Meet Domino, a Tiny, Bumpy Fish Making a Splash in Chicago

The warty frogfish, also known as a clown anglerfish, is believed to be the first of its kind born and raised in captivity

Sarah Kuta | Daily Correspondent

April 3, 2026

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Aquarists in Chicago are celebrating the birth of a tiny, colorful fish that is believed to be the first of its kind born and raised in captivity.

The Shedd Aquarium recently welcomed a baby warty frogfish (Antennarius maculatus), also known as a clown anglerfish, which staff have dubbed Domino. Warty frogfish are not endangered, but many other fish are, and Domino may offer broader lessons about successfully rearing marine creatures in aquariums.

“This could help us with raising other species in the future,” Jenny Richards, a senior aquarist at the Shedd Aquarium, tells NPR’s Ari Daniel. “With changing oceans, climate change, being able to raise these species in captivity is becoming increasingly important.”

In the wild, warty frogfish live in tropical and subtropical oceans around the world, most commonly in the Indo-Pacific region. These tennis-ball-size fish typically lurk among coral reefs and rocky seabeds, where their colorful, bumpy skin helps them blend in with their surroundings.

Two live in captivity in Chicago, in a small tank in the aquarium’s Wild Reef habitat. Last fall, caretakers noticed that the female looked a little bloated, and soon, she released a floating, gelatinous mass of eggs, which the male promptly fertilized.

Aquarists quickly sprang into action, moving the fertilized eggs into a behind-the-scenes habitat. The eggs hatched into thousands of larvae, but only one survived to become a juvenile. That wasn’t necessarily a surprise, because larval fish have relatively high mortality rates, which is why adults lay so many eggs in the first place.

As Domino went through its various developmental stages, aquarists adjusted the water temperature, flow rates, light levels and diet to give the little fish the best chances of success. Since Domino is the first known warty frogfish to be raised in captivity, caretakers didn’t have any examples to follow, so they relied on their knowledge from rearing other species, including green chromis, round batfish and mystery eggs that turned out to be yellowtail fusilier.

Today, Domino is less than half an inch across, or about the size of a pea. The tiny creature is eating brine shrimp, which are raised in-house as part of the aquarium’s live foods program, and transitioning to a vibrant yellow-and-orange color palette.

Already, Domino is a source of inspiration for experts trying to raise other fish species in captivity.

“When people are successful, it’s something to celebrate because it’s really not that easy to take what happens in nature and be able to recreate that,” Nicole Rhody, a senior scientist at the Mote Marine Laboratory in Florida who was not involved in Domino’s rearing, tells NPR.

Warty frogfish “walk” across the seafloor using modified fins, and they use a small, modified fin atop their head as a lure for attracting prey. Domino is slowly learning these signature skills, which is “adorable for an animal that is less than the size of a dime,” says senior aquarist Kayla Melton Rogala in a statement.

Visitors can continue to admire the adult warty frogfish in their habitat at the aquarium. But, for now, Domino remains out of public view as caretakers continue to monitor its growth. Even so, aquarists are hopeful the little fish will make a big impact.

“We hope this curious-looking fish inspires more people to discover the wonders of our blue planet and help protect it,” says Elise Mulligan, a spokeswoman for the aquarium, in a statement shared with People magazine.

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Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.