Macro
Psychedelic frogfish
Histiophryne psychedelica
Known essentially only from Ambon; the handful of Bali records trace to a 1992 aquarium shipment whose specimens were initially misidentified, so even those are shaky. It is not hiding in deep water — the type material came from 5–7m, about 20m off the beach. It is hard to find because it wedges itself into crevices and under debris and its patterning breaks up its outline, not because of depth.
- Max size
- About 9cm (3.5in) standard length; males smaller at around 6.5cm
- Habitat
- Shallow rubble and coral-rubble slopes in Ambon Bay, recorded at roughly 5–10m. Wedges into crevices and under debris rather than sitting in the open.
Best places to dive with Psychedelic frogfish
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | rare |
| February | rare |
| March | rare |
| April | rare |
| May | rare |
| June | rare |
| July | rare |
| August | rare |
| September | rare |
| October | rare |
| November | rare |
| December | rare |
The reason many divers book Ambon, and the thing most of them do not see. Public reports of live sightings thinned after roughly 2018–2019, with one diver logging a small individual in February 2019 on the coral side rather than the muck. Guides who do know current animals generally withhold the locations to deter aquarium collectors. Treat an encounter as a long shot, not an itinerary item.
Sources & last checked
Checked August 2026
Research is source-backed, but conditions and fees should still be confirmed locally.
View 3 sources and checking notes
- Histiophryne psychedelica, Psychedelic frogfish, FishBase
- Psychedelic Frogfish still in Ambon?, ScubaBoard
- Psychedelic frogfish, Wikipedia
Note on the data: Known essentially only from Ambon, with a small number of Bali records. Divers report it spends most of its time deeper than recreational depths, which is one explanation offered for how rarely it is seen.