Water Slug

 | Property | Details |-| :--- | :--- |-| **Species** | *Seaslug hydroclast* ("sea slug water breaker") |-| **Attitude** | Passive |-| **Type** | Mobile (though effectively stationary) |-| **Category** | Foragers |-| **Biome** | Coral Gardens |-| **Biomod** | [Water Secretion](Water_Secretion) |-| **Nutrition** | Food: -5 / Health: 0 / Water: +15 |+| --- | --- |+| Species | *Seaslug hydroclast* ("sea slug water breaker") |+| Attitude | Passive |+| Type | Mobile (though effectively stationary) |+| Category | Foragers |+| Biome | Coral Gardens, Shallows |+| Biomod Drop | [Water Secretion](Water_Secretion.png) |+| Nutrition | Food: -5, Health: 0, Water: +15 |  -![Water Slug](Water Slug.png)-  > "This organism filters brine into drinkable water. This may be an adaptation to the seawater's anomalously high viral load." — PDA upon first collection  -The **Water Slug** is a small, bottom-dwelling lifeform that is incapable of significant movement. It can be used to create drinkable water. It provides **-5 Food** and **+15 Water** when consumed. The **Digestion** adaptation is required to safely consume alien lifeforms. A player without this adaptation will not receive its effect and will be deducted health.+The **Water Slug** is a small, bottom-dwelling lifeform found in Subnautica 2. While classified as mobile, it is effectively incapable of significant movement and remains stationary in the environment. It serves as a crucial early-game source of drinkable water, providing +15 Water when consumed. However, it also deducts 5 Food points.   +**Important:** The **[Digestion](Digestion.png)** adaptation is required to safely consume alien lifeforms. Players without this adaptation will not receive the nutritional benefits and will suffer health damage upon consumption.+  ## Appearance  -Water Slugs are small creatures with a semi-translucent body. They have a large, long, muscular foot that is purple in color, with cyan specs seen around it. A large translucent bulb sits atop the foot, inside of which they possess a lengthy spiral gut, similar in shape to a coil. Four appendages grow out of the bulb at the back of it, two on each side of the body. Their color fades from cyan to yellow. The Water Slug possesses a small head present at the front, which is pink in color, featuring a yellow stripe going through the middle of it. Two eye stalks spread out of the sides of the head, with small golden eyes present at the ends of them. The mouth ends with a sharp, wide beak.+![Water Slug](Water_Slug.png)  +Water Slugs are small creatures with semi-translucent bodies. Key physical features include:+*   **Foot:** A large, long, muscular foot that is purple in color, speckled with cyan.+*   **Bulb:** A large translucent bulb sits atop the foot, containing a lengthy spiral gut coiled inside.+*   **Appendages:** Four appendages grow from the back of the bulb, two on each side, fading in color from cyan to yellow.+*   **Head:** A small pink head is located at the front, featuring a yellow stripe running through the middle.+*   **Eyes:** Two eye stalks extend from the sides of the head, ending in small golden eyes.+*   **Mouth:** The mouth ends in a sharp, wide beak.+  ## Behavior  -Water Slugs are completely motionless. They can be found around most of the world in various places, usually hiding in the foliage.+Water Slugs are completely motionless in their natural habitat, often hiding within foliage in biomes like the Coral Gardens and Shallows.   -When the player approaches a Water Slug, it retracts and begins to shake until they move away from it. If observed from afar, Water Slugs can be seen doing a variety of idle animations.+*   **Defensive Reaction:** When the player approaches, the Water Slug retracts into its shell and begins to shake. It remains in this state until the player moves away.+*   **Idle Animations:** If observed from a distance, Water Slugs perform various subtle idle animations.   ## Databank Entry  -**Water slug** (tentatively *Seaslug hydroclast*). A biological enigma that converts seawater into drinkable fresh water.+**Source:** [Scan](Scan.png) a Water Slug  -1.  **Microbial fuel cell**: Removing salt from seawater is energy-intensive. Nonetheless, the water slug does it, perhaps as a byproduct of an internal microbial reactor that feeds on waste in seawater.-2.  **Fresh water reserve**: A hydrophobic plastic bulb that protects the slug from rapid dehydration by saltwater.-3.  **Plankton farm**: The slug's water bulb hosts a highly productive plankton species, turning light into food. Fresh water may be necessary for the plankton's chemistry, or it may be a prison—a way to keep the plankton from leaving.-4.  **Vampiric aura**: The water slug's developed beak has a sharp cutting surface. Possible evolutionary history as a parasite or commensal, tapping a host's blood and filtering out toxins.+**Water Slug** (tentatively *Seaslug hydroclast*). A biological enigma that converts seawater into drinkable fresh water.  -**Assessment**: Only nearby source of drinkable water. Advise fabricator cook before drinking. In case of kidney problems, consider allowing the water slug to feed on your blood.+1.  **Microbial fuel cell:** Removing salt from seawater is energy-intensive. Nonetheless, the water slug does it, perhaps as a byproduct of an internal microbial reactor that feeds on waste in seawater.+2.  **Fresh water reserve:** A hydrophobic plastic bulb protects the slug from rapid dehydration by saltwater.+3.  **Plankton farm:** The slug's water bulb hosts a highly productive plankton species, turning light into food. Fresh water may be necessary for the plankton's chemistry, or it may be a prison—a way to keep the plankton from leaving.+4.  **Vampiric aura:** The water slug's developed beak has a sharp cutting surface. Possible evolutionary history as a parasite or commensal, tapping a host's blood and filtering out toxins.  -*Source: Scan a Water Slug*+**Assessment:** Only nearby source of drinkable water. Advise fabricator cook before drinking. In case of kidney problems, consider allowing the water slug to feed on your blood.   ## Gallery   ### In Game   ![Water Slugs in the Shallows grass](Waterslugsstalked.png) *Water Slugs in the Shallows grass.*   ![A single Water Slug](Waterslugchillin.png) *A single Water Slug.*   ![Closeup of a Water Slug](Waterslugwoobling.png) *Closeup of a Water Slug.*   ![A Water Slug being held](Waterslugfriend.png) *A Water Slug being held.*   ### Development  -![Concept art by Alex Ries](Water Slug Concept Art.jpg)+![Concept art by Alex Ries](Water_Slug_Concept_Art.jpg) *Concept art by Alex Ries.*  -![A developmental image of an experimentally upsized Water Slug](Big water slug prototype.png)+![A developmental image of an experimentally upsized Water Slug](Big_water_slug_prototype.png) *A developmental image of an experimentally upsized Water Slug.*   ### Other  -![One of the three partial Water Slug images that was put into the Time Capsule circulation](WaterslugTimeCapsule1.webp)-*One of the three partial Water Slug images that was put into the Time Capsule circulation.*+![Time Capsule Image 1](WaterslugTimeCapsule1.webp)+*One of the three partial Water Slug images put into Time Capsule circulation.*  -![Ditto](WaterSlugTimeCapsule2.webp)-*Ditto.*+![Time Capsule Image 2](WaterSlugTimeCapsule2.webp)+*Time Capsule Image 2.*  -![Ditto](WaterslugTimeCapsule3.webp)-*Ditto.*+![Time Capsule Image 3](WaterslugTimeCapsule3.webp)+*Time Capsule Image 3.*  -![An image featuring the Water Slug created for the 7th birthday of Subnautica](WaterSlugInfobox.webp)+![Subnautica 7th Birthday Image](WaterSlugInfobox.webp) *An image featuring the Water Slug created for the 7th birthday of Subnautica.*   ## Trivia  -*   The Water Slug was the first Subnautica 2 creature to be shown, being partially revealed in three images put into circulation in Subnautica's Time Capsules and subsequently added as a custom emote to the official Discord server.-*   The Water Slug cannot be cooked, unlike its counterpart in the first two games, the Bladderfish.-*   The Water Slug can be placed on hardpoints, although it does not appear visually until the game is reloaded. This is most likely a bug.+*   The Water Slug was the first Subnautica 2 creature to be shown, partially revealed in three images circulated in Subnautica's Time Capsules and later added as a custom emote to the official Discord server.+*   Unlike its counterpart in the previous games, the [Bladderfish](sn1:Bladderfish), the Water Slug **cannot be cooked**.+*   The Water Slug can be placed on [Hardpoints](Hardpoint.png), although it does not appear visually until the game is reloaded. This is likely a bug.