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Sam Loveridge

Animal Crossing: New Horizons sea creatures guide - How, when and where to catch them

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons sea creatures are collected throughout the game, and unsurprisingly, they're based in the depths of the ocean. Fortunately, with Animal Crossing: New Horizons swimming, wetsuits and snorkels all at your disposal, you'll be able to get your soggy mitts on them in no time. Well, it'll actually take a fair amount of time considering there's a whopping 40 of them.

Much like Animal Crossing: New Horizons fish though, it's all about when you catch them and where you look. That's why we've put together a full guide on exactly what you need to do to collect Animal Crossing: New Horizons sea creatures. But first, you need to know how to swim.

(Image credit: Nintendo)
  1. Grab a wetsuit from the Nook's Cranny cabinet, Nook Shopping or Nook Miles Rewards
  2. Put on your wetsuit
  3. Go to the beach or rocks near the ocean
  4. Press A to get in the sea
  5. Press A to swim
  6. Press Y to dive when near bubbles rising to the surface
  7. Move over the shadow using A to swim
  8. Once over the top, you'll automatically dive down to grab your prize

So with that knowledge in hand, please find a work-in-progress guide to every Animal Crossing: New Horizons sea creature available in the game, broken down by hemisphere.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Sea Creatures - N.Hemisphere

Animal Crossing: New Horizons sea creatures in the Northern Hemisphere

Drag and scroll to see the full table

Name

Season

Time

1

Seaweed

Jan-Jul, Oct-Dec

All hours

2

Sea Grapes

Jun-Sept

All hours

3

Sea Cucumber

Jan-Apr, Nov-Dec

All hours

4

Sea Pig

Nov-Feb

4PM-9AM

5

Sea Star

All year round

All hours

6

Sea Urchin

May-Sept

All hours

7

Slate Pencil Urchiin

May-Sept

4PM-9AM

8

Sea Anemone

All year round

All hours

9

Moon Jellyfish

Jul-Sept

All hours

10

Sea Slug

All year round

All hours

11

Pearl Oyster

All year round

All hours

12

Mussel

Jun-Dec

All hours

13

Oyster

Jan-Feb, Sept-Dec

All hours

14

Scallop

All year round

All hours

15

Whelk

All year round

All hours

16

Turban Shell

Mar-May, Sept-Dec

All hours

17

Abalone

Jun-Jan

4PM-9AM

18

Gigas Giant Clam

May-Sept

All hours

19

Chambered Nautilus

Mar-June, Sept-Nov

4PM-9AM

20

Octopus

All year round

All hours

21

Umbrella Octopus

Mar-May, Sept-Nov

All hours

22

Vampire Squid

May-Aug

4PM-9AM

23

Firefly Squid

Mar-Jun

9PM-4AM

24

Gazami Crab

Jun-Nov

All hours

25

Dungeness Crab

Nov-May

All hours

26

Snow Crab

Nov-Apr

All hours

27

Red King Crab

Nov-Mar

All hours

28

Acorn Barnacle

All year round

All hours

29

Spider Crab

Mar-Apr

All hours

30

Tiger Prawn

Jun-Sept

4PM-9AM

31

Sweet Shrimp

Jan-Feb, Sept-Dec

4PM-9AM

32

Mantis Shrimp

All year round

4PM-9AM

33

Spiny Lobster

Oct-Dec

9PM-4AM

34

Lobster

Apr-Jun, Dec-Jan

All hours

35

Giant Isopod

Jul-Oct

9AM-4PM, 9PM-4AM

36

Horseshoe Crab

Jul-Sept

4PM-9AM

37

Sea Pineapple

Apr-Aug

All hours

38

Spotted Garden Eel

May-Oct

4AM-9PM

39

Flatworm

Aug-Sept

4AM-9PM

40

Venus' Flower Basket

Oct-Feb

All hours

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Sea Creatures - S.Hemisphere

Animal Crossing: New Horizons sea creatures in the Southern Hemisphere

Drag and scroll to see the full table

Name

Season

Time

1

Seaweed

Apr-Jan

All hours

2

Sea Grapes

Jan-Mar, Dec

All hours

3

Sea Cucumber

May-Oct

All hours

4

Sea Pig

TBC

4PM-9AM

5

Sea Star

All year round

All hours

6

Sea Urchin

Jan-Mar, Nov-Dec

All hours

7

Slate Pencil Urchiin

Jan-Mar, Nov-Dec

4PM-9AM

8

Sea Anemone

All year round

All hours

9

Moon Jellyfish

Jan-Mar

All hours

10

Sea Slug

All year round

All hours

11

Pearl Oyster

All year round

All hours

12

Mussel

Dec-Jun

All hours

13

Oyster

Mar-Aug

All hours

14

Scallop

All year round

All hours

15

Whelk

All year round

All hours

16

Turban Shell

TBC

All hours

17

Abalone

Dec-Jul

4PM-9AM

18

Gigas Giant Clam

Nov-Mar

All hours

19

Chambered Nautilus

TBC

4PM-9AM

20

Octopus

All year round

All hours

21

Umbrella Octopus

TBC

All hours

22

Vampire Squid

Nov-Feb

4PM-9AM

23

Firefly Squid

TBC

9PM-4AM

24

Gazami Crab

Dec-May

All hours

25

Dungeness Crab

May-Nov

All hours

26

Snow Crab

May-Oct

All hours

27

Red King Crab

TBC

All hours

28

Acorn Barnacle

All year round

All hours

29

Spider Crab

TBC

All hours

30

Tiger Prawn

Dec-Mar

4PM-9AM

31

Sweet Shrimp

Mar-Aug

4PM-9AM

32

Mantis Shrimp

All year round

4PM-9AM

33

Spiny Lobster

TBC

9PM-4AM

34

Lobster

Jun-Jul, Oct-Dec

All hours

35

Giant Isopod

Jan-Apr

9AM-4PM, 9PM-4AM

36

Horseshoe Crab

Jan-Mar

4PM-9AM

37

Sea Pineapple

Oct-Feb

All hours

38

Spotted Garden Eel

Nov-Apr

4AM-9PM

39

Flatworm

TBC

4AM-9PM

40

Venus' Flower Basket

TBC

All hours

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