When divers think of Bali and especially Nusa Penida, they will most certainly picture an encounter with a Mola-Mola. Having said that, we accommodate scuba divers who have traveled far and wide in the pursuit of a rare sighting. It truly is an alien-like fish that is so strange that it’s hard to imagine until you see one, yourself. Notably, the Mola-Mola, AKA the oceanic sunfish, dwell in the depths of some of our dive sites. With this in mind, the best time of year to scout for this mysterious creature is usually from July – August. Be sure to join our Mola-Mola Bali diving trips in order to tick this one off the list.
WHAT EXACTLY IS A MOLA MOLA BALI?
As mentioned above, the Mola-Mola of Bali are members of the Oceanic Sunfish family. Although it is not common knowledge, the most likely resident of this family in our waters is the Mola Alexandrini. However, we do have sightings of other Mola species, AKA, the common Sunfish / Bumphead Sunfish, too. When it comes to size, the Mola is the biggest bony fish in the ocean. In fact, they reach over 4 meters tall, 3 meters wide, and can weigh more than 2000kgs. In that respect, it is no wonder that divers travel from all corners of the world to spot one.
The life-cycle of a Mola is truly fascinating as they start out a mere 2mm long, but do grow, fast. Accordingly, studies have reported that Mola can gain up to 354kgs in 14 months. Notably, this requires a massive amount of food, which the Mola certainly takes delight in. Their diet consists of a wide range of underwater marine life, including; squid, zooplankton, crustations, fish, jellyfish, eels, and more.
Mola-Mola have a few different color schemes of white and grey. However, certain species can also have polka dot patterns and appear glossy. It is worth mentioning that Mola are able to change colors when stressed, turning darker in these situations. Studies have also shown that coloration can depend on the specific region of the fish. For example, the Sunfish of Bali is known to be darker than the Californian Sunfish. During our Mola-Mola Bali excursion, you can make the call and tell us what you notice about their colors.
SUNFISH IN OUR WATERS
Mola-Mola are dwellers of the deep and love cold water, therefore making Nusa Penida the perfect home for them. On that note, during the high season months, upwellings are common and cause major temperature drops. In fact, we can experience dives at a chilly 16°C which is heaven for our resident Mola-Mola. The reason for the major temperature changes is the thermoclines that we experience. Thermoclines result from the process whereby cold water rises from the deep and ascends closer to the surface. As a result, the 2 different water temperatures don’t mix but rather sit on top of each other.
We consider Crystal Bay to be the best dive site on the Island for consistent Mola sightings. This is because of the multiple Mola cleaning stations present as well as the deepwater channels surrounding the site. Mola-Mola regularly visit Crystal Bay in order to be cleaned by the Longfin Bannerfish or Emperor Angelfish. Notably, it is important for them to be cleaned as they are very vulnerable to parasites. Mola cleaning is truly is a beautiful sight to see as the small colorful fish circle the giant marvel.
Fortunately, the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area is known to be one of the most popular, year-round Mola sighting destinations. Not only can we see them in the deep, but also sunbathing on the surface. Consequently, the common name of the Oceanic Sunfish came to be. Having said that, you will more than usually see them at depths of 20 – 40 meters. With that in mind, we highly recommend becoming an Advanced Diver or enrolling in the Deep Speciality Course.
Mola Mola Conservation
The Bali Ocean Sunfish Research Organization is a great place to visit for those with a passion for ocean conservation. Accordingly, their job is to track Mola populations, gather relevant data on them, and increase protection. With this in mind, you can join in on their missions by submitting images and/or information to Match My Mola. As a result, it will enhance Mola tracking possibilities as well as get a better understanding of migration habits.
An initiative known as the Bali Ocean Sunfish Research Project has been recording underwater temperatures around Nusa Penida since 2013. Consequently, it has given us an understanding of their behavioral patterns in and out of the high season.
Fun facts
Surprisingly, Mola-Mola dwell in many different locations around the world. With this in mind, most of them are too small in size to be seen and therefore undetected. Fortunately for us on Nusa Penida, Mola studies began many years ago, and therefore finding them has become easier.
Besides the scientific information that we have, we wanted to share some fun fact with you:
Smaller than kangaroo babies at birth
One of the most unbelievable truths about Mola is that they aren’t any bigger than a grain of rice at birth. Notably, as Larvae, they are known to measure as little as 0.25cm. Keep in mind that they will grow 60 million times bigger in weight and reach 3 meters in length by adulthood. Source: Gudger (1936) in Pope et al. (2010)
A gigantic fish
Mola-Mola boasts the title of heaviest bony fish in the ocean. With that being said, a Mola Alexandrini found in Sydney has set the record with huge overall dimensions. This specific Sunfish measured 3.1 meters from snout tip – tail fin, and 4.26 meters from dorsal – anal fin tip. Absolutely massive. They found this fish in September 1908. Source: Sawai et al. (2018)
Incredibly high reproductive rate
With this particular record under its belt, the Oceanic Sunfish will surely keep you amazed. Notably, they can produce approximately 300 million eggs at one time. Many years ago, a 1.37 meter female Mola reportedly had this whopping amount of eggs in her ovary. Source: Schmidt (1921)
HOW TO DIVE WITH MOLA IN BALI
Legend Diving Penida has created a well-thought-out list of how to safely dive with Mola-Mola. Of course, we want everyone to enjoy their encounters, however; we need to ensure the safety of the wildlife, too. On that note, the priority is to keep our distance while they are at the cleaning stations. With this in mind, it is vital for the Molas to have regular cleaning of parasites by the cleaner fish. Once they have enjoyed a nice bath, they will usually stick around and put on a show for us.
Mola Conduct Guidelines
For additional information on how we can protect the reef and better our behavior with underwater marine life, click HERE. The Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area made this video so that we treat our oceans the way they should be.
