Probably Stolen Aquaculture and Fish Guide
If a fish is Suffocating, first check that the recirculating aquaculture system has power, contains water, and can meet the current stock's water demand. Treat that warning separately from dirty-water or health problems. The official material confirms the care loop—circulation, water quality, filtration, food, and energy—but does not publish a complete 1.0.0.12 capacity table.
Start aquaculture in Probably Stolen
The official 1.0 overview includes Aquafarmer as one of the nine starting scenarios. It begins with Tilapia and recirculating aquaculture systems, making it the most direct way to learn fish care. The earlier official Aquafarmer preview also describes a retired merchant who supplies the equipment needed to raise fish in tanks.
Aquafarmer is not presented as the only possible way to interact with fish. It is the documented start that puts the system in front of you immediately. If you chose another scenario, follow the contacts and upgrade routes available in that run rather than assuming a fixed day or price that the official sources do not state.
The official preview calls aquaculture slower-paced and lower-maintenance than rat ranching, but that is a comparison of the intended loop—not a promise that fish can be ignored overnight.
Build the basic RAS care loop
Think of the system as a chain. A tank full of fish is not enough by itself.
- Keep the recirculating system supplied with water.
- Keep its energy cell powered so circulation continues.
- Provide filtration and watch water quality.
- Feed the stock rather than treating water as the only need.
- Match the number and type of fish to the habitat the system can support.
The official Aquafarmer post says different varieties and species have their own habitat requirements. That means a setup that was stable with a small group can fail after the fish grow, reproduce, or are replaced with a different species. The exact water demand and capacity should be read from the current in-game interface; this guide does not invent a universal litres-per-fish number.
Keep power and water as separate checks
A full water container does not help if the RAS stops circulating, and a powered system cannot circulate water it does not have. Check both before changing filters, food, or stock.
Change one variable at a time
When several warnings appear, avoid rebuilding everything at once. Restore power and sufficient water, let the interface update, then address contamination or feeding. This makes it easier to see which condition caused the warning.
Fix fish suffocating
Two post-release community guides independently point to the same first checks: the system must be powered, the RAS water supply must be filled, and the available water must cover the fish currently in the tank. Larger or more numerous fish can push a previously working setup beyond its available supply.
Use this troubleshooting order:
- Confirm the RAS has an energy source and did not lose power overnight.
- Inspect the system's water supply, not just a nearby loose container.
- Compare current stock demand with the water available to the system.
- Reduce stock or increase supported supply if demand is above capacity.
- If suffocation clears but another warning remains, investigate water quality, filtration, food, or health separately.
This is a scoped troubleshooting workflow, not a verified table of exact capacities. The community sources were published after release, but neither identifies a precise 1.0.0.12 build or establishes one permanent threshold for every species.
Breed fish and harvest products
The official Aquafarmer preview says fish may lay and fertilize roe when their conditions are met. Eggs hatch into fry, and fry grow into mature fish. Reproduction therefore increases the load on the same water-and-power loop that kept the original stock alive.
Plan spare capacity before relying on breeding. A stable adult tank can become overcrowded when fry appear or mature. The official sources do not give a universal breeding timer or guaranteed reproduction rate, so treat the in-game condition display as the authority for the fish in your current build.
For harvesting, the official preview describes using a knife to slaughter and butcher fish for meat. It also states that some fish produce resources beyond meat; sturgeon can be handled with Surgery Tools to obtain caviar. This page does not claim a complete species-and-yield table.
Know what this guide does not claim
The Aquafarmer feature post was published during the final Demo period and explicitly says its GIFs show an updated interface coming to the full release. The later 1.0 overview confirms the scenario and its core loop. Together they support the workflow above, but they are not a current numerical database.
Do not use this page as proof of exact tank capacities, growth days, breeding odds, current prices, or the most profitable species. Those details need a recorded current-build test or a first-party table before they should be stated as facts.
FAQ
Why are my fish suffocating?
Check RAS power and the water actually available to the system, then compare it with current stock demand. If the warning clears but fish remain unhealthy, troubleshoot water quality and food as separate conditions.
Do I have to choose Aquafarmer?
Aquafarmer is the official start built around Tilapia and recirculating systems, so it is the clearest learning route. The official sources used here do not say that every other run is permanently locked out of aquaculture.
Is there a verified best fish for profit?
Not in the evidence used for this page. The official preview names Tilapia, eels, sturgeon, meat, and caviar, but it does not provide a current 1.0.0.12 profit comparison.