Articles and photos by
Scott W. Michael

The angling behavior of frogfishes is legendary. Many articles and studies have concentrated on how they use the modified first dorsal spine to lure potential prey into striking range. But this is not the only aspect of antennariid life that is fascinating. Although little has been published on the reproductive behavior of these fishes, what is known rivals the frogfishes angling in its uniqueness.

 
In this CoralRealm original research report, we will present more information on the spawning behavior of frogfishes than has appeared in any document to date. This includes video and still photos documenting courtship and spawning in several different species. (To be more specific, dozens of photos and seven video clips!) Information will also be provided on two different mating systems observed in antennariids.

What follows is a compilation of information gleaned from our own personal observations of frogfish reproduction, as well as data taken from video recordings of Annie Crawley, David McKowen, and Bruce Robison.

If you are into frogfish, you will definitely not want to miss this presentation!

VIDEO PRESENTATION
One of the great things about the internet as a resource, is that we are not only able to present words and photos, but also streaming video so you can see some of these fascinating behaviors for yourself.

Painted Frogfish Spawning

See an amazing video shot by David McKowen that shows the courtship and spawning in the painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus). This includes a sequence of still shots taken by Roger Steene documenting the same spawning bout.
more ....

Spawning in the Lembeh Frogfish

This amazing clip of video document, shot by Bruce Robison, documents the courtship and spawning behavior of the Lembeh frogfish (Antennarius cf. striatus). This includes courtship behavior never seen in a frogfish species before!
more ....

An Unusual Case of
Cannibalism in Frogfishes

Frogfishes are known to eat members of their own kind. This video documents and unusual encounter between two frogfish that appears to begin as courtship and end as a predation event!
more ....

More Frogfish Feature
Articles to Read!

FEATURE ARTICLES

What is Known About
Frogfish Reproduction

In the last decade, with the growing popularity of "muck diving," more individuals have been able to document the spawning modes of frogfishes. In this section, we will look at some of the behavioral trends seen in frogfish reproduction.
more ....

Frogfishes Mating Systems

At present, there is only a smattering of information available on the reproductive behavior of antennariids and most of this comes from the observations of captive animals. This article documents (with text, photos and a VIDEO CLIP) what is currently known about the mating systems of these unique fishes.
more ....

Aggression in Frogfishes

Frogfishes have been observed to behave aggressively toward conspecifics. In this article we will review what is known about antennarid aggressive behavior. This includes a video clip showing an agonistic interaction.
more ....

Courtship and Spawning
in Warty Frogfish

Learn about the courtship and spawning behavior of the warty frogfish. This includes photos documenting the reproductive behavior of this specise.
more ....