Bali Sunfish Safaris | Bali Sunfish - Sunfish Safaris Bali
Bali Sunfish Safaris
To give yourself the best possible chance of sighting the sunfish in Bali, we strongly recommend that you use our local Dive Guides knowledge to help you plan your Bali Sunfish Safari. Whilst the Sunfish are here throughout the season, sightings depend upon many things such as the dive site, weather, time of day, time of the month, the number of divers and boats (cattle trucks) around. Of course there are more variables to consider, If you choose to dive with Bali Sunfish Safaris on our Safaris to see the Sunfish, then you will receive the very best diving service possible in Bali along with the highest chance of capturing on film an sighting with the Bali Sunfish to remember
Sunfish sightings can be at any time during late July - Mid October, although there is also a chance of seeing them in and around the full moon in May and November subject to tidal conditions
Bali Sunfish Safaris | Bali Sunfish - Sunfish Safaris Bali
2010 Bali Sunfish Safaris season booking have started , Bali Sunfish Safaris suggest that you have a look at your holiday planner, then contact us early to book your place on the Sunfish Safari. Make sure you check our Bali Sunfish Safari Special. Remember that Bali Sunfish limits space on our Dive Vessel to only 8 divers & 2 Dive Guides to ensure the comfort and safety of our guests. Some Dive companies load 20 divers & 5 dive guides a total of 25 divers on thier boat, looks much like a cattle truck. Think of the entree & exit times on those boats
Bali Sunfish Safaris | Bali Sunfish - Sunfish Safaris Bali
*All dives guided by certified and insured Divemaster / Instructor with over 3000 dives in and around Bali Dive Sites
**Some Dive companies load 20 divers & 5 dive guides a total of 25 divers on thier boat, looks much like a cattle truck.
***Be aware of "Bali Sunfish" Companies that use their Dive Internships as Dive Guides, Most of these dive guides have less than 150 dives total and are not aware of the conditions at many of Bali Dive Sites
The family of Molidae belongs to the order of Tetraodoniformes (trigger fish, boxfish, porcupine fish, puffers).
They consists of six species: Mola mola (ocean sunfish), Masturus lanceolatus (Sharptail mola) and Ranzania laevis (Slender sunfish), Mola ramsayi (southern sunfish), Amblypharyngodon atkinsonii and Amblypharyngodon mola. Specially the ocean sunfish (Mola mola) has a very unmistakable look with its eccentric roundish shape with huge fins but nearly no discernable tail. The word "Mola" comes from Latin and means millstone.
The ocean sunfish (Mola mola) is the world’s largest known bony fish (whale sharks are cartilaginous) with about 3m length from fin tip to fin tip and weighting 2 tons (see comparison of sunfish with the size of a human
Characteristics
Their characteristic body shape is unique and is about the most peculiar sight you might encounter while diving. They seem to have no caudal fins at all (this rudder-like structure is called clavus), the body is large and flattened and their eyes and mouth are very small. They possess sharp edged plates of fused teeth in the jaws, which are typical of puffer fish. The scaleless body is covered with a tough, leathery skin about 15cm thick. Silvery to brownish gray or a blue motteled colour. The gill openings are small and just behind them are the small pectoral fins. The dorsal and anal fins are large and look like paddles. They are flapped synchronously from side to side (like the triggerfish) and can propel the fish at surprisingly good speed. Adults have no swimbladder.
Ecology and range
Sunfishes are found in all oceans in tropical and temperate climes, but prefer open ocean. They are adapted for life as a sluggish, pelagic predators of jellyfish or other larger invertebrates that come close enough to be sucked in. Probably they inhabit the mesopelagic zone down to about 1000 meters, but live most commonly about 300m deep
Many Thanks Teresa Zubi - All information - Courtesy of Teresa Zubi http://www.starfish.ch/ well worth a visit to the web site
