Spinefish (Below Zero)

The Spinefish is a small, passive relative of the Hoopfish. Its in-game description states that it uses its appearance to hide from predators by playing dead. Like Hoopfish, Spinefish are cathemeral and easy to catch, having moderate Food values.

Overview

Item Data

Raw Spinefish

• Type: Food & Water
• Description: Small, edible prey fish.
• Food: +7
• Water: -1
• Bioreactor Energy: +210 Energy
• Debug ID: spinefish

Cooked Spinefish

• Type: Food & Water
• Description: Never eat the antennae.
• Food: +23
• Water: +3
• Bioreactor Energy: +157.5 Energy
• Debug ID: cookedspinefish

Cured Spinefish

• Type: Food & Water
• Description: Entirely bland. Dehydrating, but keeps well.
• Food: +23
• Water: -2
• Bioreactor Energy: +118.3 Energy
• Debug ID: curedspinefish

Appearance

The Spinefish closely resembles a Hoopfish in form, but has drastic differences in colouration:

• Much of the body is translucent, with many white stripes arranged in a manner that resembles a ribcage. It also features small red spots around its eyes and near its tail.
• Its eyes are yellowish green in color, and its caudal fin has a dull red hue.

Behavior

Similar to its relative, the Spinefish is slow-moving and tends to form shoals. Upon being noticed by the player, it will try to flee.

Uses in Crafting

• 1x Spinefish

Data Bank Entry

Spinefish

Small, school-mentality prey fish, closely related to the hoopfish.

1. Grey Coloration: A combination of near translucent flesh with white, rib-like markings gives this fish a deathly appearance. It takes advantage of this to avoid the attention of its predators.
2. Behavior: Moves in schools for protection, but will disperse and flee if necessary, whereon those fortunate enough to escape the gaze of their assailants will make for the sea floor and hide amongst the detritus.

Assessment: Edible (low calorie count)

Source: Scan Spinefish

Gallery

Size comparison with the player

A Spinefish in the Fabricator Caverns

A Spinefish in the Deep Lilypads Cave

A Spinefish in the Deep Twisty Bridges

Spinefish Concept art

Spinefish's model from Sketchfab

Trivia

• Although the databank entry states that Spinefish plays dead by laying on the seabed, this behaviour is absent in-game.
• The databank entry also shows that the Spinefish is blind.
• In early versions of Subnautica: Below Zero, the Spinefish spawned in the Methane Ice Caves biome, which was cut from the final release.