Home/ Guides/ Subnautica/ Below Zero Leviathans
❄️ Below Zero · Bestiary

Below Zero Leviathans

Below Zero has its own roster — none of the original's Reaper, Sea Dragon or Ghost. Here's every leviathan-class creature and the predators worth fearing: where each one lives, how deadly it is, and exactly how to get past it.

Verified vs. the official Subnautica wiki · Below Zero · June 2026
The short version
Deadly: Shadow Leviathan, Chelicerate, Void Chelicerate, Ice Worm. Passive & safe: Ventgarden, Glow Whale.
The Shadow Leviathan (deep caves) is the one that ends runs; the Ice Worm is on land and can't be killed — use a Thumper. Full bestiary ↓
🦑

Every Leviathan & Major Threat

Ordered roughly by how much they'll ruin your day. "Leviathan-class" is the game's largest size tier — but note a couple of big creatures (Squidshark, Cryptosuchus) are large predators, not leviathans, and one famously-named fish isn't a leviathan at all.

CreatureTypeWhere it livesThreatHow to handle it
Shadow LeviathanLeviathan — aggressiveCrystal Caves & Fabricator Caverns (deep, late-game)Deadly — attacks on sight, grabs your Seatruck/Prawn and sprays acidDuck into fissures or behind the large Morganite formations it can't reach. Prawn Suit tanks hits far better than the Seatruck; avoid tight tunnels.
Void ChelicerateLeviathan — aggressive (rare large variant)World's Edge / the Void, below ~1,700 mDeadly — biggest creature in the game; up to 3 spawn at onceJust don't swim past the map edge. It doesn't grab vehicles, but the swarm overwhelms you — turn back and ascend fast.
ChelicerateLeviathan — aggressiveTree Spires, Purple Vents, East ArcticDeadly — charges with a screech, grabs and holds your vehicleKeep distance and stay in a vehicle — it restrains rather than one-shots, so you can break free and flee. The Prawn can fight back; the Seatruck should run.
Ice WormLeviathan — aggressive (land)Arctic Spires (on the surface — it burrows, doesn't swim)Deadly & unkillable — lunges, horn-thrusts, can swallow you wholeDeploy a Thumper — its sound lets you cross safely while the battery lasts. It hunts by vibration, so move deliberately and stay near cover.
SquidsharkLarge predator (not leviathan-class)Deep Lilypads Cave, Deep Twisty Bridges, Lilypad IslandsAggressive — bite plus electrified tentacles that briefly cut vehicle powerStay above ~40 HP so a bite can't finish you. Don't linger in Lilypad caves; the Prawn handles the electric hits better than swimming.
CryptosuchusLarge predatorPurple Vents & Thermal Spires (incl. caves)Aggressive but mild — "more roar than bite"Give it room to avoid aggro. If it engages, one counterattack usually makes it retreat.
BrinewingCarnivore (not leviathan; often mis-called "Brinewolf")Sector Zero watersMostly harmless — freezes you in place (no damage) but leaves you sinking and helplessDon't get frozen near Symbiotes or on low oxygen. It has no damaging bite — just keep moving.
Glow WhaleLeviathan — passiveEast Arctic & Lilypad Islands; breaches the surfaceHarmlessSafe to approach — you can even ride its back. No action needed.
VentgardenLeviathan — passiveTree Spires, anchored over hydrothermal ventsHarmless & invulnerable — a 110 m living greenhouseSafe. You can swim inside it through the underside, ride its updraft, even build base parts in it.
Titan HolefishLarge passive herbivore (NOT a leviathan, despite "Titan")East / Sparse / West ArcticHarmless itself — "slow, stupid and delicious"The catch is the Symbiotes swarming it — deal with those to get near. The fish won't hurt you.
Frozen LeviathanLeviathan — deceased (story set-piece)Encased in ice at the Phi Excavation SiteNo threat — it's dead and frozenPurely environmental/story. Nothing to fight.
Don't get the labels wrong: the true leviathans are the Chelicerate, Shadow, Void Chelicerate and Ice Worm (aggressive) plus the Ventgarden and Glow Whale (passive). The Titan Holefish is not a leviathan (it's a big herbivore), and there is no "Brinewolf" — the creature people mean is the harmless-biting Brinewing.
🛟

What Actually Keeps You Alive

Below Zero Leviathans FAQ

How many leviathans are in Below Zero?
About seven leviathan-class entries: four aggressive (Chelicerate, Shadow Leviathan, Void Chelicerate, Ice Worm), two passive (Ventgarden, Glow Whale), and the dead Frozen Leviathan. None of the original game's leviathans appear.
What's the most dangerous creature?
The Shadow Leviathan in the deep caves — it attacks on sight and grabs vehicles. The Void Chelicerate is bigger and swarms, but only at the map edge.
Can you kill the Ice Worm?
No — it's effectively invulnerable. Use a Thumper to cross the Arctic Spires safely instead of fighting it.
Is the Chelicerate or the Shadow Leviathan worse?
The Shadow Leviathan — it lives in tight late-game caves where you can't easily flee. The Chelicerate grabs and holds you but you can usually break free and escape in open water.

More Subnautica guides

Know the monsters — here's the rest of the toolkit.