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List Of New Sea Creatures In Animal Crossing: New Horizons

There are 40 new sea creatures in New Horizons. How do you catch them? Who buys sea creatures? And how much are they worth?

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The biggest addition to part one of Animal Crossing: New Horizons' summer update is the ability to swim and dive in the ocean around your island, which means new creatures to catch. In fact, wave one of the summer update added an entirely new category in your Critterpedia, titled "Sea Creatures," and Blathers is accepting donations of new finds at the museum as well. There are 40 total new sea creatures to catch.

Here we'll go over every new type of sea creature you can find while diving. If you don't know how to dive yet, check out our guide on how to swim in Animal Crossing for info on where to get a wet suit and how to get into the water for the first time.

How To Find Sea Creatures In Animal Crossing

Sea creatures can only be found while diving underwater in the ocean. You'll know you're near one when you see a column of bubbles floating to the surface, or when you're already underwater and spot a dark shadow beneath the waves. Just dive under and swim over to the shadow to automatically collect the creature. Sometimes the shadow might be moving, so you will have to follow or chase it.

Diving and chasing a shadow under the water.
Diving and chasing a shadow under the water.

The bubble column appears differently depending on the creature, similar to the way fish shadow sizes differ. Their underwater shadow sizes also differ, as well as their swimming pattern and speed.

What To Do With Pearls And Scallops

While diving for sea creatures, you might come across pearls, which are a rare crafting material. Scallops can also be traded in for mermaid-themed clothing and DIY recipes if you talk to Pascal, the red sea otter who made his first New Horizons appearance with the July 3 summer update. Pascal has a chance of appearing when you catch a scallop and will offer a trade. Of course, don't forget to donate a scallop to the museum at some point too, since they still count as sea creatures. Pearls should definitely be saved up--like cherry blossom petals, they are an important crafting item and required to craft recipes in the new mermaid set.

Every Sea Creature In Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Below you'll find every sea creature in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with separate columns dedicated to their Northern and Southern hemisphere availability, by month. We will continue to update as we verify information. Shadow sizes and swimming pattern information will be coming soon as well. For now, this data is based off of a combination of our own findings and the Animal Crossing Fandom wiki.

Northern Hemisphere (N) / Southern Hemisphere (S)

Sea CreatureMonths (N)Months (S)TimePrice
AbaloneJune - JanDec - July4 PM - 9 AM2,000
Acorn barnacleAll yearAll yearAll day600
Chambered nautilusMar - June
Sept - Nov
Mar - May
Sept - Dec
4 PM - 9 AM1,440
Dungeness crabNov - MayMay - Nov All day1,900
Firefly squidMar - JuneSept - Dec 9 PM - 4 AM1,400
FlatwormAug - SeptFeb - Mar 4 PM - 9 AM700
Gazami crabJune - NovDec - MayAll day2,200
Giant isopodJuly - OctJan - Apr9 AM - 4 PM
9 PM - 4 AM
12,000
Gigas giant clamMay - SeptNov - MarAll day15,000
Horseshoe crabJuly - SeptJan - Mar9 PM - 4 AM2,500
LobsterApr - June
Dec - Jan
Jun - July
Oct - Dec
All day4,500
Mantis shrimpAll yearAll year4 PM - 9 AM2,500
Moon jellyfishJuly - SeptJan - MarAll day600
MusselJune - DecDec - JuneAll day1,500
OctopusAll yearAll yearAll day1,200
OysterSept - FebMar - AugAll day2,000
Pearl oysterAll yearAll yearAll day2,800
Red king crabNov - MarMay - Sept All day8,000
ScallopAll yearAll yearAll day1,200
Sea anemoneAll yearAll yearAll day500
Sea cucumberNov - AprMay - Oct All day500
Sea grapesJune - SeptDec - MarAll day900
Sea pigNov - FebMay - Aug 4 PM - 9 AM8,000
Sea pineappleApr - AugOct - FebAll day1,500
Sea slugAll yearAll yearAll day600
Sea starAll yearAll yearAll day500
Sea urchinMay - SeptNov - MarAll day1,700
SeaweedOct - JulyApr - JanAll day600
Slate pencil urchinMay - SeptNov - Mar4 PM - 9 AM2,000
Snow crabApr - Nov May - Oct All day6,000
Spider crabMar - Apr Sept - Oct All day12,000
Spiny lobsterOct - DecApr - Jun 9 PM - 4 AM5,000
Spotted garden eelMay - OctNov - Apr4 AM - 9 PM1,100
Sweet shrimpSept - Feb Mar - Aug 4 PM - 9 AM 1,400
Tiger prawnJune - SeptDec - Mar4 PM - 9 AM3,000
Turban shellMar - May
Sept - Dec
Mar - June
Sept - Nov
All day800
Umbrella octopusMar - May
Sept - Nov
Mar - May
Sept - Nov
All day6,000
Vampire squidMay - AugNov - Feb4 PM - 9 AM10,000
Venus flower basketOct - FebApr - Aug All day 5,000
WhelkAll yearAll yearAll day1,000

Who Buys Sea Creatures?

Besides trading scallops with Pascal or selling to Nook's Cranny, there's no dedicated NPC who buys sea creatures at a higher value the same way C.J. buys fish and Flick buys bugs. But there are some extra rare and valuable ones that will still sell for a fortune if you're lucky enough to catch them, which offers plenty of reason to dive for creatures besides filling up your Critterpedia and museum.

Check out more of our Animal Crossing: New Horizons guides below!

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