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: dive gorontalo

Blue-eyed Cardinalfish shelter in daylight

Posted on August 14, 2026 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Blue-eyed Cardinalfish shelter among branching corals during the day. They often gather in small groups close to the coral. At night, they leave their shelter to feed.

Identifying the Blue-eyed Cardinalfish

The Blue-eyed Cardinalfish gets its common name from the bright blue color around its eyes. Its scientific name is Ostorhinchus compressus. The body is pale, with several narrow red-brown stripes running along the sides. The tail also has dark markings near its base.

The body is slender and compressed from side to side. Like other cardinalfish, it has large eyes. The large eyes help the fish see in low light. Adults can reach about 12 centimeters in length, but most are smaller.

Sheltering in Gorontalo’s hard corals

Blue-eyed Cardinalfish are usually found close to branching corals. They may gather around coral colonies or hide among the branches. During daylight hours, they remain close to their shelter.

A group may hover quietly among the coral branches. They can be difficult to see because their pale bodies blend with the reef. A diver who moves slowly may see them before they disappear into the coral.

When approached, the group usually moves deeper into the coral for protection. The fish swim in headfirst, making themselves difficult to see. In our video, the Blue-eyed Cardinalfish stay in a depression between branching coral colonies. As a result, they are entirely visible. Watch the largest fish chase smaller ones. Blue-eyed Cardinalfish also have a distinctive stop-and-go swimming pattern, seen clearly in our video.

Behavior & Feeding

The Blue-eyed Cardinalfish is mainly active at night. After dark, individuals leave the coral and search for small food in the water. They feed mainly on tiny crustaceans and other small animals in the water.

Like other cardinalfish, this species is a mouth brooder. After spawning, the male carries the eggs in his mouth until they hatch. This is an unusual and interesting behavior among reef fishes.

The Blue-eyed Cardinalfish is found in the tropical Indo-West Pacific. It occurs from Southeast Asia eastward to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. It is usually found on or near coral reefs in relatively shallow water.

This species is common in Gorontalo’s rich coral reefs. However, divers who wish to see this beautiful fish that likes to hide, please let your dive master know. For bookings, please contact us.

Cuttlefish color changes

Posted on July 16, 2026 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Cuttlefish are masters at changing the colors and patterns they display.

Changing Colors

Cuttlefish are close relatives of octopus and squid. These are all cephalopods and have the ability to quickly change color. A cuttlefish can display a completely different pattern in less than a second.

Three different kinds of specialized skin cells work together to produce these changes. Every wave of color across the body of a cuttlefish is produced by thousands of tiny skin cells working together under the control of a remarkably sophisticated nervous system.

Three Layers of Skin Cells

The outer skin of a cuttlefish contains three kinds of specialized cells. Each has a different function.

The first are called chromatophores. These are tiny sacs filled with colored pigment. The pigments are yellow, red, brown, and black. Small muscles surround each chromatophore. When the muscles contract, the pigment sac expands and becomes visible. When the muscles relax, the pigment shrinks almost out of sight. Thousands of chromatophores work together to create changing patterns across the body.

Beneath the chromatophores are iridophores. These cells contain no pigment. Instead, they reflect light using microscopic structures inside the skin. Iridophores can produce brilliant blues, greens, and metallic colors that seem to shimmer as the animal moves.

The deepest layer contains leucophores. These cells scatter light. They reflect the colors of the surrounding environment and help the cuttlefish blend naturally with different backgrounds.

Together, these three kinds of skin cells allow a cuttlefish to produce an astonishing variety of colors and patterns.

More Than Camouflage

Camouflage is one reason cuttlefish change color. This helps them avoid predators. Concealing their presence also helps when hunting. As you watch our video, notice when the cuttlefish blends in with the surrounding hard corals.

Communication is another reason for changing color. A male may display bold stripes or contrasting patterns while courting a female. Bright displays can also warn rival males to stay away.

Changing Texture

A cuttlefish does more than change color. It can also change the texture of its skin.

Small muscular bumps, called papillae, can be raised or lowered. Smooth skin can quickly become rough. The animal may resemble a piece of coral, a rock, or a patch of algae. Combined with changing colors, this makes the camouflage even more effective.

Cuttlefish in Gorontalo

Several species of cuttlefish occur in Indonesian waters. Divers in Gorontalo will most likely see the Broadclub Cuttlefish (Sepia latimanus). They rest on coral reefs, sandy bottoms, or areas of rubble. They often remain unnoticed until they move or begin changing color.

Watching a cuttlefish display its changing patterns is one of the most fascinating encounters a diver can experience. For your chance to see a cuttlefish in Gorontalo, please contact us for your dive trip booking.

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.

Grand Side-Gilled Slug Takes a Day Trip

Posted on January 5, 2026 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

As large as a dinner plate, the Grand side-gilled slug delights divers during night dives. But during the last day of 2025, one crawled across the bottom in daylight.

A Nocturnal, Giant Sea Slug

Most divers are familiar with nudibranchs. They have feathery gills exposed on the top of their bodies. Side-gilled sea slugs are different. Their large, plume-like gills hide between the mantle and the foot. They are usually tucked along the right side of the body. This unique arrangement gives the group its common name.

Grand side-gilled sea slugs live primarily on shallow sand and rubble bottoms. They are almost exclusively nocturnal. This behavior makes them ideal targets for sightings during night dives. After dark, they crawl across the sea floor, actively hunting tunicates, anemones, and other invertebrates. With strong jaws and a wide mouth, this species can even consume sleeping fish.

Like other members of this group, the Grand side-gilled slug has a pair of rolled rhinophores. These detect chemical cues and water movement, helping to locate prey in the absence of light. When threatened, it can secrete sulfuric acid as a chemical defense. As a result, most predators avoid this giant slug.

The Grand Side-Gilled Slug

The Grand side-gilled slug is the most commonly seen species of its kind in Gorontalo. It can grow to an astonishing 21 centimeters. It may be the largest sea slug divers are likely to encounter. Its scientific name is Pleurobranchus grandis.

Its coloration varies widely. However, the species usually displays three dark bands that contrast sharply with the rest of its body. When moving, the slug can arch its mantle, forming a raised spout toward the rear. This structure helps channel water and waste away from the body as it travels across the seabed.

Despite its size, P. grandis moves deliberately and calmly. Notice its subtle movements in our video.

Surprising Sighting in Gorontalo

Imagine our surprise and delight at finding a Grand side-gilled slug crawling in broad daylight. Fortunately, one of our dive masters had an underwater camera ready to capture this moment. Given that the date was December 31^st, we speculated that it was on its way to a New Year’s Eve party.

For your chance to make an unexpected encounter in Gorontalo, make a booking with us.

QRIS now available at Miguel’s Diving

Posted on November 15, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

QRIS is now available for our divers. Guests can enjoy faster and easier payments using Indonesia’s national QR-code standard.

QRIS, Indonesia’s Payment System

QRIS stands for Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard. It is a national payment system regulated by Bank Indonesia. With QRIS, guests can make cashless payments by scanning a single QR code using their preferred Indonesian digital wallet or banking app. All major apps in Indonesia support QRIS, including OVO, Dana, GoPay, ShopeePay, and mobile banking from BCA and other banks.

QRIS has grown rapidly across Indonesia in recent years. Bank Indonesia reports that QRIS transaction volume jumped over 175% year-on-year. This reflects how widely locals and travelers now use this cashless option. The value of QRIS payments has also increased sharply. They reached more than Rp 300 trillion nationwide as of 2025. At the same time, the number of people using QRIS has expanded to over 50 million users. More than 30 million merchants across the country now accepting it. This strong national adoption is one reason Miguel’s Diving has added QRIS to our list of guest-friendly payment choices.

For our diving guests, this means there is no need to carry extra cash. Simply open your digital wallet, scan the QR code, and confirm the payment. The process is instant and secure.

A Convenient Option for Travelers

QRIS is especially helpful for domestic divers who already use digital wallets. For international guests, VISA and MasterCard remain available for larger payments. Many foreigners also prefer making a local rupiah transfer using Wise or BCA. Adding QRIS gives guests another fast and modern way to settle their dive arrangements.

QRIS offers two types of QR codes. Small shops often use a static code, while larger businesses use a dynamic code for each transaction. Miguel’s Diving uses a static code that best suits diving services, so guests can expect smooth and reliable payment processing.

Safe & Standardized

Because QRIS follows a national standard, the QR code at our dive center works across all supported apps. Each transaction is encrypted and must be confirmed inside the user’s own payment application. Even if the code is printed on a sign, it holds no personal information. This makes the system both simple and safe to use.

QRIS also reflects Indonesia’s move toward modern, cashless transactions. It is widely used throughout the country —from cafés and supermarkets to small shops and tourist services. By bringing QRIS into our dive center, we hope to make check-in and check-out more convenient for everyone.

Guest-Friendly Payment Choices

Guests of Miguel’s Diving now have four easy ways to make payments:

QRIS for instant cashless transactions
Cash rupiah for those who prefer traditional payment
Rupiah transfer using Wise or BCA
VISA / MasterCard for international card payments

This wide range of options lets divers choose the method that works best for them.

We hope this new QRIS option makes your time in Gorontalo even smoother. Whether you come for coral walls, marine life, or Salvador Dali sponges, we want every part of your visit—including payments—to be easy and enjoyable. To join one of our dive trips, 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.

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.

Thysanozoon nigropapillosum Swims & Dazzles

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Miguel's Diving • 0 Comments

Thysanozoon nigropapillosum is a dazzling flatworm. Yellow- or gold-tipped papillae cover its black body. Its body margin has bold white edges.

Many Confusing Names

Thysanozoon nigropapillosum lacks a standard English name. Some call it the Yellowspotted, Yellow-spotted, Yellow Spot, or Yellow-speckled Flatworm. Others refer to the spots as gold. Some online sources call it the Galaxy Flatworm since its body looks like a maze of stars.

Appearances of Thysanozoon nigropapillosum in Gorontalo

Before opening diving in Gorontalo, Miguel’s Diving surveyed potential dive spots. In May 2000, we recorded our first sighting of Thysanozoon nigropapillosum off the coast of Bone Pantai Regency. Since then, we have rarely encountered this beautiful flatworm—perhaps only once every five years!

In 2025, one of our guests captured Thysanozoon nigropapillosum on video, creating an intriguing clip. Flatworms can swim short distances by waving their flat bodies. The video shot by Rainer de Reuter captures this undulating motion perfectly!

Notice the two white-tipped protrusions at the front of the flatworm. These are pseudotentacles. They sense light and motion, helping the flatworm navigate.

Favorite Food

Thysanozoon nigropapillosum feeds on certain species of tunicates. One of its favorites is Didemnum molle, which is very common in Gorontalo. The flatworm engulfs the tunicate’s thin body with its mouth. However, it does not digest the hard calcium spicules that give the tunicate structure. Instead, these are expelled as pellets.

Savage Mating

All flatworms are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs. Thysanozoon nigropapillosum also has two penises. During mating, each flatworm attempts to inseminate the other. First, special structures called rhabdites grip the partner’s edge, providing a strong hold even while swimming. Then, the two try to stab each other with a penis—or both! The maze of yellow papillae makes aiming difficult, and missed attempts often result in dermal impregnation.

Where to Find this Dazzling Flatworm

Found throughout Indo-Pacific waters, this dazzling flatworm can grow up to 8 centimeters long. Divers can spot it at depths ranging from one to twenty meters.

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