BetterVannilaFishes

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!