🐠 Warty Anglerfish (Antennarius maculatus)
The Clown Frogfish • Warty Skin With Variable Colouring • A Fish-Shaped Lure and a Patient Ambush Hunter
 
📋 The Warty Anglerfish, also known as the Clown Frogfish or Wartskin Frogfish, has a distinctive lumpy, wart-covered body, with colouring that varies enormously between individuals: cream, yellow, brown, pink, red, or black, often marked with dark circular spots. A full colour change can take several weeks. A reliable identification tip separates it from the similar Painted Frogfish: a marking that extends to the rear edge of the eye is unique to this species.
It's native to a wide range across the Indo-West Pacific, from the Maldives and Mauritius to Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands, and it has a captivating hunting method: wiggling a small, fish-shaped lure at the tip of its modified dorsal spine to draw prey within striking range. It's a true ambush predator that will eat almost anything small enough to fit in its enormous mouth, including fish and crustaceans close to its own size.
It's one of the more challenging frogfish to feed. Many fish accept only live foods at first, and because it moves slowly, faster tankmates typically out-compete it, so it's best kept alone or fed by target feeding. Every Warty Anglerfish we ship is feeding well, and our team is happy to help you settle it onto frozen foods. One handling point matters a great deal: it must never be exposed to air during transport or acclimation, as that can be fatal.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Variable, Clown-Like Colouring: Can shift dramatically over several weeks
🎣 A Fish-Shaped Lure: Wiggled to draw prey within striking range
🍽️ A Specialist Feeder: Many fish need live foods and target feeding at first
💨 Never Expose to Air: Critical during transport and handling
🌿 Not Reef Safe With Small Tankmates: Will consume tankmates close to its own size