Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about frogfish. The name frogfish could be in reference to two different groups of fish. This episode is specifically about the frogfish who are classified in the anglerfish order, not the other group that has the same common name but isn’t at all related - those fish are also known as toadfish which just makes things all the more confusing.

Anglerfish are not only from the depths of the ocean. Today’s subjects are found through tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters of the world, though they don’t live more than 1,000 feet (305m) below the waves. Frogfish are generally found in coral reef habitats and live on the bottom of the ocean, meaning they are benthic; however, there is one genus that is pelagic meaning these particular fish can be found in the open ocean. This species lives in floating algae. Among the rocks and organisms which comprise the foundation of a coral reef, a frogfish utilizes its superior camouflage to blend in with its surroundings. This camouflage hides the frogfish from both predators and prey. On a reef, surrounded by similar-looking features, a frogfish can easily be mistaken for a clump of seaweed, a bunch of coral, or even a sponge.

There are approximately fifty classified frogfish species, but they can be extremely difficult to tell apart. Members of the same species may appear in completely different colors and patterns, it really all depends on that individual’s surroundings. Frogfish are able to change color, with some species being able to do so almost instantaneously and others taking days or longer to fully change over. This ability helps them further blend in with their habitat. Frogfish look strange. They’re rotund like a rain frog and have fins that seem to have elbows. Frogfish don’t have swim bladders and they aren’t able to swim well, so they walk instead. Using their modified fins as legs, frogfish can cruise the bottom of the ocean. They’ll also utilize jet propulsion through their gills as opposed to swimming with their tails. When they want to stand still, frogfish need only to grasp the nearest surface with their fins and hold tight. This ability comes in handy while ambushing prey.

As we mentioned, frogfish are also anglerfish. Most frogfish species use a lure to draw in unsuspecting prey. It might seem that using a lure that is literally part of the fish’s body is a bad idea, a roving fish might be able to bite the lure after all, but frogfish don’t really need to worry about this. For starters, if a frogfish loses its lure to the belly of another fish, the frogfish is able to regrow a new lure. But, on top of that, frogfish can swallow down a meal so quick, the prey likely won’t have a chance to even taste the lure to begin with! When a prey item is enticed close enough to the frogfish’s lure, the frogfish will open its mouth which creates a vacuum that sucks the prey up in less than a second. The food frogfish eat includes mantis shrimp and other crustaceans as well as fish sometimes including one another! A frogfish can eat something as big as it is, too. Frogfish are generally under eight inches (20.3cm) in length, though the largest species can be more than a foot (30.5cm) long. While they are at risk of being eaten by each other, frogfish may also be eaten by moray eels and other fish especially while they’re young.

Frogfish have multiple breeding methods. The most common method includes a female releasing hundreds to thousands of eggs at the surface of the water column in what’s called an “egg raft”. These eggs are then externally fertilized by the male. Frogfish may do this multiple times per year. In this case, the eggs are left on their own, but other frogfish species provide more parental care, sometimes even holding the eggs on their own bodies.

For more facts on frogfish check out the links in the description. Thank you to Harry for today’s request! Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.