Can You Feed a Nautilus in Minecraft? What to Know

Yup, Nautilus can be fed in Minecraft. Feeding is actually the main way you interact with this mob, whether you want to tame one, heal it, breed it, or just get it to follow you around.

To be clear, we’re talking about the Nautilus mob here, not the Nautilus Shell. The Shell has been in the game for years as a crafting item, notably used to get a Trident. The mob is new as it was added to the game in late 2025. Nautiluses swim and they can be ridden by players.

In this article, we’ll cover exactly what food a Nautilus eats, what feeding it actually does, how taming and breeding work, and why so many players get confused about this creature.

What Food Does a Nautilus Eat in Minecraft?

Minecraft Nautiluses eat any kind of fish, but Pufferfish is the one you need if your goal is taming it. Cod, Salmon, Tropical Fish, and their bucket versions all work too, just not for taming.

Other fish also work, but only for healing and breeding. This includes raw or cooked Cod, raw or cooked Salmon, and Tropical Fish, along with their bucket versions.

Most players assume any fish tames a Nautilus. But taming Nautilus is tied to Pufferfish.

Here’s what every potential food does for Nautilus:

• Pufferfish / Bucket of Pufferfish: tames an untamed Nautilus, and heals or breeds a tamed one.
• Raw Cod / Bucket of Cod: heals or breeds a tamed Nautilus only.
• Cooked Cod: heals or breeds a tamed Nautilus only, and restores more health than raw fish.
• Raw Salmon / Bucket of Salmon: heals or breeds a tamed Nautilus only.
• Cooked Salmon: heals or breeds a tamed Nautilus only, and restores the most health of any food.
• Tropical Fish / Bucket of Tropical Fish: heals or breeds a tamed Nautilus only.

What Feeding a Nautilus Actually Does in Minecraft

Feeding a Nautilus keeps it healthy, grows babies faster, and unlocks breeding, alongside taming.

Once a Nautilus is tamed, feeding it any fish restores health. If it’s already at full health, feeding two adults triggers breeding instead. Baby Nautiluses also benefit from being fed, since it speeds up how fast they grow.

Here’s a quick breakdown of what feeding does, depending on the Nautilus’s state:

• Untamed Nautilus: Pufferfish has a chance to tame it.
• Tamed adult, not at full health: any fish restores health.
• Tamed adult, full health: any fish can trigger breeding.
• Baby Nautilus: any fish speeds up growth into an adult.

Nautiluses also swim toward players holding fish.

Can You Tame a Nautilus With Food in Minecraft?

Yes, you can tame a Nautilus with food in Minecraft, but it has to be Pufferfish. Regular fish won’t trigger taming for Nautilus.

Here’s how taming actually works:

• Find a wild Nautilus in the ocean.
• Feed it a raw Pufferfish or a Bucket of Pufferfish.
• Each Pufferfish has roughly a 1-in-3 chance of taming it.
• Repeat until it becomes tamed.

When a Nautilus is tamed, you unlock the ability to equip it with a Saddle or Nautilus Armor, just like Wolf Armor in Minecraft.

Why Are Nautiluses Confusing in Minecraft?

Nautiluses are confusing mainly because the name already meant something in Minecraft before the mob existed. The Nautilus Shell has been around for a while, used to craft conduits.

The Shell is a crafting material you pick up. The Nautilus is a living creature you can tame, feed, and ride. They just happen to share a name.

What Happens After You Feed and Tame a Nautilus in Minecraft?

Once a Minecraft Nautilus is tamed, you can use it as an underwater mount. Equip a Saddle, and you can ride it. While riding, you no longer need to surface for air since the Nautilus grants an effect that pauses your oxygen bar underwater.

A tamed Nautilus also gives you:

• A faster way to travel through oceans, since it swims quicker than a player.
• A dash ability you can use to cover ground fast or escape danger.
• The option to add Nautilus Armor for extra protection while riding.

It’s one of the better options in the game for anyone exploring deep seas in Minecraft.

Common Mistakes Players Make With Nautilus Food

A few mix-ups come up with Nautiluses, and these are:

• Thinking “Nautilus” only means the Shell.
• Assuming the mob can’t be fed.
• Not realizing Pufferfish is required for taming.
• Expecting other fish to tame it too.

Feeding a Nautilus Is Easier Once the Confusion Is Gone

Overall, you can feed a Nautilus any fish in Minecraft. Pufferfish is the food that tames it. Once tamed, any fish keeps it healthy or leads to breeding.

While you can get acquainted with a Nautilus at any time in single player gameplay, you can also find players using them in SMP and roleplay servers. If you’re also looking to get this cool companion in a multiplayer setup, you can join a fitting server listed on MineRank, or invite your friends to a shared world.

Nautilus FAQs in Minecraft

How do I befriend a Nautilus in Minecraft?

You can befriend a Nautilus by feeding it Pufferfish or a Bucket of Pufferfish until it’s tamed.

Can you keep a Nautilus as a pet in Minecraft?

Yes, once tamed, a Nautilus stays loyal and can be your pet in Minecraft.

How to feed a Nautilus in Minecraft?

To feed a Nautilus in Minecraft, you can hold Pufferfish, Cod, Salmon, or Tropical Fish (or their bucket versions) near a Nautilus and use it on the mob to feed it.

What to give a Nautilus in Minecraft?

Pufferfish is needed for taming, while any fish, including Cod, Salmon, and Tropical Fish, works for healing and breeding.

Can you tame and ride a Nautilus in Minecraft?

Yes, you can tame a Nautilus with Pufferfish. Following that, you may equip a Saddle to ride it as an underwater mount.

How rare is a Nautilus in Minecraft?

Nautiluses aren’t rare. They spawn in groups of 1-3 across every ocean biome in Minecraft.