Photo by Rantje Allen
Photo by William Tan
Photo by Rantje Allen
Photo by William Tan
Photo by Rantje Allen

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Tag Archives: Diving Sulawesi

Longhorn cowfish knocks

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

The Longhorn Cowfish is one of the strangest looking reef fish in the Indo-Pacific. Its unique swimming technique makes the fish look like it is hovering.

All in the Name

Its scientific name is Lactoria cornuta. Lactoria means “milkcow” and cornutus means “horned.” The long horns on the head give this fish its common and scientific names. Another pair of shorter horns points backward near the tail. Combined with its box-like body, the fish looks almost unreal.

Longhorn Cowfish are found across the tropical Indo-Pacific. They live on coral reefs, sandy slopes, lagoons, and sheltered bays. Juveniles are often seen in shallow protected areas. Adults are usually solitary and move slowly over the reef while searching for food along the ocean floor. It can grow to a maximum length of 50 centimeters.

Fused bony plates cover its body like armor. This armor protects the fish from predators. The horns also make it difficult for larger fish to swallow them. A broken horn will grow back over time.

The color can vary from bright yellow to olive or tan. Many individuals have white or blue spots across the body. Juveniles are often brighter than adults. Some large adults become darker and the long head horns may appear shorter with age.

A Fish that Hovers

Despite the rigid body, the fish is surprisingly graceful underwater. It moves by fluttering its small fins while the body stays almost motionless. Scientists call this style of swimming ostraciiform. So, the Longhorn Cowfish appears to hover. Notice in our video how the fish moves its dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins to remain motionless in midwater.

It often hovers slowly over sand while blowing jets of water through its mouth when searching for food. The fish searches for worms, tiny crustaceans, and other hidden prey.

Sounds of the Longhorn Cowfish

The Longhorn Cowfish makes distinctive sounds underwater. It contracts special muscles connected to its swim bladder to make noises. When disturbed or handled, the fish can make knocking, clicking, grunting, or humming noises. Scientists discovered that the fish produces at least two different sound types. One is a short click with stronger volume. The other is a softer humming sound that can continue for long periods.

The knocking sound is surprisingly loud underwater. In our video, listen for the knocking sounds when the photographer approaches. The sound can resemble someone tapping lightly on wood or knocking inside a hollow container. Research suggests the fish can hear these low-frequency sounds produced by other cowfish.

Like many boxfish, the Longhorn Cowfish also has a dangerous defense mechanism. When severely stressed, it can release a toxic substance called ostracitoxin from its skin. This toxin can kill nearby fish in confined water such as aquariums.

Although awkward looking at first glance, the Longhorn Cowfish is a favorite subject for underwater photographers and divers. Its unusual shape, shy personality, and slow hovering movement make it unforgettable. Hearing the sharp knocking sounds underwater only adds to the experience.

For your chance to see and hear a Longhorn cowfish in Gorontalo, please contact us for your dive trip booking.

Bigfin reef squid mating dance

Posted on March 15, 2026 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Bigfin Reef Squid are a fascinating sight for divers in Gorontalo. Often, small groups of these squid hover in open water above the reef slope.

Mating Dance Captured on Video

During courtship, their bodies shimmer with changing colors and patterns. Only the luckiest of divers witness this remarkable mating dance of flashing colors and synchronized movement. Ted Foon, one of our guests, captured several minutes of this rarely witnessed behavior. We share highlights in our YouTube video.

Identifying Bigfin Reef Squid

The squid in this video is the Bigfin Reef Squid. Its scientific name is Sepioteuthis lessoniana. Its large oval fins make it easy to recognize. They run almost the entire length of the mantle. These fins give the squid a shape that resembles a cuttlefish. The body is semi-transparent. But it can flash brilliant stripes or waves of color. Scientists believe that these color changes help squid communicate during courtship and competition.

Bigfin Reef Squid typically grow to about 30 centimeters in length. They are common throughout the Indo-Pacific. Often in small groups, these squid gather in shallow water near coral reefs, seagrass beds, or mooring lines. During mating displays, males may guard a female while rival males attempt to approach. The rapid changes of color and pattern are part of this visual communication. However, in our video, no other males were present.

Conservation & Natural Observation

Reef squid are important predators in coral reef ecosystems. They feed on small fish, shrimp, and other crustaceans. In turn, they are prey for larger fish, dolphins, and other marine animals.

Encounters with Bigfin Reef Squid are most memorable when divers remain patient and respectful. When divers maintain a distance and move calmly, the squid can continue their graceful courtship displays. These moments reveal the remarkable intelligence and beauty of reef cephalopods in their natural environment.

Squid are highly intelligent and show awareness of divers. If a diver spots a group of them, the squid will retreat by swimming backwards until they disappear from sight.

For your chance to see squid hovering over Gorontalo reefs, make your dive booking directly with us.

Hawksbill sea turtle observed naturally

Posted on February 27, 2026 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Hawksbill sea turtles are a common sight for divers in Gorontalo. In our video, one sea turtle feeds under coral, scratches beneath its flipper, and swims to the surface to breathe. Because the divers stayed calm and kept their distance, the turtle acted naturally. It did not flee or show stress. Respectful diving allows turtles to behave as they would without humans nearby.

Responsible Diver Behavior

Good diver etiquette is key. Divers must maintain good buoyancy, avoid sudden movements, and never block a turtle’s path to the surface. Also, divers must never surround a turtle, lest it fear being attached. Moreover, chasing or touching a turtle can stress it and disrupt normal behaviors like feeding or breathing. Patience and calm observation let divers see authentic marine life in action. In our video, the turtle ignored the divers because they followed these guidelines.

When photographing a sea turtle, approach only as close as the turtle allows. In our video, our dive master used a long selfie stick. Also, we used a zoom feature when editing to get super close-up shots.

Identifying the Hawksbill Sea Turtle

The sea turtle in this video is a Hawksbill. Its scientific name is Eretmochelys imbricata. It has a hooked beak and two pairs of small scales between its eyes. These four scales are clearly visible when the turtle looks directly into the camera. The overlapping shell plates give the rear edge a jagged look. Each front flipper has two visible claws. Hawksbills in the Indo-Pacific grow to about one meter long and take decades to reach maturity.

Hawksbills feed mainly on sponges but also eat tunicates, soft corals, jellyfish, crabs, squid, and small fish. In the video, the turtle searched carefully under coral for food. Its slow, deliberate movements show it was comfortable and undisturbed by divers.

Conservation Status

Eretmochelys imbricata is critically endangered. It is illegal to harm, capture, or trade Hawksbill sea turtles or their shells. Plastic pollution is a major threat because turtles may mistake bags for jellyfish. Observing turtles responsibly helps them conserve energy and continue natural behaviors.

Hawksbill encounters are best when patience and respect guide the dive. When divers follow proper etiquette, turtles can feed and move freely without disturbance. To see a Hawksbill sea turtle behaving naturally on Gorontalo reefs, make your dive booking directly with us.

Winged Pipefish juvenile emerges from hiding

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Winged Pipefish are rarely seen. So, imagine our surprise to find a juvenile, complete with its distinctive wings!

Coming a Coral Wall

Miguel’s Diving staff work diligently to discover the hidden secrets of Gorontalo’s coral-rich dive sites. The dense hard coral environment provides many places for rare marine life to hide. This makes them hard to find.

Yet one day, staff discovered a juvenile Winged Pipefish. It was hiding among clumps of Halimeda coralline algae. This green algae has flat, round discs. As they age and die, the green surface peels away, leaving a brilliant white skeleton. After being crushed by waves, it becomes white sand. Underwater, the contrast between dark green and bright white makes a perfect place for pipefish to hide.

Unfortunately, no macro photographers were on board on the day of discovery. So, the crew returned to the site the following day to make some photos and this video. Gorontalo’s direct sunlight made shooting quite a challenge since the Winged Pipefish floated out of dark corners to over-lit sand and algae patches.

Distinctives of Winged Pipefish

Its scientific name is Halicampus macrorhynchus because of its long nose. Other common names include Ornate or Whiskered Pipefish.

One main distinctive is fleshy growths on its body. Notice the eight to ten pairs of skin flaps along the body. As the pipefish matures, these begin to disappear. Also, its long nose and face have these growths. In fact, these growths can make the face hard to see. The body color varies greatly but usually shows white spots along its back.

Like other pipefish and seahorses, the Winged Pipefish male will brood eggs in a ventral pouch. Divers report seeing this species in Bali, Sulawesi, and Raja Ampat.

For your chance to make memories in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Pinktail Triggerfish & its Coral Hideout

Posted on September 8, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Pinktail Triggerfish, stylish and sleek, delight divers lucky enough to see even one, especially fans of pink. Although only occasionally found in Gorontalo, its coloration is bright and distinctive.

In the Pink

This fish’s body color is dark, from olive-brown to almost black. This helps the fish blend into the shadows of the coral reef. However, its active tail is magenta/pink with a distinct white base where the tail joins the dark body. Its elegantly paired dorsal and anal fins are ghostly white and edged in black. Yellowish are its pectoral fins and snout.

Many fish species can lighten and darken their body colors. If a Pinktail Triggerfish is in lighter mode, a crosshatch pattern appears on its body.

Its official name is Melichthys vidua. The genus name means “black fish” in Greek.

Active & Shy

Divers will find this fish both active and shy. Only when a Pinktail Triggerfish is hunting for food will it allow a closer approach. This fish eats mainly algae and detritus. However, using its dental plates, it can also eat crustaceans, octopuses, sponges, and even small fishes.

Locking a Trigger

The Pinktail Triggerfish has a locking mechanism in its dorsal fin spines. This body feature is unique to all triggerfish species. The fish can erect its first dorsal spine and lock it upright using its second spine. In order to unlock its trigger, the fish must first depress the second spine, allowing the first one to relax.

Triggerfish that feel threatened quickly jump into a hole or crevasse in the reef. By locking the trigger, it is wedged in and cannot be pulled out. The predator can only nip the edges of its unprotected tail while the fish hides.

Where to Find Pinktail Triggerfish

This delightful fish lives through Indo-Pacific region, including Tomini Bay where Miguel’s Diving offers scuba diving. Although this fish can gather in schools in other ocean locations, we only see it singly in Gorontalo.

Divers here will most likely see it in very shallow waters on coral rich dive sites where ocean currents sweep by. In other places, scientists have found it below fifty meters.

Since divers are unlikely to spot a Pinktail Triggerfish unaided, ask one of our dive masters to point one out during your diving day.

For your chance to make memories in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

The Black-Blotched Porcupinefish: Spiny, Shy & Striking

Posted on July 26, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

A most unusual fish divers see while diving in Gorontalo is the Black-Blotched Porcupinefish. Most noticeable are its large head and big eyes. Short, strong spines stick out from the back half of its body.

Striking patterns of the Black-Blotched Porcupinefish

Divers can easily recognize a Black-Blotched Porcupinefish. In the video shot while diving Gorontalo, notice its large size. Also striking are the broken dark bars on its face and head. Note the big black blotches on its back and sides. Its fins are yellow. Standing out against its grayish brown body are its white spines.

The scientific name for this fish is Diodon liturosus.

Fish Habits

This fish often hides under rocks or swims slowly along coral reefs. Its large eyes help it while hunting at night. Crustaceans and mollusks compose its main meal. The fish’s beak-like teeth crush the hard shells of these invertebrates. Notice in our video that the fish searches the sandy bottom for something to eat.

A Ball of Spines

When a Black-Blotched Porcupinefish feels in danger, it has a special way to protect itself. It quickly gulps water and swells. This makes its spines stick out. The fish becomes a ball with sharp spines. As a result, predators do not want to eat a fish like that. This defense is common in porcupinefish species.

Divers might see two other porcupinefish species. One is the Spot-Fin Porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix). It has many small black spots all over its body and fins. However, it lacks dark blotches or bars on the face. The second is the Long-Spine Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus). A net-like pattern covers its body. Although it has big eyes, it lacks the large blotches of the Black-Blotched Porcupinefish. Also, the spines are longer and thinner.

Good Behavior for Divers

Even though porcupinefish look friendly, divers should approach with caution. Do not chase or touch them. Never try to make one inflate. This stresses the fish since it thinks you want to eat it. At Miguel’s Diving, we believe in safe and respectful diving.

Porcupinefish also contain tetrodotoxin. This is a potent neurotoxin that makes them unpalatable or deadly to most predators and humans.

Since this fish is rarely encountered, seeing a Black-Blotched Porcupinefish during your dive will make a special memory.

For your chance to make memories in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Location of Miguel’s Diving Gorontalo

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Location is key for any business, including Miguel’s Diving. Less than an hour from Gorontalo’s airport, our dive center rests in a safe location inside the Bone River. This provides direct access to the vast Tomini Bay.

Our Airport Code: GTO

Daily, direct flights from Jakarta land at Gorontalo’s Jalaluddin Airport. It is modern and spacious. Our package options include airport transfers. Upon exiting baggage claim, divers simply look for a driver holding a paper with their names on it. The ride into town is less than an hour.

location of Miguel's Diving — Our Google Earth location

One option we offer is diving upon arrival. This is possible for passengers of Batik Air whose flight arrives here at about 8 a.m. Prior arrangement is required.

Google Map Location

Finding us on Google Maps is easy. Just type in Miguel’s Diving Gorontalo in the search bar. This is our location link.

However, this location is about five meters off, which is within the error margin for Google Maps. Travelers can be confused when they arrive at a block ice factory used by fishermen! Google still has a picture of this blue factory for its street photo of Miguel’s Diving. Actually, we are the two-story yellow building next door. A huge dive flag is painted on the street-facing side of our dive center. Slide the gate open and enter.

To help travelers visualize our location, we have created a short video that starts in space and zooms all the way into our dive center in Gorontalo. It includes satellite animation using Google Earth, plus drone footage of our dock, dive boats, and the expansive blue waters we explore daily during dive season.

Strategic Dock Location

Our dive center and dock are located just inside the estuary of Bone River. The name is pronounced boh-nay. This gives our divers a clean, secure area to organize gear prior to diving. They can also relax there after the dive day.

Travelers may question why we do not anchor our boats along the ocean. Because of Gorontalo’s unique geography and rapidly changing weather, that option is not wise.

Also, we guard our speed boats round-the-clock against sudden storms and waves. Over our two decades of operation, our strategic location and dedicated staff have prevented our boats from damage or sinking.

Miguel’s Diving is located along the northern coast of Tomini Bay in Sulawesi, Indonesia. This bay is one of the deepest in the world and offers pristine diving conditions and rare marine life—like our iconic Salvador Dali sponges.

To assist in your dive trip planning, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Risso’s Dolphins Sunbathe and Play

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Risso’s Dolphins thrive in the deep waters off Gorontalo’s southern shores. One day, we spotted a large, active pod. Using a drone, we watched as they sunbathed, played, and possibly mated.

Ghostly Apparitions

Risso’s Dolphins (Grampus griseus) are a distinctive species of dolphin. They are born gray but become whiter with age. The older one is, the whiter it appears. When passing under the dive boat or swimming nearby, they look like ghostly apparitions.

Their bodies also show visible scarring. Most scars come from fights with other Risso’s Dolphins, while other scars come from bites of deep-sea squid, their main diet. These features make them easy to identify.

Unlike other dolphins, Risso’s have rounded heads and no beak. They also have a crease running from the blowhole down to the upper lip. This unique feature is only visible up close or from a drone’s view.

Drone Video of Risso’s Dolphins

One day, our dive boat was heading to the second dive site when our captain spotted a pod of Risso’s Dolphins. They were sunbathing on the ocean’s surface, which is typical behavior in Gorontalo. Their distinctive white bodies confirmed their identity.

As we watched from a safe distance, one of our Indonesian guests launched his drone. Dr. Reyhan Aditya captured dramatic footage of this large pod. Some dolphins rested on the surface, while others played. One sequence even suggests mating behavior.

Risso’s Dolphins typically grow to three to four meters long and weigh between 300 and 500 kilograms. Clearly, most dolphins in this pod were adults. At other times, we have seen baby Risso’s among them. Usually, we see pods of about ten individuals, but this pod was much larger.

Worldwide Sightings

Risso’s Dolphins live in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide. They prefer deep offshore waters. Sometimes, they swim closer to land or oceanic islands when the continental shelf is narrow. This is true of Gorontalo’s southern coastline. Here, the continental wall of Sulawesi lies just a few meters from shore, plunging to four kilometers deep. This unique geography makes Gorontalo a great place for pelagic encounters.

Antoine Risso, a French naturalist, first described this species in 1812. Later, the dolphin was named in his honor.

For your chance to see unusual marine life in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.

Striped Barracuda Warily Eye Divers

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Striped Barracuda schools on Gorontalo’s shallow reef flats. Smaller and more cautious than its larger relatives, this species dazzles with its streamlined body.

How to Identify Striped Barracuda

In contrast to other barracuda species, the Striped Barracuda is smaller, reaching about 55 cm in length. Also, its body features two thin, dark horizontal stripes running along its silvery body. These stripes are its defining feature and help divers distinguish it from barracudas that look similar.

Sometimes, it is called the Obtuse Barracuda, which translates its Latin name of Sphyraena obtusata.

Other Barracudas found in Gorontalo

Occasionally, divers in Gorontalo will see a Great Barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda). As the largest barracuda species, it can grow over a meter in length. Often, it swims alone. Its imposing size and solitary nature make it easy to differentiate from the smaller, schooling Striped Barracuda.

Also found in Gorontalo is the Yellowtail Barracuda (Sphyraena flavicauda). As its name suggests, its yellowish tail is the most prominent feature. Its body has faint spots instead of the distinct stripes seen on the Striped Barracuda.

The Black Barracuda (Sphyraena qenie) is slightly larger than the Striped Barracuda and is known for its dark fins and body markings. While the Striped Barracuda has clean, horizontal stripes, the Black Barracuda’s markings can appear as a combination of dark smudges and irregular lines, giving it a more shadowy appearance. These features, along with its tendency to inhabit deeper waters, help divers tell the two species apart.

Habitat and Behavior

striped barracuda school — *Sphyraena obtusata* school in Gorontalo

This barracuda species is found in warm, shallow waters throughout the Indo-Pacific region. They prefer areas with coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds, where food is abundant.

During the day, they form schools for protection, creating a shimmering spectacle as light reflects off their bodies. At night, they disperse to hunt small prey like fish and crustaceans.

Tips for your Encounter with Barracuda

The schooling behavior of the Striped Barracuda is a visual treat for divers. Seeing these sleek fish glide in unison over Gorontalo’s colorful reefs is unforgettable.

barracuda wary of divers — Barracudas are wary of divers

However, their cautious nature makes observing them tricky. We suggest divers move slowly, so as not to startle them. Also, try to approach from different angles. The barracuda school will maintain distance from divers if it feels threatened.

An encounter with a school of Striped Barracuda offers divers an opportunity to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the underwater world. So, plan your dive with Miguel’s Diving to explore Gorontalo’s vibrant marine life up close.

Phyllidia elegans decorates reefs

Posted on November 14, 2024 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Phyllidia elegans is a dorid nudibranch found occasionally on Gorontalo’s coral reefs. Oftentimes, divers see it among rubble. We call it the Elegant wart slug.

The Showy Peaks of Phyllidia elegans

This elegant wart slug has distinctive whitish to pinkish protrusions. These are called tubercles. They look like snowy mountain peaks. A few tops of those tubercles are yellow. This is a distinguishing characteristic of Phyllidia elegans.

Irregular black lines look like rivers running in the valleys between peaks. Some blackish spots can appear along the slug’s edges. Also, for this elegant wart slug, yellow rhinophores are distinctive.

Although divers rarely look at the underside of the slug’s foot, Phyllidia elegans has a median longitudinal black line on its sole. Uniquely, this slug also has black lines on the sides of its foot.

Rare photographs of the Elegant wart slug

The archived website of Sea Slug Forum has several unique photographs of Phyllidia elegans. One shows the gills, which are underneath this critter, between its foot and mantle. Another photo shows the Elegant wart slug laying eggs. The moderator notes this may be the first photo of the egg mass. Moreover, one of the photos is from Gorontalo, taken and submitted by one of our diving guests.

Unknown Life Cycle

Scientists know little about the life cycle of Phyllidia elegans. It is a simultaneous hermaphrodite. That means a single individual is both male and female at the same time. When two of these wart slugs come together for mating, each with stab its penis at the other. The first one to penetrate the other’s skin will be the male for that coupling.

Most phyllidiid nudibranchs, like the Elegant wart slug, feed on sponges of the Phakellia genus. These are usually red-orange in color.

Phyllidia elegans lives in the Western Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as in the Red Sea. Its maximum length is about five centimeters. Divers are more likely to spot it in shallow waters where hard coral growth is poor. For your chance to see this elegant marine critter in Gorontalo, please make your dive reservations directly with Miguel’s Diving.