That strange piece of coral which you can see above is actually a Giant Frogfish! In the art of camouflage Giant Frogfish, and frogfish in general, are masters. Also known as “anglerfish” due to the rod and lure like appendage on their heads, this amazing species sits motionless on the bottom waiting for prey. Frogfish camouflage is so good that they really can “hide in plain sight” and they literally look like a colored sponge which an untrained eye will miss for sure.
The Giant frogfish (Anthennarius commerson), is easy to identify by its size once it reaches maturity but when in it’s in its adolescent or juvenile stages it can be difficult to distinguish from the other species which we find here in Amed. From newborn to adult, the giant frogfish can measure from just a couple of millimeters through to tens of centimeters.
It’s always an event for scuba divers to spot frogfish underwater. Why? Because they can be found literally everywhere but are always hard to spot ! From coral reefs where they perch on sponges, through to hanging on walls or disguising themselves next to debris on muck dives frogfish can be found in the most unexpected of places. Just to make them even more difficult to spot, frogfish come in a range of colours too – from bright orange, pink or red through to pitch black, brown, warty or hairy and there even one is called the psychedelic – they like to keep divers guessing!
If you want to take the challenge, the giant frogfish season is open in Amed and we’ll be happy to show them to you – that’s if it’s not you who spots one first!
Critters and Frogfish in Amed
In Amed we not only have giant frogfish we also see painted frogfish, warty frogfish and their juveniles too which are known as the “clown frogfish”. Frogfish are just one species of a whole host of critters that diving in Amed unveils. Every dive is like a treasure trove of critters and we are constantly being surprised by the weird and wonderful array of species which inhabit Amed’s dive sites. if you are an underwater photographer you definitely need to add diving in Amed to your bucket list while you are here in Bali!
If you’d like to make a reservation for diving in Amed, taking a PADI Course in Amed or more information about our Two Fish Divers Amed Dive Resort, fill in the contact form below and we will get right back to you!
