How To Catch Sea Creatures Easily | ACNH - Animal Crossing
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Catching sea creatures in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) is not always easy. Find out how to catch rare and fast sea creatures, and get tips on swimming and diving to complete your Critterpedia.
| Sea Creature Guides | ||
|---|---|---|
 Swimming and Diving Guide |  Sea Creatures |  Catching Tips |
List of Contents
- How to Catch Sea Creatures
- Tips for Catching Fast Sea Creatures
- Related Guides
How to Catch Sea Creatures
Easy Way to Get Sea Creatures
| 1 | Swim around the Ocean to search for bubbles. |
|---|---|
| 2 | Dive when you get close to the bubbles |
| 3 | The Sea Creature shadow will appear, so swim towards it. |
| 4 | Swim up to it to catch it! |
1. Swim Around the Ocean
Sea creatures can only be found while swimming in the ocean. You need to wear a wet suit to swim, so go buy one from Nook's Cranny, Nook Shopping, or exchange Nook Miles!
You don't need a snorkel to dive, and it has no effect on the amount of time you can stay underwater.
How to Get and Use Wet Suits
2. Dive Close to Bubbles in the Ocean
While you swim around, you may spot bubbles coming up from the below.
This is where you can find a sea creature! Swim close to the bubbles and dive by pressing the Y button.
How to Swim and Dive
3. Swim Towards the Shadow
When underwater, find the shadow of sea creature. Swim towards the shadow to catch it.
You can only stay underwater for roughly 10 seconds.
4. Swim into it to Catch!
You only have to get close enough to the shadow to catch it.
When you're close enough, your player automatcally swims up to the surface and reveals what they've caught!
List of Sea Creatures
Tips for Catching Fast Sea Creatures
Get as Close as Possible Before Diving
The most important thing to get right is the timing when you dive. Because you can't stay underwater for long, it's better to get as close to the bubbles as posible before diving.
Some Sea Creatures Swim Away
While some sea creatures don't move even when you swim close, a lot of them try to get away from you. However, this also makes it easier to tell them apart!
For example, Scallops and Octopuses move while Sea Anemones do not.
If you're looking for a specifc sea creature, look out for how a shadow moves in the water. If it doesn't match the critter you're looking for, move on to the next one!
Drive the Fast Sea Creatures towards the Net
It helpsto steer fast sea creatures (like the Lobster or Spider Crab) towards the net surrounding your island and trap them against it. Remember to repeatedly tap the A button too, to swim faster!
Sea Creatures Have Different Shadow Sizes
| Large | Medium | Small |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
Just like fish, you can get an idea of what sea creatures you can find by the size of its shadow.
Pearls are the small shadow size
The pearls needed for the Mermaid Series recipes from Pascal can also be found by diving! They don't move, but their shadow is small and they can be a bit hard to find.
List of Mermaid Series Furniture & Item Recipes
Changes Depending on Season
Like bugs and fish, sea creatures have set months and times they appear. To get all of them you will either need a lot of time and friends in the opposite Hemisphere, or time travelling.
Time Traveling Guide
Pockets are disabled
Access to your pocket is disabled (all contents grayed-out) while swimming, except when you catch a sea creature and your pockets are full.
 EnlargePocket full? Swap... |  Enlarge...with sea creatures only |
When this happens, you will only be able to swap your newly-caught sea creature with another sea creature already in your pocket. If you don't have other sea creatures already in your pocket, you will be forced to release your newly-caught sea creature.
Enlarge If you do not need to swap a new sea creature in, you will not be able to manually release sea creatures while swimming. You will have to swim back to shore and exit the water to release unwanted sea creatures from your pocket.
Keep Things Simple By Emptying Your Pocket
Before entering the ocean for sea creatures, we highly advise to clear your pocket. Since it will be disabled while swimming, there's no need to carry things with you.
Related Guides
List of All Sea Creatures
Sea Creatures Guides
How to Catch Sea Creatures Easily
Abalone
Acorn Barnacle
Chambered Nautilus
Dungeness Crab
Firefly Squid
Flatworm
Gazami Crab
Giant Isopod
Gigas Giant Clam
Horseshoe Crab
Lobster
Mantis Shrimp
Moon Jellyfish
Mussel
Octopus
Oyster
Pearl Oyster
Red King Crab
Scallop
Sea Anemone
Sea Cucumber
Sea Grapes
Sea Pig
Sea Pineapple
Sea Slug
Sea Star
Sea Urchin
Seaweed
Slate Pencil Urchin
Snow Crab
Spider Crab
Spiny Lobster
Spotted Garden Eel
Sweet Shrimp
Tiger Prawn
Turban Shell
Umbrella Octopus
Vampire Squid