Subnautica is a fascinating survival game, set almost entirely underwater, and on an alien planet, to boot. Like any good survival-based game, the world is full of resources to be harvested, refined, and crafted, all to help players survive this new environment.
But not every resource is equal in abundance. The world knows how to make the most valuable items scarce, be it through difficult to access locations or simple scarcity.
Many items, once harvested, won’t respawn during gameplay, meaning players will have to choose wisely in how they use them. But here, however, is a small list of every resource that fortunately will respawn.
Fish - Via In-Game Time And Eggs
Should players eventually manage to strip an entire biome of every mineral, metal, and piece of scrap, they need not worry about facing an empty ocean. But, no matter how much wildlife is slain for players’ food or merriment, the local fish population will always, eventually, return.
This can happen in one of two ways. The first is through natural, wild repopulation. After any fish has been killed – from the most docile of Peepers to the most hostile of Leviathans – the biome will noticeably lack that specific creature for several in-game days (varying on the type of fish). This takes a long time, however, and for players whose diets consist mainly of sushi, it may not be a viable option.
This is where the second way comes in. Once players unlock the multipurpose room and alien containment tank, they can gather up some fish or their eggs, and deposit them inside. Though the eggs do take somewhat longer to hatch, living fish will quickly begin to produce among themselves (and can even be reintroduced into depleted biomes). So players need not worry. There will always be plenty of fish in the sea.
Fish Byproducts
Alongside respawning fish are their few respawning byproducts. Not all fauna on planet 4546b have byproducts, but those who do can be hatched or naturally bred alongside any other fish.
Among these creatures are the Gasopods and their Gas Pods, Sea Treader Leviathans and their feces, Crash Fish and their Cave Sulfur, and Stalkers and their teeth and scrap metal. The Gas Pods, Cave Sulfur, Stalker Teeth, and Scrap Metal are all valuable resources used in crafting. The Leviathan feces, and each respective fish (sans Leviathan), can be used as biofuel.
Plants & Flora (Except Corals)
The flora of planet 4546b also reacts similarly to overharvest as its fauna. That is to say, via several methods, the plants of the Crater will always, eventually, respawn. Barring corals, any plant depleted in a biome – from Acid Mushrooms, Creepvines, fruits, and more – will also naturally respawn in the area, after several in-game days. And again, this timeframe varies from plant to plant.
Of course, should players want a faster method, they can also grow the plants themselves. Using a knife on numerous flora or collecting fruit will yield seeds, which can then be grown at a much faster rate. Underwater plants can be grown on an Exterior Growbed, so long as it’s underwater. while land-based plants can be grown on an Interior Growbed, which can be placed in any base, Cyclops, or dry land.
Reefbacks (The Leviathan)
Reefbacks, while being fauna, are also a unique, miniature ecosystem to themselves. As their name suggests, this passive Leviathan hosts a small “reef” on its back, featuring numerous underwater flora that players can harvest for seeds.
However, Reefbacks will also have respawning barnacle nodes that can be harvested. These nodes can hold anything from Titanium, to Copper, to Silver and more. If or when players harvest all other outcrops of a biome, these nodes will be the last way they can get certain metals. So survivors should hold an appreciation for these Titanic fish.
