There are about 12 types of frogfish: Sargassum, Freckled, Ocellated, Hispid, Hairy, Giant, and finally, the Warty, which as a younger one is called a Painted frogfish (1).  They are also known as angler fish, because they use a lure to catch their prey (2).  They live in many areas and usually stay at the bottom of the sea.  They live in tropical Pacific, Eastern Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, Hawaii (Kona), Indian Ocean, Japan, Red Sea, Tropical Australia, Western Atlantic, Indonesia, and Asia.  They also live in mucky diving areas where you can find dead coral skeletons, discarded fishing equipment, tires and other garbage (2).  They live near pilings, mooring weights, rope or discarded debris, chains, root systems in estuary’s, sea grass and sargussum (2).  They live in reefs near or on sponges and sandy ocean floors(2)

The lure, or bait, is called Esca, and is luminous (5).  The fishing rod-like protrusion of their dorsal fin is called illicium, and is used to attract the prey (2).  The female angler fish has the lure (5).  They use their pectoral fins and bouyancy to bounce forward, or jump (5).  They can be as small as 1/8inches to 22 inches (2).  They get their name, frogfish, because of their fins (1).  The pectoral fins are shaped like elbows and their pelvic fins are shaped like legs (1).  They can swim, jump, and walk (4).  They walk more than swim.  They use the pectoral and pelvic fins to move (3).  They live mainly on ocean floor (3).  They inflate like a puffer fish when threatened (4).  They blend in reefs because of their skin textures and shape (4).  The frog fish change colors throughout their lives.

They eat other frog fish like cannibals, even fish bigger than they are (2).  They eat crustaceans (4).  They are carnivores (4).  After mating the males may be eaten (4).  The males are smaller than the females (4). They perform a mating dance of circling and vibrating (4).  They can lay between 40,000-180,000 eggs at one time (1).  Males are smaller that females. They protect themselves from prey by changing colors to camouflage(2).  They move slow but they strike fast (2).  They change colors throughout their life (2). They move by gulping water (2).

Frogfish are fascinating creatures. You will really like frogfish after you read this. You might think they are weird looking yet they are fascinating animals.

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