Mola Mola Magic: Dive Adventures and Ocean Sunfish Facts

August 14, 2025

Quick Overview

The ocean sunfish, commonly known as Mola Mola, is one of the ocean’s most extraordinary creatures. Shaped like a giant swimming head with fins, it holds the title of the world’s heaviest bony fish. Divers from around the globe seek out encounters with these gentle giants – especially in places like Bali where Mola sightings are seasonal highlights. Below is a quick rundown of what makes the Mola Mola so special:

Giant but Gentle: An adult sunfish can measure over 3 meters tall (fin to fin) and weigh well above 2,000 kg – yet they pose no threat to humans and are often curious around divers, sometimes approaching them calmly.
Unique Appearance: Mola Mola look like half a fish – their back fin never fully develops, folding into a blunt rudder called a clavus. With no true tail and a flat, circular body (their Latin name mola means “millstone”), they’re unmistakable in the water.
Where & When: Sunfish roam temperate and tropical oceans worldwide. Certain hotspots like Nusa Penida (Bali) offer reliable sightings during specific months. In Bali, the Mola typically appears in cooler upwellings from July to October, coming up from deep water to visit cleaning stations.
Surprising Biology: From a diet mostly of jellyfish to producing a record-breaking number of eggs (a female can release ~300 million at once), the Mola Mola’s lifestyle is full of surprises. They even bask in the sun near the surface, presumably to warm up and let seabirds pick off parasites.

In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the world of Mola Mola – first with an easygoing introduction for the casual reader, then with a detailed exploration of facts and recent research for the enthusiasts. Whether you’re a veteran diver eyeing your next big adventure or simply an ocean lover curious about sunfish, read on to learn why the Mola Mola is such a big deal!

Meet the Mola Mola – The Ocean’s Heaviest Bony Fish

Mola Mola (ocean sunfish) is a marine fish famous for its enormous size and peculiar shape. It holds the record as the world’s largest bony fish, with big individuals reaching up to 14 feet vertically and about 10 feet horizontally, and weighing nearly 5,000 pounds. (In comparison, only sharks and rays – which are cartilaginous fish – can grow heavier.) Despite its bulk, the sunfish looks almost incomplete. Instead of a typical fish’s tail, it has a rounded clavus – a rudder-like structure formed from its stunted back fin. This gives it an almost comical “half-fish” appearance, essentially a giant floating head with fins. In fact, the name mola comes from Latin for “millstone,” reflecting its disc-like, grey body.

Mola Molas have tiny mouths with fused teeth forming a beak, and they cannot fully close their mouths. Their diet might sound daring for such a huge fish – they love jellyfish. However, they are not picky eaters; they’ll also ingest small fish, zooplankton, and algae. With such a small mouth and gelatinous prey, they suck in food and spit it out repeatedly to break it into pieces. These fish are pelagic (open-ocean dwellers) that range through temperate and tropical seas worldwide, from deep waters to the surface. You might spot one basking on its side at the surface on a sunny day, dorsal fin protruding – sometimes fooling boaters into thinking they’ve seen a shark’s fin! Sunfish are thought to bask like this to recharge their body heat after deep, cold dives, and perhaps to invite birds to rid them of parasites.

Another remarkable trait of Mola Mola is their skin and parasites. Their skin can be over 7 cm thick and often hosts numerous parasites (up to 40 species!). Sunfish have developed strategies to handle these unwelcome guests: they visit cleaning stations where smaller fish nibble off parasites, and they even allow seabirds like seagulls to peck parasites from their skin at the surface. On occasion, a sunfish will breach – leaping out of the water and slamming back down – presumably to dislodge some of these freeloaders. It’s quite a sight considering their bulk!

Why Divers Love Mola Mola Encounters

An ocean sunfish (Mola Mola) cruises near a diver as bannerfish clean its skin. These gentle giants often tolerate calm approach, making for unforgettable dive encounters.

For many scuba divers, meeting a Mola Mola in the wild is a bucket-list experience. These creatures are not just massive; they’re also surprisingly gentle and curious. Despite their awkward swimming style – they waggle their tall dorsal and anal fins to move, steering with their clavus – sunfish exude a calm, almost otherworldly presence underwater. Divers fortunate enough to see one often describe it as like encountering an “alien” or a living relic from the age of dinosaurs. The good news is Mola Molas are harmless to humans (they have no teeth to bite divers and no venom or aggression). In fact, they can be inquisitive and will sometimes approach divers slowly to take a closer look. It’s not uncommon for a sunfish to linger around a dive group, eyeing the strange bubble-blowing humans with what seems like mild curiosity.

Another reason divers adore Mola encounters is the rarity and surprise factor. Sunfish sightings are relatively uncommon on most dives worldwide – you could do hundreds of dives and never see one. But in a few special locations, the odds tilt in your favor (more on those spots below). When a Mola Mola appears out of the blue, quite literally emerging from the deep, it often steals the show. Imagine cruising along a reef wall at 25 meters depth and suddenly beholding a dark gray with the silver spots hovering beside you! Its huge, round eye might roll in your direction, and as you try not to gape too hard into your regulator, you realize you’re in the presence of one of the ocean’s most extraordinary animals.

Divers also appreciate the behavioral displays of Mola Mola. Often, these fish visit specific reefs known as cleaning stations. Here, they queue up to have smaller reef fish (like cleaner wrasses or bannerfish) pick parasites off their skin. If you stay patient and keep a respectful distance, you might witness a sunfish calmly hovering vertically while a troop of colorful cleaner fish dances around its giant body – a truly mesmerizing sight. Sometimes Mola Molas also come near the surface after deep dives to sunbathe. Divers ascending from a dive at places like Nusa Penida have occasionally encountered a sunfish near the safety-stop depth (5-6 meters), basking sideways in the sunrays. These unexpected shallow cameos make for fantastic photo opportunities and an awe-inspiring moment for any diver.

Lastly, the photography appeal of Mola Mola is significant. Underwater photographers find them irresistible; the contrast of a massive, flat fish against blue water or vibrant reef is dramatic. Because Molas tend to move slowly (they are rather clumsy swimmers) and sometimes hold still at cleaning stations, divers with cameras can carefully approach for that perfect wide-angle shot – capturing the sunfish alongside divers or other marine life for scale. To sum up, a Mola Mola encounter is often the highlight of a dive trip – a blend of adrenaline, wonder, and appreciation for the ocean’s diversity.

Where and When to Find Mola Mola

Ocean sunfish have a wide geographic range, but they’re fussy about conditions. You can find Mola in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, mostly in temperate to tropical waters. However, regular encounters tend to happen in only a handful of locations where their behavior brings them near divers. Dive sites for Mola Mola in Bali: Nusa Penida : Crystal Bay, SD, PED, Buyuk, Manta Point wall. Nusa Lembongan : Blue Corner. Candidasa : Gili Tepekong and Gili Mimpang.

Nusa Penida, Bali (Indonesia): Perhaps the most famous Mola hotspot for divers. Around the islands of Nusa Penida and Nusa Lembongan, sunfish rise from the deep during July to October each year when cold, nutrient-rich currents upwell into the area. Water temperatures can drop to ~18°C (64°F) in these months, attracting Mola Molas to shallower depths to warm up and get cleaned. The most renowned site is Crystal Bay, where a cleaning station at ~30 meters is a favored sunfish spa. During this “Mola season”, divers have a good chance of sightings – roughly 1 in 3 dives at Crystal Bay yields a Mola encounter in peak months. In fact, the 2023 and 2024 seasons were exceptional; local dive operators reported near-daily Mola Mola sightings at Crystal Bay.

In short, if your goal is to see a Mola Mola, timing and location are everything. Bali’s Nusa Penida is arguably the most reliable spot. Whichever location you choose, aim for the season when cooler water or upwellings occur – that’s when these deep-dwellers come up to shallower depths. And one more tip: plan for multiple dives. You might strike out on the first attempt, but persistence often pays off with an awe-inspiring sunfish encounter on a subsequent dive.

Diving with Mola Mola: Tips and Safety

Encountering a Mola Mola can be the thrill of a lifetime, but it often requires the right conditions and the right skills. Diving in areas known for sunfish, like Nusa Penida, can be challenging. Here are some important tips for those eager to book a Mola Mola dive:

1. Be an Experienced/Advanced Diver: Many Mola Mola hotspots are in deep, high-current waters. For instance, Bali’s Crystal Bay, Blue Corner, SD, Toya Pakeh, Manta Point Wall, Mimpang, Tepekong, and other dive sites are categorized as advanced dives due to strong currents and sudden condition changes.

2. Gear Up for Cold Water: “Cold” is relative, but Mola Molas love thermoclines – pockets of colder water that well up. You might be in 26°C (79°F) water at the surface and hit 16°C (61°F) at depth in Nusa Penida. A thicker wetsuit (5mm) can make your dive more comfortable when that chilly water hits. Being a bit cold is a small price for seeing a sunfish, but shivering uncontrollably can cut your dive short, so suit up appropriately.

3. Stay Calm and Keep Your Distance: It’s crucial to respect the sunfish’s space. As excited as you may be, do not swim directly at a Mola Mola or try to touch it. These animals are shy and will likely bolt if a diver gets too aggressive. The best strategy is to stop at on minimum of 5 m distance, hover quietly above or on the side that she can see you, and watch. Never swim fast and behind Mola Mola as it’s “predators”.

Sunfish often have a routine at cleaning stations – they may circle back to the same spot if undisturbed. Many divers who remained still have been rewarded by a Mola Mola slowly coming closer on its own terms. Remember, touching marine life (or even getting too close) can stress the animal and is against good dive etiquette. Maintain a few meters distance at least; let the Mola decide how close to approach.

4. Minimize Noise and Bubbles: Sunfish can be skittish with loud noises or a wall of bubbles. If you spot one, breathe slowly and avoid sudden movements. If you’re a photographer, avoid using flash – a burst of bright light can spook the Mola or disturb its cleaning session. Video lights aren’t disturbing them as flash does. Approach far from the side or from above, rather than from below (which a predator might do). Essentially, try not to act like a menacing bubble-blowing creature, and the sunfish is more likely to hang around.

5. Go with Knowledgeable ZERO GRAVITY DIVING Guides: Our guides have experience with Mola Molas and can greatly improve your chances and the quality of the encounter. We know the specific cleaning station spots, the time of day sunfish tend to show up, and how to position divers without scaring the animal. We’ll also keep an eye on the ocean conditions that can easily switch to fierce down-currents with little warning. A good guide will ensure you don’t stray too deep and help you navigate any surprises safely.

By following these tips, you’ll not only increase your odds of a sighting but also ensure that you and the Mola Mola part ways happily. Diving with these creatures is a privilege – a little preparation and caution go a long way in making it an unforgettable and responsible experience.

Fascinating Facts About Mola Mola

For those who crave more than just the basics, the Mola Mola is a goldmine of astonishing facts and scientific wonders. Here are some of the most fascinating aspects of sunfish biology and recent research:

Prolific but Perilous Reproduction: Ocean sunfish hold the record for the most eggs produced by any vertebrate. A female Mola Mola, at about 1.4 m in length, was estimated to carry roughly 300 million eggs in her single ovary. They reproduce by broadcast spawning – females and males release eggs and sperm into the water column simultaneously. Despite laying so many eggs, very few survive to adulthood. The tiny sunfish larvae hatch at just 2–3 millimeters long, each weighing less than a gram. As they grow, baby sunfish initially have spines and almost resemble pufferfish fry. They quickly outgrow the spines and start looking like miniature versions of adults, but their growth is staggering – from a 2mm larva to a 3-meter, 1000+ kg adult is a 60-million-fold increase in body weight. No other animal goes through such an extreme size transformation in its life.
Three Species (and a Recent Discovery!): While divers and laypeople use “Mola Mola” or “sunfish” broadly, scientists have identified multiple distinct species in the Mola genus. The common ocean sunfish is Mola Mola, but there is also the giant or southern sunfish Mola alexandrini (often called Mola ramsayi in older texts) and the hoodwinker sunfish Mola tecta. In fact, Mola tecta was only described in 2017 – its Latin name tecta means “hidden”, as it had been hiding in plain sight all along, mistaken for other sunfish until genetic tests set it apart. Many of the “Mola” sightings in places like Bali are now thought to be Mola alexandrini, the southern sunfish, which tends to be even larger and has distinct features (a bump on its head, among others). But unless you’re a researcher, you probably won’t know which species you saw – and the sunfish won’t tell you! All of them are incredible in their own right.
Basking and Temperature: Sunfish are ectothermic (cold-blooded) but have some degree of body temperature control. They perform deep dives exceeding 100 meters, likely in search of jellyfish and other prey. In these depths, they get chilled, so they come back up to the surface and lie sideways, basking in the sun to warm up. This sunbathing behavior is how they earned the name “sunfish”. Observers often see them floating under the sun, and in some locales, gulls stand on top of the sunfish pecking at parasites – a living Loofah session for the Mola. It’s a mutualism: the fish gets cleaned, the birds get a free meal.
Diet Misconceptions: It was long thought that Mola Molas ate only jellyfish, giving them a reputation as somewhat dim-witted creatures with low-nutrition food preferences. While jellies are indeed a staple, studies have found sunfish also eat small fishes, crustaceans, salps, and algae. They don’t actively chase fast prey; instead, they likely snap up slow-moving or drifting organisms. Their slow metabolism means they can afford to spend time digesting these gelatinous meals over several days. Unfortunately, this love for jellyfish has a dark side in today’s oceans: sunfish can mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish and choke on them, a common cause of death for marine turtles as well.
Predators and Defense: Despite their size, adult sunfish have few natural predators – but those few are formidable, including orcas, sea lions, and large sharks. Their best defense is their sheer bulk and tough, leathery skin, as well as staying in the open ocean, where encounters with predators are limited. Juvenile sunfish, however, are preyed upon by almost everything when they are small (hence that strategy of producing millions of eggs). Mola Mola has no swim bladder (like many deep-diving fish), so it can adjust depth easily, but that also means it doesn’t have built-in buoyancy control – perhaps another reason they sometimes just stop and float at the surface.
No Tail, No Problem: Sunfish propulsion is fascinating because they lack a tail fin (caudal fin). They move by flapping their dorsal and anal fins in a synchronised manner, which looks like a bird flapping wings (albeit very slowly). This is called median-paired fin propulsion. It’s not very efficient – a sunfish’s top speed is not impressive – but it gets them around. Their clumsy swimming is often cited; yet they can migrate long distances and even perform vertical migrations daily. So while they look a bit lazy, they cover a lot of ocean in their lifetime.

All these facts paint a picture of a creature that is truly out of the ordinary. The Mola Mola pushes the boundaries of fish evolution – gigantism, strange anatomy, extreme reproduction – and it has clearly been successful at it. They are ancient beings in evolutionary terms, and there is still much we don’t know about them (for example, scientists are still uncovering details of their life cycle and migrations). One thing is certain: whether you’re a scientist or a diver, encountering a sunfish inspires a sense of wonder at how diverse and marvelous life in the ocean can be.

Conservation Status and Recent Sightings

It might surprise you that such a large and seemingly indestructible fish is vulnerable, but Mola Molas do face threats. The IUCN Red List classifies the ocean sunfish as Vulnerable, with evidence that populations are decreasing. One major threat is bycatch – sunfish frequently get caught unintentionally in commercial fishing nets (like drift gillnets) due to their oceanic habits and clumsy swimming. In some fisheries, sunfish are one of the most common non-target species caught. They are usually tossed back, but often not in time to survive. Another issue is marine debris: as mentioned, floating plastic can be lethal if a sunfish ingests it, thinking it’s a jellyfish.

Sunfish are occasionally harvested intentionally in certain places (historically, sunfish were eaten or used in folk medicine, and in some Asian markets, sunfish products can still be found, though regulations are tightening). They are not as high-profile as sharks or turtles in conservation conversations, but their plight is gaining attention. For instance, researchers have been tagging sunfish to study their migrations and better protect the routes they travel. Because sunfish often hang out near the surface, they are also susceptible to boat strikes (propellers can injure them).

On a positive note, ecotourism – like the dives we’ve been talking about – is raising awareness about Mola Molas. In places like Bali, the influx of divers hoping to see sunfish has encouraged local protection of reefs and better practices (like educating divers not to harass the animals). Responsible dive operators emphasize no-chase, no-touch, no-feed interactions, ensuring that our desire to see these animals doesn’t negatively impact them.

Speaking of seeing one: there have been some exciting recent sightings and research milestones. In late 2021, a giant sunfish (likely Mola alexandrini) was found near the Azores, weighing a staggering 2,744 kg, setting a new world record for the heaviest bony fish ever recorded. In 2022 and 2023, divers and scientists in various parts of the world reported increased sunfish encounters – for example, 2023 was hailed as one of the best Mola seasons in Bali in nearly a decade, with numerous individuals spotted repeatedly. And the identification of Mola tecta in 2017 (as mentioned earlier) expanded our knowledge of the sunfish family, proving that even such a huge animal can evade notice for centuries.

Ongoing studies are looking at sunfish ecology, such as their role as jellyfish population control and as indicators of ocean health (since their movements can reflect changes in sea temperature). All this attention bodes well for the Mola Mola – the more we learn, the better we can protect them.

Ready to Dive into a Mola Mola Adventure?

If reading this has sparked your curiosity (and maybe given you a case of itchy fins to dive again), consider planning a dive specifically to meet the marvelous Mola Mola. For certified experienced divers, encountering a sunfish in its natural habitat is well within reach – especially during the right season at the right location. Our dive team has years of experience leading Mola Mola expeditions and would love to share that moment of awe with you. We schedule trips during peak Mola season and use our local knowledge to maximize your chances of a sighting. Safety and responsible interaction are our top priorities, so you can trust that while you’re having the dive of a lifetime, the sunfish are respected and undisturbed.

Not an advanced diver yet? No problem! Since Mola dives often require going a bit deeper and handling currents, we can help you get Advanced Open Water certified before the trip (or even on the trip). That way, you’ll feel confident and prepared when you roll into the blue where the sunfish roam. And even if luck doesn’t favor us with a Mola on the first dive, we often do multiple dives over a few days – giving you ample opportunity to succeed. Many divers who join us see their first Mola Mola after a couple of tries, and the moment they lock eyes with this gentle giant, it’s pure magic.

Ready to make it happen? Get in touch with us to book your Mola Mola dive adventure. Whether you’re aiming to check the ocean sunfish off your bucket list, or you’re returning for another encounter with these captivating creatures, we’re here to ensure it’s an unforgettable, safe, and educational experience. Come dive with us and witness the Mola Mola magic for yourself – it’s an ocean spectacle you truly have to see to believe!