Frogfish

The frogfish (Antennarius spp.) is a master of camouflage that blends into the muck. Its body is covered in textures mimicking the algae or sponges around it. You can find giant, painted and clown varieties in many colours across the Semporna reefs. They rely entirely on staying hidden from predators and prey alike. A modified dorsal fin acts as a fishing rod tipped with a fleshy lure. The fish dangles this lure to attract smaller animals. Their pectoral fins have evolved into leg-like appendages used to walk slowly across the seabed instead of swimming.

Mabul provides an excellent mix of shallow sand and artificial structures. The resorts have intentionally sunk boats and built wooden pyramids to encourage marine life to settle. These structures create distinct ecological zones. The mainland sites near Semporna town also hide rare variants in the thick coastal silt. The mainland's silty seabed shelters tiny animals among seagrass and discarded objects. You come here to look closely through the silt for an exceptional variety of rare sea slugs. This is dirty muck diving in the truest sense. The substrate features discarded tyres, glass bottles and submerged timber. The animals use discarded objects for shelter and camouflage. Specialist mainland guides focus on the tiny animals at sites close to Semporna harbour. The furthest dive sites sit approximately 30 minutes away by boat. Adding Night diving Semporna to your itinerary reveals even more nocturnal activity.

They hold territories for weeks. The guides memorise their locations so they know where the animal was sitting yesterday. Your chance of seeing one is very high on a guided dive. They exhibit distinct colour bursts as they mature. A juvenile painted frogfish starts life in a tiny crybaby stage before developing the striking patterns of adulthood.

The hunting technique is absorbing to watch. The animal sits completely still while flicking its lure. This luring apparatus manipulates the prey's nervous system into coming closer. When a target is in range the strike is extremely fast. The fish opens its mouth to create a vacuum that sucks the prey inside instantly. You might also see yawning behaviour if you wait patiently.

They share these habitats with other fascinating bottom-dwellers. The highly venomous blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena spp.) frequently shelters in empty shells or discarded bottles on the sand nearby. The flamboyant cuttlefish (Metasepia pfefferi) patrols open sand across the region during daylight. These animals share the same preferences for shallow rubble and sandy slopes.

Froggy Lair suits close-up macro photography. Suspended silt catches the light from your strobes and can fill the image with bright specks. Work close to your subject to keep less silty water between it and the lens port. A 60mm or 105mm macro lens is essential to capture the details.

Focus tightly on the eye and the luring apparatus to get the shot people want. The animal is very forgiving because it barely moves while hunting. Photographers should wait for yawning behaviour to capture the full size of the mouth. The rare green jewel cryptic frogfish (Histiophryne cryptacanthus) hides deep in the rubble near the mainland. Finding it requires immense patience and a strong focus light. On the mainland muck sites the guides scour the substrate to locate specific rocks containing these small subjects. For frogfish, guides signal you to approach the animal where it rests. Arranging a dedicated Underwater Photography day gives you the time you need to compose your images.

Careful fin movements keep Mabul's muck sites clear for you and the divers around you. The substrate consists of fine volcanic silt and unconsolidated coral rubble. A standard flutter kick will blind the site with suspended silt. This ruins the visibility for other photographers and buries the micro-habitats of bottom-dwelling subjects. Use gentle frog kicks to keep the water clear.

Stay neutrally buoyant and leave the animals and reef untouched. Settle your buoyancy before you move in for a closer look without resting on the reef. Pointing sticks or reef hooks are strictly prohibited on living substrate. Do not crowd the animal. Your exhalations can easily dislodge delicate marine life if you get too close.

Mabul's artificial reefs have encouraged a rich variety of marine life to settle. The structures give bottom-dwelling animals places to shelter and thrive. Protecting these habitats from destructive fishing practices remains a priority for local environmental organisations. Blast fishing damages the seabed and the habitats these animals depend on. Groups like Stop Fish Bombing have deployed acoustic monitoring devices to detect and report these threats.

Almost every dive centre on Mabul visits the prime muck sites.

Froggy Lair

Skill level: Open Water | Depth: 5–10m The quintessential Mabul muck dive sits on the northeast edge of the island. The seabed here is littered with discarded old tyres acting as highly effective artificial nurseries. You will search through the silt to find giant, painted and clown varieties hiding in the crevices. Look slowly and carefully through the silt for their camouflaged outlines. Be sure to manage your fin control carefully because the silt rises easily.

Seaventures House Reef

Skill level: Open Water | Depth: 12–18m This site lies directly beneath a towering decommissioned oil rig. The underwater environment is a surreal artificial reef consisting of massive steel rig pylons and sunken metal structures. You can find specimens smaller than a human fingernail living among the degrading debris. Be sure to watch for overhead environments when inspecting the sharp metal edges.

Froggys (SMART Artificial Reef)

Skill level: Open Water | Depth: 5–18m Constructed from wooden frames, pyramids and rockpiles forming a complex maze on the sand. This sanctuary sits on the south side of Mabul directly in front of the resort. It provides a reliable habitat for resident populations to hunt and hide. Be sure to stay close to your guide as the maze layout can become disorienting.

You can reach these sites via a short boat ride from Kapalai or Mabul. The Mabul House Reef offers unlimited macro hunting for guests staying nearby. The Kapalai House Reef and Paradise 1 & 2 also support a massive variety of benthic life.

• Froggy Lair
• Pygmy seahorse
• Critters of Semporna
• Ghost pipefish
• Macro & Muck

Send the team your dates along with the names of everyone coming and their certification levels. The team will come back with what can be arranged to match your macro goals.