Chesapeake Bay Program - Bay Field Guide

Oyster Toadfish

Opsanus tau

The oyster toadfish has a scaleless, flattened body that is olive-brown above and pale on the belly. Adults have:

Where do oyster toadfish live?

Oyster toadfish are abundant throughout the Bay year-round.

They are bottom-dwellers, found among wrecks, debris, vegetation, oyster reefs and rocky or muddy bottoms.
In winter they move to the Bay's deep channels.

What do oyster toadfish eat?

Oyster toadfish are carnivorous. They feed mostly on small crabs and other crustaceans, but also eat mollusks and small fishes.

How do oyster toadfish reproduce?

Oyster toadfish spawn from April through October in the Bay's shallows.

The male makes a nest in a dark, secluded location, then calls for a female mate with the "boat whistle" sound that only spawning males can make.
The female lays her adhesive eggs on the top side of the nest and leaves. Oyster toadfish eggs measure about one-quarter of an inch in diameter, the largest eggs of any fish in the Bay.
The male protects the eggs until they hatch in about a month, using his fins to fan out debris and keep the nest clean.
After hatching, the tadpole-like young remain attached to the nest by a yolk.
Once the yolk is fully absorbed, the male guards the young toadlets for a few more weeks, though they are free to swim in and out of the nest.

Other facts about oyster toadfish:

Quickly takes to an angler's bait, but be wary of catching this fish—they have powerful snapping jaws and sharp spines on the dorsal fin.
In addition to the "boat whistle" sound it makes as a mating call, the oyster toadfish can also make a grunting sound when it is scared or annoyed.
The hardy oyster toadfish can tolerate litter and polluted water, and can survive out of water for a lengthy period of time.
While it is edible, the oyster toadfish is rarely eaten because of its grotesque appearance.