A face only a mother could love, or in the case of the toadfish (also called oyster cracker) only a father could love. The male toadfish makes a grunting sound by vibrating his swimbladder to attract a female to his nest to lay eggs. The female leaves, and he protects the eggs. Even after they hatch and start to swim he protects them. Way to go Papa Toadfish! Did you know that a few of these fish have been over 3 million miles into space?? They were taken along on shuttle missions in 1998 to study effects of gravity on balance issues such as dizziness, motion sickness, and vertigo. Turns out the toadfish has a very similar balance system to us so they make ideal models for study. Capt Mike brought one in for our exhibit and he has already made a home resting on the bottom of the tank, and enjoys ambushing small crab and shrimp for food. Stop by and visit our display and meet and learn more about Mr. Toadfish! We have still been enjoying lots of wildlife in the area, with all the dolphins and manatees. Stop in and see us real soon! Capt Cristina and the rest of the Good Time crew.
