What should I do about my Comet/Roundhead that has a lump in its throat  - 03/09/2006
Dear Reefers,
<Okay>
I have a successful (with your help) 4 foot LPS reef tank with 3 fish. It was set up in August 2003, is a natural skimmerless tank, with 3.5 inch DSB, ample LR and a reverse lit Caulerpa sump. As far as I am aware all parameters are ideal.
The first fish introduced in April 2004 was a Comet ( C. altivelis) . It started at 3 inches and is now approximately 6 inches long.
In September 2005 I introduced a One Spot Fox Face (Siganus unimaculatus) in order to control Caulerpa and other algae in the main tank, which it has done superbly. Since then the Siganus has grown considerably and is now larger than the Comet. The Siganus has venomous spines (lots!) but as far as I know there are no other venomous inhabitants. The only other fish is a harmless little Kole Tang.
The problem arose on 29 December 2005, when the Comet appeared unsettled and would not eat. Up until then it had fed every day. The next day it was hiding behind the rocks and did not come out at all for 5 days until 3 January 2006. It was breathing heavily, with its mouth permanently gaping. It also had a noticeable lump on its throat.
<Good observation>
Ever since then the Comet has remained in this apparently distressed state, and it appears that the lump is growing - it is larger than a pea. The Comet now only eats every 2 or 3 days, and its mouth is in a permanent gape. The other fish, corals, snails and hermit are all fine.
I originally thought that the Comet had rammed the Siganus and been caught by one of its venomous spines. If so, would this not have cleared up by now?
<Likely so, yes>
Could it be that the Comet swallowed a Cerith snail or a crab and still has this stuck in its throat?
<Possibly>
If the lump is a cancerous growth, why did it appear to happen almost overnight?
<... Another not-too unlikely possibility is a thyroid (actually diffuse Chromaffin tissues in fishes) anomaly... analogous to "goiter" in humans... From a deficiency (or surprisingly from an overdose) of iodine/ide... Do you dose Lugol's? Do you test for Iodine?>
Please help me decide what to do now.
How long do Comets normally expect to live in captivity? Is the Comet likely to recover?
<Can live several years, can recover>
Should I carry on feeding it until it dies naturally, or should I attempt to intervene and apply euthanasia? If so, is there a recommended method for fish of this size?
Many thanks,
Best wishes from the UK,
Eric Brightwell
<I would soak some of the types of foods this animal is feeding on in an iodide prep. prior to offering. Bob Fenner>

Marine Betta   1/31/06
Hello, WWM crew! <Hi Rebecca>
I recently acquired a marine Betta for my 165 gallon reef tank, the smallest one I've seen in any LFS (but not that I've seen too many-they seem to be common and rare at the same time.) It's about 4 inches long total, so you know that means about 2-2 1/2 inches of body. I know it will eat invertebrates, but so far it
has left the fire shrimp <Not for long.> and the hermit crabs alone-I think the shrimp is too big for it. <Will soon change.> I tried to make it eat frozen food thought starvation, but it hasn't worked. I probably didn't try hard enough. I didn't really leave him in hunger for that long-a couple days at a time. I had read a site that said to feed saltwater tolerant feeder fish, like mollies or guppies, until you can get it to eat prepared food. I
realized, hey, why not just feed it guppies continuously since I've for a continuous supply? I have a 30 gallon freshwater tank filled to the brim with guppies in various stages of growth. (I started out with 5-2 female and 3 male.) So I tossed several babies in, after acclimating to saltwater. They were immediately eaten by the other fish, mainly the Chromises. So I tried again later, dumping the baby guppies with one hand while dropping in flake food at the other end of the tank. I don't know if you've ever seen a marine Betta hunt, but it is really neat. It kind of curls it's body around, so it's prey is confused by the eyespot, and it herds the fish into a corner so it can nab it. Anyways, my questions are, since I do have a continuous supply of guppies, is it okay to just keep feeding them to the Betta? Do I really need to acclimate them to saltwater first every time? <No, they probably won't last that long.>I've been just tossing them in one at a time, they don't last long enough to be too stressed out by the changes in temp and salinity. Plus it has other things to be stressed out about ;) How many should I feed per day? <Rebecca, it's OK to feed guppies/mollies as an acclimation food as the marine Bettas can be somewhat difficult to acclimate as far as feeding.  Once he has his appetite back, gradually introduced prepared foods (frozen variety).  Feedings of two to four times weekly are sufficient.  Hard to tell how many guppies to feed per feeding not knowing size etc.  Like any other food, feed until he no longer shows interest.  The Betta, once acclimated is hardy and disease resistant.  Do provide hiding places for him as in nature they are nocturnal and will need to get out of the lights from time to time.>
Should I have the guppies soak in anything in particular first that would give more nutrition to the
Betta? <Could feed the guppies brine shrimp soaked in Selcon or similar vitamin.> Do I have any more questions? Hmm...Nah, unless you can tell me how I get the Betta to pose for me so I can take a picture. <Tell him to say "cheese".>
Thanks! <You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Rebecca

Marine Bettas  11/21/05
Hi Team
<Tim>
Quick question about marine Bettas (Calloplesiops altivelis).
<Neat animal>
I have found information regarding these on your site and advanced aquarist.  They say after spawning it takes about 5 - 6 days to hatch. They hatch out at about 3cm long. What would you feed these guys? Enriched brine shrimp, I assume rotifers would be too small?
<Agreed>
Also do you have any other insights as to how to tell male and female?
<No>
I have noticed on the two I have (different tanks) the smaller one has finer white dots and more of them compared to the larger which has bigger dots, and not so many of them.  Could this be a way of sexing them or could it be more likely that they came from two different areas?
<I don't know>
Also, do you have any good links about breeding them?
<Mmm, just the one piece that was posted in Aquarium System's "SeaScope" a few years back... I would "hit the stacks" at a large library re this, other citations. Bob Fenner>
Thanks for the help.  Tim 

Query about Comet fish (Marine Betta) 8/5/05
Hello,
<<Hello George - Ted here>>
I am an Australian marine tank enthusiast with a 5x2x2 foot tank about 1 1/2 years old. I was told by my local aquarium supplier that WetWebMedia was an ideal site to perhaps find out some answers to my questions about introducing a second Comet fish (Marine Betta) into the tank.
I trawled through some of your FAQ's, but couldn't find the answers, or indeed any bold references to Bettas, despite the Google search results listing some encouraging sounding references. So I'm contacting you directly to see if you can steer me in the right direction. I'm happy to pay a subscription fee if you'd like, but I wanted to first find out whether you'd be able to help me.
My questions are as follows:
Would the new Betta fight with the one that's been in the tank (albeit as a bit of a recluse) for the last 6 months?<<Marine Betta's are found singly, in pairs and in small aggregations in the wild so adding a second one is a possibility. Particular individuals may or may not get along. While fighting could be a concern, I would be more concerned with the ability of your tank to support the food needs of two Betta's? Betta's can be finicky eaters. Is the second fish already eating frozen or prepared foods? Is the established fish eating frozen or prepared foods? The population of pods and other infauna in your system may support one fish but may not support two.>>
Would introducing a second one encourage the first to be less of a recluse perhaps? Is the sex of the fish important, and how would I ascertain the sexes of both the existing fish and the proposed new one?<<Betta's are reclusive and the introduction of another will not end the reclusive behavior. Dim lighting may induce less reclusive behavior. With time, some Betta's become less reclusive. Betta's have been successfully bred in captivity but sexing them is difficult. They may be hermaphroditic so that placing a large and small Betta together might increase the chance of getting a pair.>>
I hope you can respond quickly, as the offer to accept the second Betta won't last long.
Best regards
<<Cheers - Ted>>
George Lewin
Byron Bay
Australia

Re: Query about Comet fish (Marine Betta) 8/9/05
Hello Ted (and the rest of the WWM FAQ crew) for your prompt reply to my questions.
<<Hello George and you're welcome>>
I'd love to send you a donation, and will do so as soon as I've written this email, to help you keep up the good work.
<<Thank you!>>
Before making a decision on the second Betta, I plan to discuss your comments with my local aquarium supplier as soon as he returns from a few days off.
In the meantime, does anyone there have any idea about what the worst case scenario might be if I introduce the second Betta - who I believe lives on frozen and prepared food, as does my current tank inhabitant.
<<Both eating frozen and prepared food is promising.>>
If there's insufficient food for both, am I likely to have two starved Bettas, or will Darwinism triumph? Or perhaps I should start introducing live brine shrimp and/or mosquito larvae as a means of fattening them both up, at least in the short term?
<<You should quarantine the 2nd Betta (as you should all new arrivals). Use the quarantine time to fatten both Bettas up. When you place the 2nd Betta into the system, if either should succumb, you will have eliminated disease as the culprit and verified that the new arrival is eating before introduction to the main system.>>
Fishing out a dead Betta would probably be quite tricky given the number of caves and hidey-holes in my live rock assembly.
<<You can't be certain with individuals from any species, but knowing that you have started with two healthy, eating fish will go a long way towards success. With any luck, you won't be hunting for any missing fish>>
Best regards
George Lewin
<<Good luck - Ted>>

Fish compatibility 3/11/05
Thank for the advice. I hear conflicting stories of the Marine Betta (comet).
<they are generally well-behaved with anything they cannot swallow whole>
He doesn't pay attention to the two smaller fish [right now] but like I said I am selling him back to the pet store as soon as I can get him out without causing chaos.
<they really are some of the best and hardiest fishes for aquarium use... wonderful fish>
He is really cool but not worth it. So now I just need to decide between clowns and wrasses! thanks Kim
<all good... Anthony>

Marine Betta Buddies...
Hi Guys
<Scott F. your guy tonight>
I am living in Bangkok, Thailand.  Previously Australia.  I have just set up my 270ltr (65 gallon) reef tank - about a month old.  Wow.. So much trouble to get reliable service and equipment here. I know it's early days but after learning some lessons setting my first reef tank up, I am planning well ahead to avoid the same mistakes. So I am seeking some advice in advance of stocking when the tank is ready.
<Glad to help>
The tank has no sump,  two Rio 3000 powerheads with split duckbill adaptors to direct the current, a Red Sea hang on Berlin venturi skimmer (noisy pump on that model - I don't recommend one - can u suggest a quiet pump to drive it), a canister filter will be fitted to filter for phosphate/nitrate removal, 2 x actinic 30watt and 2 x Clear marine fluorescent tubes that came with the tank Should I change them to 40 watts - the light seems to dim to me),
<The more light the better, in most applications>
a Resun CL-280 chiller (really efficient and super quiet, low heat output!).  About 1/3 of the tanks is taken up by the live rock reef which has lots of caves, good current flow and the base is crushed coral (the only reliable stuff  for a base you can get here).
It's to be a coral tank mostly (soft and hard corals).
<I think that your corals will fare better in the long run if you stick to one or the other (soft vs. hard corals).>
Recently I saw a marine Betta (Calloplesiops altivelis) in a store here which the sale guy recommended as placid and reef friendly  (people here will tell you anything for a sale, so I am not sure to trust this).  Are they ok in a reef, what are some ok tankmates and a clean-up crew to house with them.
<They will not harm sessile invertebrates. However, they will prey on small fish, if they can catch 'em. I have had one in my reef tank for some time, and he seems too slow to catch many of the small blennies and gobies that I keep, but I wouldn't put it past him. Also, being a secretive fish, you might only occasionally get a view of him, but it is always a spectacular sight when he emerges!>
I was planning to  slowly stock the tank with a maximum of 6 to 8 fish.  1 feature fish (maybe the Betta)  to not exceed 6 inch and the rest about 2-3 inch max.  Is this too many  and are the smaller fish going to be in danger from a sea Betta?  Your Sincerely, Brett
<As above. The Marine Betta can get pretty large (like 5 inches or so), when it can become a realistic threat to small fishes. However, most of the medium sized wrasses, Pseudochromis, etc. could be okay, as long as sufficient hiding places are provided. I'd draw the line at about 4 fishes, plus the Betta. Yes, it's a bit conservative, but I think it will serve you (and the fishes) better in the long run. Good luck, Brett! Regards, Scott F.>

Unfriendly Competition? 
Hello folks, 
<Hi there! Scott F. with you today!> 
Does anyone have any idea if a Paraplesiops poweri will get along with a Calloplesiops altivelis? I have a 92g corner bow front with a lot of rock work. In there currently are 2 percula clowns, a small Hawkfish, a finger dragonet and a very small cow fish. Thanks. Tim 
<Well, Tim- as you know, these fishes are similar in both habits and basic appearance. If it were me, I'd be hesitant to recommend keeping them in anything under a 6 foot long tank. Although both are relatively shy, they are predators, and require a certain amount of space and territory to be at their best. I would not label them as "gregarious" by any means, so I'd pass. They are possible competitors, and this is a good enough reason to avoid mixing them, in my opinion. Hope this helps! Regards, Scott F>

Marine Betta
Hi,
Would a marine Betta be compatible with invertebrates,<nope.. they are closely related to groupers and behave like them...that means they will eat shrimp/crabs etc> and live happily with a potters angelfish, regal tang, and 2 ocellaris clownfish.<If the Betta is big.. then I would not house him with clownfish.. if he is small then you might be ok> If it would, could I be able to keep it until it gets fully grown, or will I have to get rid of it? <I believe they grow to about 6"...you should be able to keep this fish through adulthood in a regular 55gallon aquarium (hopefully you have an aquarium at least this size, good luck, IanB>
Regards Daniel...

Lions and Marine Bettas 7/1/06
Hi there just a quick question.  Would a marine Betta be O.K. with a zebra lionfish in a 30 gallon tank.
Many thanks.
<No, both get too large for this tank.>
<Chris>

Lions and Marine Bettas Part II 7/3/06
Thanks for getting back so quick. <Sure> Would there be O.K. in a 450L tank as will be upgrading in about 12months?
<If you wait until you get the 450 they should be fine together.  However neither will probably make it a year in the 30G tank>
<Chris>