Content Continues Below
 

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 NameSeasonality (Northern Hemisphere)Seasonality (Southern Hemisphere)Active HoursSell Price
AbaloneJune - JanuaryDecember - July4 p.m. - 9 a.m.2,000
Acorn BarnacleAll YearAll YearAll Day600
Chambered NautilusMarch - June, September - NovemberSeptember - December, March - May4 p.m. - 9 a.m.1,800
Dungeness CrabNovember - MayMay - NovemberAll Day1,900
Firefly SquidMarch - JuneSeptember - December9 p.m. - 4 a.m.1,400
FlatwormAugust - SeptemberFebruary - March4 p.m. - 9 a.m.700
Gazami CrabJune - NovemberDecember - MayAll Day2,200
Giant IsopodJuly - OctoberJanuary - April9 a.m. - 4 p.m., 9 p.m. - 4 a.m.12,000
Gigas Giant ClamMay - SeptemberNovember - MarchAl Day15,000
Horseshoe CrabJuly - SeptemberJanuary - March9 p.m. - 4 a.m.2,500
LobsterApril - June, December - JanuaryOctober - December, June - JulyAll Day4,500
Mantis ShrimpAll YearAll Year4 p.m. - 9 a.m.2,500
Moon JellyfishJuly - SeptemberJanuary - MarchAll Day600
MusselJune - DecemberDecember - JuneAll Day1,500
OctopusAll YearAll YearAll Day1,200
OysterSeptember - FebruaryMarch - AugustAll Day1,100
Pearl OysterAll YearAll YearAll Day2,800
Red King CrabNovember - MarchMay - SeptemberAll Day8,000
ScallopAll YearAll YearAll Day1,200
Sea AnemoneAll YearAll YearAll Day500
Sea CucumberNovember - AprilMay - OctoberAll Day500
Sea GrapesJune - SeptemberDecember - MarchAll Day900
Sea PigNovember - FebruaryMay - August4 p.m. - 9 a.m.10,000
Sea PineappleApril - AugustOctober - FebruaryAll Day1,500
Sea SlugAll YearAll YearAll Day600
Sea StarAll YearAll YearAll Day500
Sea UrchinMay - SeptemberNovember - MarchAll Day1,700
SeaweedOctober - JulyApril - JanuaryAll Day600
Slate Pencil UrchinMay - SeptemberNovember - March4 p.m. - 9 a.m.2,000
Snow CrabNovember - AprilMay - OctoberAll Day6,000
Spider CrabMarch - AprilSeptember - OctoberAll Day12,000
Spiny LobsterOctober - DecemberApril - June9 p.m. - 4 a.m.5,000
Spotted Garden EelMay - OctoberNovember - April4 a.m. - 9 p.m.1,100
Sweet ShrimpSeptember - FebruaryMarch - August4 p.m. - 9 a.m.1,400
Tiger PrawnJune - SeptemberDecember - MarchAll Day3,000
Turban ShellMarch - May, September - DecemberMach - June, September - NovemberAll Day1,000
Umbrella OctopusMarch - May, September - NovemberMarch - May, September - NovemberAll Day6,000
Vampire SquidMay - AugustNovember - February4 p.m. - 9 a.m.10,000
Venus' Flower BasketOctober - FebruaryApril - AugustAll Day5,000
WhelkAll YearAll YearAll Day1,000

 

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 NeededNook Miles EarnedKeywords Earned
5300Midsummer Swimmer
50500Bodyboardin' Beachcomber
2501000Aquatic Jetsam
10002000Splashy Winner
25003000Deep-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 NeededNook Miles EarnedKeywords Earned
5300Cerulean Diver
10500Fresh Ingredient
201000Surfing Pa + Ma
302000Waterlogged Seaweed
403000Seaside Darling + Honey

 

More Animal Crossing: New Horizons guides

 

Looking for more help with Animal Crossing: New Horizons? Check out our other guides!

 

Leave a Comment

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.