The version 1.3.0 update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons is here, and it brings with it some returning series features — diving and sea creatures! Now players can don wet suits and dive into the ocean surrounding their islands, grabbing slimy, prickly, and sometimes squishy critters from the ocean floor. Once you start up your game for the first time following the version 1.3.0 update, you’ll receive a letter from Nintendo thanking you for updating (which will include a random-color cosmetic snorkel) and one from Nook Inc., letting you know the waters around your island can now be explored and wet suits are now available to purchase. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to get a wet suit, how to dive, and provide a full list of sea creatures in the game, plus times of year and day they can be found and their sell prices.
How to get a wet suit
Wet suits can be purchased from Nook’s Cranny via the cabinet where you typically buy tools and flower seeds. They’ll cost you 3,000 Bells and come in a variety of colors like red, blue, and yellow. Upon purchase of your first wet suit, Timmy and Tommy will walk you through how to dive and nab yourself the new undersea invertebrates.
You can also purchase a Nook Inc.-branded wet suit via the Nook Stop terminal. Just head to “Redeem Nook Miles” and find it in either the “Everything” or “Novelties” tab. It costs 800 Nook Miles to purchase.
Each day, you’ll also receive a wet suit design in Nook Shopping’s “Special Goods” catalog! Just open up Nook Shopping from the app or the Nook Stop terminal, hit “Special Goods,” and find it in the “Daily Selection” tab near the bottom. These wet suits cost 3,000 Bells.
How to dive
Diving is pretty simple to get a hang of. First, make sure you have a wet suit. Then, you’ll need to equip your wet suit from your inventory screen. After that, head to your beach (the sand or any of the many rocky areas on it) and press “A” to jump into the sea. Once you’re in, you can swim using the control stick and press “A” to swim faster. To dive underwater, just press “Y.” You can then swim around like normal down there and use “A” to swim faster. After a while, you’ll need to come up for air, so don’t take too long!
Note: You can only dive in the ocean — not in your island’s rivers or ponds.
How to catch sea creatures
Sea creatures are easy to spot. Like fish, they show up as shadows in the water, although sea creatures are round. They’ll emit bubbles to the surface of the water, which can help you spot them when they’re farther out. Once you’ve spotted a sea creature, press “Y” to dive underwater and move towards it. Once you’re on top of its shadow, you’ll automatically grab it. Depending on the type of sea creature, it can move or be stationary. For example, sea weed will be easy to grab since it stays in one place, but octopi and scallops will move and require you to catch up to them.
That’s it! Your character will emerge from under the waves and proudly show off their new aquatic pal.
You can register sea creatures in your Critterpedia, too!
Yep, that’s right: Sea creatures get their own pages in your Critterpedia, so you can easily track which you have and which you’ve donated to the museum. When you first boot up your NookPhone following the game’s version 1.3.0 update, you’ll notice a tiny blue indicator on your Critterpedia app icon. Open up the app and you’ll be introduced to the new “Sea Creatures” panel.
Catching scallops
Scallops are a special type of sea creature that will summon the character Pascal when you catch one. This chill philosophical otter will pop out from under the sea to ask to take your scallop off your hands and also offer you some words of wisdom. In return for your scallop, he’ll give you a recipe for a random piece of mermaid series furniture. We’ll have more info on Pascal and the mermaid goodies he gives out soon — keep your eyes peeled for another guide!
Donating to the museum
Talk to Blathers after the version 1.3.0 update is installed and he’ll excitedly explain that sea creatures can now be found in the island ocean. Bring him one, and he’ll tell you the museum will accept sea creatures moving forward. Now, you’ll be able to donate them like any fish, bug, fossil, or piece of art. Sea creature donations can be found inside tanks in the fish section of the museum, so be sure to check there after you’ve donated a few!
Full list of sea creatures in Animal Crossing: New Horizons
There you have it: Now you’re a diving expert! All that’s left is learning which sea creatures appear in the game and at what time of day and year. Our list also includes sale prices for those eager entrepreneurs. Be sure to pay attention to the data for the hemisphere your island’s in, as well.
| Sea Creature Name | Seasonality (Northern Hemisphere) | Seasonality (Southern Hemisphere) | Active Hours | Sell Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abalone | June - January | December - July | 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. | 2,000 |
| Acorn Barnacle | All Year | All Year | All Day | 600 |
| Chambered Nautilus | March - June, September - November | September - December, March - May | 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. | 1,800 |
| Dungeness Crab | November - May | May - November | All Day | 1,900 |
| Firefly Squid | March - June | September - December | 9 p.m. - 4 a.m. | 1,400 |
| Flatworm | August - September | February - March | 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. | 700 |
| Gazami Crab | June - November | December - May | All Day | 2,200 |
| Giant Isopod | July - October | January - April | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., 9 p.m. - 4 a.m. | 12,000 |
| Gigas Giant Clam | May - September | November - March | Al Day | 15,000 |
| Horseshoe Crab | July - September | January - March | 9 p.m. - 4 a.m. | 2,500 |
| Lobster | April - June, December - January | October - December, June - July | All Day | 4,500 |
| Mantis Shrimp | All Year | All Year | 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. | 2,500 |
| Moon Jellyfish | July - September | January - March | All Day | 600 |
| Mussel | June - December | December - June | All Day | 1,500 |
| Octopus | All Year | All Year | All Day | 1,200 |
| Oyster | September - February | March - August | All Day | 1,100 |
| Pearl Oyster | All Year | All Year | All Day | 2,800 |
| Red King Crab | November - March | May - September | All Day | 8,000 |
| Scallop | All Year | All Year | All Day | 1,200 |
| Sea Anemone | All Year | All Year | All Day | 500 |
| Sea Cucumber | November - April | May - October | All Day | 500 |
| Sea Grapes | June - September | December - March | All Day | 900 |
| Sea Pig | November - February | May - August | 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. | 10,000 |
| Sea Pineapple | April - August | October - February | All Day | 1,500 |
| Sea Slug | All Year | All Year | All Day | 600 |
| Sea Star | All Year | All Year | All Day | 500 |
| Sea Urchin | May - September | November - March | All Day | 1,700 |
| Seaweed | October - July | April - January | All Day | 600 |
| Slate Pencil Urchin | May - September | November - March | 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. | 2,000 |
| Snow Crab | November - April | May - October | All Day | 6,000 |
| Spider Crab | March - April | September - October | All Day | 12,000 |
| Spiny Lobster | October - December | April - June | 9 p.m. - 4 a.m. | 5,000 |
| Spotted Garden Eel | May - October | November - April | 4 a.m. - 9 p.m. | 1,100 |
| Sweet Shrimp | September - February | March - August | 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. | 1,400 |
| Tiger Prawn | June - September | December - March | All Day | 3,000 |
| Turban Shell | March - May, September - December | Mach - June, September - November | All Day | 1,000 |
| Umbrella Octopus | March - May, September - November | March - May, September - November | All Day | 6,000 |
| Vampire Squid | May - August | November - February | 4 p.m. - 9 a.m. | 10,000 |
| Venus' Flower Basket | October - February | April - August | All Day | 5,000 |
| Whelk | All Year | All Year | All Day | 1,000 |
Nook Miles Achievements
There are a couple Nook Miles achievements you can earn by catching sea creatures. Here’s a list:
Deep Dive
The glittering sea that surrounds our island is home to all kinds of captivating creatures. Put on your wet suit, dive in, and sea what you can collect to earn miles. Sea what I did there, hm?
| Number of Sea Creatures Needed | Nook Miles Earned | Keywords Earned |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 300 | Midsummer Swimmer |
| 50 | 500 | Bodyboardin' Beachcomber |
| 250 | 1000 | Aquatic Jetsam |
| 1000 | 2000 | Splashy Winner |
| 2500 | 3000 | Deep-Sea Monster |
Underwater Understudy
There are still many creatures we have yet to discover at the bottom of the sea, hm? Earn miles by diving deep, capturing creatures, and filling out your Critterpedia. Yes, yes!
| Number of Sea Creatures Needed | Nook Miles Earned | Keywords Earned |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 300 | Cerulean Diver |
| 10 | 500 | Fresh Ingredient |
| 20 | 1000 | Surfing Pa + Ma |
| 30 | 2000 | Waterlogged Seaweed |
| 40 | 3000 | Seaside Darling + Honey |
More Animal Crossing: New Horizons guides
Looking for more help with Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Check out our other guides!
Written by Daniel Dell-Cornejo
Daniel is an editor at Nintendo Wire. Always with his head in the clouds, he is never apart from his creative thoughts – a blessing for an aspiring fiction writer. As a journalist and lifelong gamer, he aims to provide readers with the very best in Nintendo coverage.
