Antennarius Frogfish Capital of the Philippines

Dauin & Zamboangita, Negros Oriental, The Antennarius Frogfish Capital of the Philippines! 

Antennarius Species Signals! 

The Allure of its Lure. This captivating critter, an all time  favorite among divers, goes beyond its poker face and signature yawn. 

Well known to underwater photography enthusiasts and seasoned divers, this is a fish that seems fictional to most and a fantasy find for the rest.

Also read: Search for British diver in Philippines called off

The Frogfish goes about the reef using jet-like propulsion via openings nestled beneath its pectoral fins. If not putt-putting around like an awkward balloon, it can also go for a walk using its pectoral and pelvic fins.

Photo Credit: Analynne Sison ( Spotter Trainer & CEO Silver Reef Dive Resort).

Dauin & Zamboangita, in Negros Oriental, have a wide variety of Frogfish species inhabiting their coastline and the adjacent Apo Island. There are have been 12 species of Frogfish, heavily sought after by divers, documented right here in our waters with at least 13 species distributed in the Visayas, the central area of the Philippines.

Recently, Silver Reef Dive Resort CEO and Spotter Trainer, with Daniel Geary, a marine biologist known as “Dr. Frogfish” who has studied Frogfishes for 10 years,  documented a Hispid/Shaggy Frogfish in Zamboanguita, the neighbor town of Dauin known as the diving capital of Negros Island, Philippines. After much research, it is believed there is a good chance that this is the first documented sighting of this species in the province of Negros Oriental.

Multiple dive guides confirm a potential sighting in 2010, but there are no photos to back it up. Almost all of the photos online, with locations included, are from Indonesia with none (correctly identified) found from the Philippines, so this could potentially be the first, if not one of the first, documented sightings of this species in the country. This indeed was an epic find by Randall Gunn, a tech diver who moved to Dauin, whose housereef is home to the pair of these bright yellow, mango-like frogfish. One of our local artists, Alma Zosan, will have to amend her Frogfishes of the Visayas poster to include this 13th species.

The  season of Frogfishes in Dauin and Zamboanguita Negros Oriental usually starts around February and lasts until around August, but nature plots its own course so this is just an average. Some show up a bit earlier while others show up late and stay longer, meaning there are a few that stick around to be found by those who know where they hide or who attend Dr Frogfish’s scheduled specialty courses. 

We were recently visited by Daniel Geary, “Dr. Frogfish,” who dived with us to photograph these Hispid/Shaggy Frogfish and were able to chat about frogfish, specifically on what his favorite finds are and what behaviors are most memorable for him.

“I have a few extremely memorable finds when it comes to Frogfish. My all time, best find that probably won’t be topped was in 2016. I travelled to Ambon, Indonesia on a tip that there were verified sightings of Psychedelic Frogfish. I was fortunate enough to see two of them on my second dive. 

Another incredible find was in Malapascua, Philippines in 2022. My favorite local guide there took me to one of his secret areas with two extra guides and we found a Marble-mouthed Frogfish…with eggs! The still-developing eggs were almost fully formed, perfect replicas of their adult versions. 

One of my all time favorite finds, in all honesty, was this pair of Hispid/Shaggy Frogfish. I lived in Dauin for nearly 10 years and never saw one. These two frogfish just happened to be found while I was visiting for two weeks, perfect timing.

I have seen plenty of Frogfish behavior, but a few stand out. I have never seen frogfish cannibalism, although I have seen it attempted. My favorite behavior that I have seen was two Clown/Warty Frogfish mating. I was able to watch them flirt, swim up, mate, and watched the egg raft float away. A second male Frogfish came running over the rocks a few seconds later, unfortunately too late to the party.

I always love seeing male Frogfish trying to flirt with a female. Males love to pop up all their fins and shake their body all over the place, an awkward kind of frogfish dance. I’m not sure why they do it, but its pretty funny to watch.

Frogfish predation is a rare sight, but also a treat. I have seen Frogfish eat a variety of prey, from Waspfish to Dragonets to Cardinalfish. My favorite predation that I have witnessed was during a film shoot for BBC’s Planet Earth, shot in Dauin, where we witnessed a Clown/Warty frogfish slurp up a small Lionfish, spines and all.”

Silver Reef Dive Resort
Silver Reef offers valet photographer services provided by specialist Spotters who are knowledgeable about camera equipment and its use before and during dives. The goal is to surface together, sometimes using underwater scooters as a “just grab on” taxi service for photographers facing currents and other challenges.

AivyMaes Dive Resort

AivyMaes Dive Resort is uniquely located in the heart of Dauin’s beach front with absolute walk in diving access to the three best diving sites in Dauin, consistently ranked in the top ten muck diving sites in the world. Our professionally trained spotters will help you find that perfect macro or wide angle shot. With Apo Island just 35-minute boat ride we offer a world class diving experience.

Sea Explorers

Established in 1989, Sea Explorers is a pioneer dive center in the Visayas. We offer world-class diving with flamboyant cuttlefish, mimic octopus, Ambon scorpionfish, and the elusive thresher sharks in Malapascua. Explore Dauin and Sipalay for more incredible marine life. Our veteran Filipino Divemasters ensure memorable dives. Discover the Philippines—Dive with a Smile.

Azure Dive Resort

The Azure Dive Resort’s vision is to provide world-class service and ultimately, to achieve excellence in the diving industry. Azure is the quintessence of the Filipino spirit—warm as the inviting blue waters of its private beach; gracious as the palm fronds that bend in the breeze. The resort is a living testament of dedication to Dauin as a destination that would fulfill Dream dives.