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BetterVannilaFishes

Dive into a more vibrant and diverse ocean. Re-imagined, re-animated, and re-alive.
by niannian
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Updated Jul 6, 2026
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Biomes Mobs

Tired of the same old generic fish swimming in Minecraft's oceans? Better Vannila Fishes is a complete overhaul of aquatic life, designed to bring a new level of realism, depth, and excitement to your underwater explorations.

This mod removes the default vanilla fish (Cod, Salmon, Pufferfish, Tropical Fish) from world generation, replacing them with a carefully crafted roster of 44 new, realistic species — from colorful reef dwellers to apex ocean predators — each with unique behaviors, uses, and stunning GeckoLib-powered animations.


🌟 What Does This Mod Add? 🌟

🐟 Cod — 3 Species

Regional variants of the classic cod, each with distinct appearances:

  • Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) — The iconic North Atlantic staple.
  • Pacific Cod (Gadus macrocephalus) — Its Pacific cousin.
  • Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) — A valuable bottom-dwelling species.

🐠 Salmon — 3 Species

  • Male Salmon — Distinguished by its vibrant coloration.
  • Female Salmon — Subtler hues, equally important.
  • Pacific Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) — The iconic red salmon of the Pacific.

🐡 Pufferfish — 3 Species

Beautiful but deadly — handle with care! Each features a realistic inflation mechanic:

  • Yellow Fin Puffer (Diodon holocanthus)
  • Obscure Puffer (Takifugu obscurus)
  • Porcupine Fish (Diodon holocanthus)

🔵 Surgeonfish — 6 Species (NEW!)

A vibrant family of coral reef fish, perfect for bringing tropical reefs to life:

  • Achilles Tang (Acanthurus achilles)
  • Powder Blue Tang (Acanthurus leucosternon)
  • Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus) — Yes, that's Dory!
  • Convict Tang (Acanthurus triostegus)
  • Whitecheek Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans)
  • Lined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus)

🟠 Clownfish — 6 Species (NEW!)

Replacing vanilla Tropical Fish with realistic, individually modeled clownfish species:

  • Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) — The classic Nemo!
  • Spine-cheeked Clownfish (Premnas biaculeatus)
  • Saddleback Clownfish (Amphiprion polymnus)
  • Pink Skunk Clownfish (Amphiprion perideraion)
  • Clark's Clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii)
  • Orange Clownfish (Amphiprion percula)

🌿 Cichlid — 6 Species (NEW!)

Freshwater tropical fish found in rivers and swamps:

  • Chameleon Cichlid (Australoheros facetus)
  • Black Acara (Cichlasoma bimaculatum)
  • Guyana Eartheater (Krobia guianensis)
  • Saddle Cichlid (Aequidens tetramerus)
  • Paraguay Eartheater (Gymnogeophagus balzanii)
  • Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)

🦈 Tiger Shark (NEW!)

居氏鼬鲨 (Galeocerdo cuvier) — A formidable apex predator now patrols the deep ocean!

  • 80 HP and 15 attack damage — a true threat to unprepared divers.
  • 3 color variants: Original, White, and Contrast.
  • Attacks fish and any creature affected by the Bleeding effect.
  • Custom shark-specific navigation and attack AI.
  • Drops Shark's Fin — a unique trophy item.
  • Can be displayed as a Tiger Shark Specimen mount!

🗡️ Spearfish (NEW!)

条纹枪鱼 (Kajikia audax) — A fast, aggressive ocean hunter:

  • Will charge and strike when threatened, dealing AoE damage.
  • Spawns in varying sizes — from sleek juveniles to massive adults.
  • Drops cook into a hearty Cooked Spearfish meal.

🌺 Feather Star (NEW!)

海羽星 — A graceful, alien-like sea creature:

  • Moves by graceful hopping across the ocean floor.
  • Drops Feather Star Tentacles — a unique crafting material.

🐚 Nautilus

A prehistoric wonder of the deep, now more than just a conduit ingredient:

  • Tameable using Tropical Fish! Once tamed, follows you faithfully.
  • Provides the Nautilus Blessing buff to nearby players: restores air, removes Mining Fatigue, and boosts attack speed.
  • Retreats into its shell when threatened, gaining powerful damage absorption.
  • The ultimate aquatic companion for ocean explorers.

⚙️ Mechanics & Features

🏊 Custom Swimming AI

All creatures are brought to life with a custom, advanced swimming and turning system with GeckoLib animations, making their movements fluid, realistic, and a joy to watch. Fish form natural flocking groups with leader-follower dynamics.

⚖️ Size Variation & Trophies

Not all fish are created equal! Cod, Salmon, Spearfish and more spawn in a range of different sizes. Celebrate your biggest catch with 8 types of Taxidermy Specimen mounts — including a massive Tiger Shark display!

⚔️ Enchanted Pufferfish

Craft pufferfish drops into the Enchanted Pufferfish — a unique ranged weapon that automatically locks onto nearby undead and guardians, firing devastating energy beams.

📖 Summary

Feature Details
Total New Species 31 unique creatures across 8 families
Replaces Vanilla Cod, Salmon, Pufferfish, Tropical Fish
New Families Surgeonfish, Clownfish, Cichlid, Shark, Spearfish, Feather Star
Custom AI Flocking, charging attacks, shark hunting, shell retreat
Status Effects Nautilus Blessing, Bleeding, Purification
Special Items Enchanted Pufferfish, Shark's Fin, Feather Star Tentacle
Decorations 8 Taxidermy Specimen mounts
Tameable Nautilus — grants powerful area buffs
Animation Full GeckoLib-powered models and animations
Languages English & 简体中文

Dive Deeper. Explore Further. The ocean has never been more alive!

BetterVannilaFishes-1.21.1-1.1.1.jar
MC Client, 1.21.1, NeoForge, Server
Release 2026-06-08 Get
BetterVannilaFishes-1.20.1-1.1.1.jar
MC Client, 1.20.1, Forge, Server
Release 2026-06-08 Get

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