Like many Oxygen Not Included players, I recently set up a Pacu farm close to my base, near my trusty print pod. I thought I had created an ideal little aquatic haven for these fish, complete with pneumatic doors to keep them contained. However, instead of thriving, my Pacu quickly became “Overcrowded” and “Glum,” leaving me scratching my head despite seemingly normal egg laying. Then came the dreaded “Cramped” debuff whenever an egg appeared, halting all egg production!
This situation left me puzzled. What exactly triggers these debuffs, and how do they differ? Both “Overcrowded” and “Cramped” suggest too many critters in too little space, yet they appear under seemingly different conditions and have distinct effects on my Pacu operation. The initial “Overcrowded” debuff, causing general unhappiness, I somewhat understood. But the “Cramped” debuff, specifically tied to egg laying and seemingly halting reproduction entirely until egg removal, was throwing me for a loop.
My setup consisted of a 2×10 water tile pool, which I believed should be ample space. The Pacu didn’t seem to be trying to escape the enclosed area, content within their watery confines. However, the debuffs suggested otherwise. Was it the size of the room, the number of Pacu, or some hidden mechanic I was missing? The game provides limited insight into wild critter reproduction rates, making it even harder to diagnose the issue.
It turns out, understanding these debuffs requires looking at the specific space requirements for Pacu in Oxygen Not Included. “Overcrowded” is generally triggered when there are too many Pacu for the available water tiles in a room. While a 2×10 area might seem large, the game calculates critter density based on the number of water tiles per critter. Even in a 2×10 pool, a few Pacu can quickly trigger this debuff if the water tile to Pacu ratio isn’t sufficient.
The “Cramped” debuff, on the other hand, is often a secondary effect, triggered when an egg is laid in an already “Overcrowded” environment. It signals that the existing space is not only insufficient for the current number of Pacu but also cannot accommodate any additional critters, even eggs. This debuff is a more severe warning, directly impacting reproduction and highlighting a critical space shortage.
To resolve these issues and get your Pacu farm thriving near your print pod, consider these solutions:
- Increase Water Tile Area: Expand your pool significantly. Experiment with larger water bodies to reduce critter density.
- Reduce Pacu Population: If expanding isn’t feasible, decrease the number of Pacu in the enclosure to match the available space.
- Monitor Critter Density: Pay close attention to how many Pacu you have per water tile and adjust accordingly.
By understanding the nuances of “Overcrowded” and “Cramped” debuffs and optimizing your Pacu enclosure size, you can ensure a happy and productive Pacu farm, even if it’s just a stone’s throw from your print pod. Experimentation and observation are key to mastering Pacu breeding in Oxygen Not Included!
