Freckled Angler

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Peaceful   • Maximum Size: 5"
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons   • Water Conditions: 72-80° F, dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
• Diet: Carnivore   • Origin: Indo-Pacific, Western Pacific, Eastern Pacific
• Family: Antennariidae   • Species: Anglers   • Aquarium Type: Reef Compatible

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The Freckled Angler (Antennarius coccineus) is one of the smaller species of Anglerfish, who typically grow to about 5 inches in length. They are found widely distributed across the eastern Pacific, western Pacific and Indo Pacific oceans, where they are found living in a variety of environments ranging from seaward facing reefs to shallow lagoons and tidal pools.

They do vary greatly in color, which includes white, yellow, tan, orange, red, brown and black coloration. There ability to change colors combined with varied and scattered spots allows the Freckled Angler to blend in with a wide variety of rocky and coral reef areas.

Blending into their environment is crucial both for ambushing unsuspecting prey, but also in order to avoid detection by other larger predatory fish species. Freckled Anglers are peaceful with tank mates that will not fit into their large mouths and can coexist peacefully with select heterospecifics. They can be kept with all types of corals and sessile invertebrates, but will consume small reef fishes and ornamental shrimp.

Freckled Anglers can be kept in a variety of aquarium environments ranging from nano cubes to reef aquarium setups. They should be provided with plenty of live rock, coral or fake coral decorations in order to provide them with areas to perch and blend into their environment.

They prefer a sand substrate and require plenty of live rock for hunting and shelter (they also appreciate coral rubble that they can blend into and setup an ambush). Anglers can have quite a biological impact for their size and their home should be provided with efficient biological and mechanical filtration along with the use of a protein skimmer.

Freckled Anglers are a reef safe species that will not harm corals, but they may sometimes eat small shrimp and will definitely dine on small fish; for this reason, most hobbyists tend to keep them in a FOWLR environment. They normally coexist well with other species, but should not be housed with puffers or triggers as they will soon be missing their fishing gear (esca and illicium). Any tank mates that will fit into their large mouths can potentially become dinner and should be avoided.

Freckled Anglers are predatory, ambush hunting, carnivores that mainly eat small fish and shrimp in the wild. In the aquarium they should be fed live (possibly gut-loaded), small fish, brine shrimp, and ghost shrimp.

They can also be conditioned to accept frozen and other prepared or vitamin-enriched meaty foods from a feeding stick (wiggled around near them) such as krill, silver sides, chopped crustacean flesh, chopped fresh fish, chopped mussels, chopped scallops, and chopped clams.