Amazing Facts About Mola Mola

Mola Mola fish or the so-called "sunfish", is one of the biggest and most unique sea creatures in the world. Sunfish can be found in all oceans in the world. These wonderful oceanic creatures are largely found in tropical seas. Many people do not know about these giant lovely creatures yet. Indonesia is the perfect place to go if you want to explore more about Mola Mola. Where can you discover mola-mola in Indonesia? Bali, Raja Ampat, Bunaken, Nusa Dua, and other world-class diving spots around Indonesia.

Diving with Mola Mola in Nusa Penida dive site

A. Amazing facts about Mola Mola;

1. Mola Mola is categorized as a sea creature that has the largest and strongest bones.  Whale sharks may be the largest sea animals, but they do not have strong bones, they have only cartilage. Mola Mola is one of the strongest fishes in the world. The largest mola fish that has been measured can reach up to 3 m with a weight of 2.3 tons. This is a huge creature. The average Mola Mola fish can reach up to 1 ton. This is why Mola Mola fish becomes the largest true bony fish.

2. The name mola comes from the Latin word which means millstone, where the ground stone is flat, heavy, gray and is used to grind seeds. The name Mola Mola refers to the shape of the sunfish which is very much similar to the milled rock. There are three species of Mola Mola namely, Mola ramsayi (short mola), Masturus lanceolatus (sharptail mola), and Ranzania laevis (slender mola) where Ranzania laevis is the smallest mola species.

3. A giant female Mola Mola can produce 300 million eggs in its ovaries (more than any other vertebrate). When they are hatching, the size of a mola larva is very small (about 2 mm). The shape is like a pufferfish with spines and has a tail. As they grow bigger, the thorns and tail will gradually disappear, and from the 2 mm larvae, the mola will continue to grow until it reaches a size of 2m or more as an adult.

Encountering a  giant mola fish in Nusa Lembongan

 

4. Mola Mola's favorite food is jellyfish, in addition to mola jellyfish also eat slaps, small fish, plankton, algae, mollusks, and starfish. In the stomach of a mola fish, sometimes also found a kind of deep-sea eel larvae that indicate that mola fish foraging on the surface of the water to the bottom and deep waters. Mola Mola fish more often spend time on the surface at night and spend more time in the depths when the sea temperature is warmer. This is exactly because of food availability.

B. Where to encounter Mola Mola in Indonesia

Indonesia has a big number of Mola Mola fish. The sea temperature of the Indonesian seas is really suitable for Mola Mola habitats. It is not too difficult to find these huge oceanic creatures in Indonesia. The best way to encounter them directly and safely is to join with any trusted PADI centers around Indonesia. Generally, professional diving companies provide some special classes such as PADI MSDT internship Indonesia where you will be given the opportunity to dive with Mola Mola. Here are top diving spots in Indonesia where you can dive with wonderful Mola Mola.

Diving with huge mola fish during my divemaster course internship in Nusa Penida

1. Bunaken diving site

Bunaken is a lovely dwelling place for thousands of marine lives. Bunaken is a paradise for divers. Bunaken diving spot offers incredibly stunning undersea panorama with hundreds of different species of sea creatures living around. You can discover amazing Mola Mola as well. Since this sea animal is very huge, so it is always safer to dive with professional guides. In fact, there are many famous diving centers in Indonesia that offer quality diving courses in Bunaken. This a great opportunity to enhance your diving skills and at the same time to di experience diving with Mola Mola in Bunaken.

2. Nusa Penida dive spot

Hundreds of divers from every part of the world flocking to Bali just to get an experience of diving with Mola Mola Nusa Penida and other amazing sea creatures such as turtles and manta rays Bali. Nusa Penida is not far from Bali's main island. If you start from Sanur port, then it will take you around 45 to 60 minutes to reach there. The island is also next to Nusa Lembongan which has several incredible diving spots where you can encounter Mola Mola Nusa Penida as well. Our Diving Legend Lembongan is also providing special PADI IDC and diving courses with special prices where you will be given a chance to dive with manta rays and Mola Mola Bali. You will be guided safely diving with these huge oceanic creatures.

Diving with amazing mola fish in Bali

Actually, there are many other places around the world where you can meet directly with giant Mola Mola around Indonesia. It is your own decision to choose which diving spots that you will go to. Those are the amazing facts about Mola Mola that you should know.