with sola 600
My Mission: To Document and Preserve the Wildlife of the Ryukyu Islands
This site is also designed to help people identify the beautiful animals of Okinawa, basically to serve as an online nature reference guide. If you would like to make a contribution to support my mission, please click on the donation link paypal.me/maketheswitch4nature
Your donations will help worldwide conservation initiatives as well as bring solutions to the worldwide pollution issues on our beautiful shorelines. Thank you for your support. Shawn M Miller.
