A tiny resident at the Shedd Aquarium is big news for conservation efforts.
Animal caretakers at the Shedd are celebrating hatching and raising a warty frogfish which, to the aquarium’s knowledge, is the first time the species has been successfully reared in an aquarium setting.
The bumpy, odd-looking baby fish is only the size of a pea right now - it looks a bit like a clown fish from "Finding Nemo."
The Shedd says the Warty Frogfish represents a significant step forward in scientists’ understanding of how to breed and care for unique marine fish like warty frogfish, which is more important than ever as nature faces heightened challenges from human activity and climate change.
The Shedd says warty frogfish are found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. And while they're quite handsome, they're also tough little critters. Their bodies are covered in wart-like bumps and can vary in colors and patterns from yellow and orange to red and brown, allowing them to camouflage then lure in prey, and pounce.