Fortnite Cuddle Fish - what does the cuttlefish do in Fortnite?

what does the cuttlefish do in Fortnite
(Image credit: Epic Games)

Wondering what the Fortnite cuttlefish does? Then you've probably caught a Fortnite Cuddle Fish – the official in-game name for these cute little cephalopods – from one of the fishing spots around the island. If you're a keen angler in the battle royale then you'll know that most fish you catch can be consumed to either increase your health or shields, or bestow another benefit such as thermal vision or a faster sprint speed.

However, you only have the option to throw these Fortnite cuttlefish, which stick to the surface they've been flung at then seeming sit there doing nothing, so it isn't clear what benefit they actually have in Fortnite. The truth is that their cutesy appearance is a complete deception and they're actually an offensive weapon, so read on to find out exactly what the Fortnite Cuddle Fish does and how to use it to your advantage.

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What does the cuttlefish do in Fortnite?

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Once you've hooked a Fortnite cuttlefish out of any fishing spot, which you can do with either a rod or harpoon, what you'll have in your possession is actually a proximity mine. If you throw this at an opponent and make contact, it'll hug on to them and explode shortly afterwards, dealing 35 damage. Throw the Fortnite Cuddle Fish at a surface instead and it'll stick, lying in wait until an enemy passes nearby then leaping towards them to try and attach themselves to the target.

These fish are found in stacks of 3 and can be carried in a stack of up to 6, allowing you place a number of them in a small area to lay a trap, and you can also pick them up again if you need to reposition. For one final trick, you can shoot the cuttlefish once it has been placed to immediately trigger detonation, making them a handy portable explosive as well.

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Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has over 500 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.