Calloplesiops argus

Calloplesiops argus, commonly known as the Comet fish, is a beautiful medium-sized fish which looks very similar to the more well-known C. altivelis. There has been many discussions whether this is a distinct species, mostly because there are very little (small) argus collected. The main difference is that C. argus has much smaller spots which are arranged more in lines and they develop more blue lines on the edges of the fins instead of spots. The pelvic fins also get a little larger, as does the entire fish.

These fish hide in crevices and under ledges around the reef most of the day and hunt at night. When a predator is spotted, it dives into a hole and leaves its tail out. This tail mimics the head of a moray eel and scares predators away. Because they're nocturnal, it's best to feed them when the lights are dim or off. Especially in the beginning you might notice they're very shy and only take live food when the light is low. Once acclimated, they're best fed with all kind of meaty live and frozen food and usually learn to eat flakes and pellets as well over time. Be carefull with adding small shrimps to the tank, other than that, these fish should pose no problem to other fish or corals.