Toadfish

Yay, more creepy sounding fish. Although you might think toadfish are like land toads, they are actually quite voracious hunters. From the pictures, you might think they look like grumpy old men who have gone strange colors. But beware...toadfish are indeed grumpy.

Toadfish are a type of sculpin, which are a type of smallish fish that usually live on the bottom of the ocean. Toadfish generally live in shallow water in warmer parts of the ocean, though they have been found in cooler climates too. They usually make burrows and dens for themselves. They then proceed to hide in these said dens and then pounce on unsuspecting prey that pass by. They are omnivorous, eating just about any type of small fish or crustacean, such as shrimp, flounder, crabs, squid, etc. They are also extremely fast, despite their girth (yes, they all are rather fat). When I said they were voracious, I actually meant it: they snap at anything that picks them up or threatens them, and they even fight among themselves. They can even survive a surprisingly long time out of water.

Most toadfish do not have scales. All toadfish have spikes on their back, and some species have poison in their spikes. Apparently, this poison can cause very painful wounds (but not death). Some species of toadfish also have photophores on their bodies, which light up when it gets dark. Toadfish are mainly known for the "grunting" noise they make when picked up, or at night. Apparently, they use their swim bladder to make the noise, but I have no idea how.

Most toadfish species reach lengths of 12 inches, although some get up to 15 inches. So they're definitely not the biggest fish out there.

So, I would say, if you're a small fish swimming along in a shallow area and you see a burrow, don't go poking your nose in, or else the toadfish might gobble you all up and then make grunting noises.