Merging
Yellow Merge pad rules, first Sardine into Mackerel, Hire-only Tier 1, Index to 24, and when boats take over.
What merging does
The yellow Merge pad turns same-tier fishermen into the next Index fish. Hire pads never skip tiers. Higher fish come from merges or boats.
First merge
Stand three Sardine Tier 1 fishermen on the yellow Merge pad to create Mackerel Tier 2. Hire 5 then merge once can climb several tiers in a chain.
- Find the yellow Merge pad. It sits apart from the Hire pads. Bring fishermen to Merge. Hire never creates higher tiers on its own.
- Stack three Sardines. First merge: 3× Sardine Tier 1 becomes Mackerel Tier 2. Each fisherman is locked to a fish. You do not pick the species by hand.
- Batch then merge. Hire 5 (or more), then stand on Merge to chain climbs. A Hire 5 batch can reach Trout Tier 3 after a few merges in a row.
Merge rules list
Fill same-tier groups before merging. Standing on the Merge pad keeps auto-merge running. There is no Merge-all button, so large fleets need time on the pad. Hire pads only spawn Tier 1; mid and late Index jumps lean on boats. Legendary pulls still chain-merge (three Swordfish toward Sea Urchin / Oarfish). Turn Deck Hand off briefly to read a new fish's live value.
- Fill same-tier groups before merging. Mixed half-stacks waste pad time.
- Standing on the Merge pad keeps auto-merge running for ready groups.
- There is no Merge-all button. Big fleets need time parked on the pad.
- Hire pads only spawn Tier 1. Mid and late Index jumps lean on boats.
- Plan Legendary merges: three Swordfish climb toward Sea Urchin, then Oarfish. A bad 65% pull can still feed the next Index step if you already hold two of a tier.
- Turn Deck Hand off for a second when a new Index fish lands so you can pick it up yourself and read the live fish value.
Fish Index table
Twenty-four Index fish from Sardine Tier 1 (fish value 1) through Golden Koi Tier 24. Early values include Mackerel 5, Trout 24, Salmon 89, Yellowtail 307, Flounder ~1.1K. Mid boat tiers include Octopus ~4K, Tuna ~15K, Eel ~234K, Pufferfish ~925K, Lionfish ~3.7M. Late snapshots include Sea Urchin 57M, Oarfish 225M, Crystal Carp 3.5B, Ghost Fish 13B, Golden Koi ~52T. Names match boat Hire pads; confirm live values on your Index screen.
| Tier | Name | Fish value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sardine | 1 | Hire / tutorial |
| 2 | Mackerel | 5 | 3× T1 merge |
| 3 | Trout | 24 | Merge |
| 4 | Salmon | 89 | Basic boat 75% · merge |
| 5 | Yellowtail | 307 | Basic boat 20% · merge |
| 6 | Flounder | ~1.1K | Basic boat 5% · merge |
| 7 | Octopus | ~4,000 | Rare boat 75% |
| 8 | Tuna | ~15,000 | Rare boat 20% · merge |
| 9 | Red Snapper | High (tens of thousands) | Rare boat 5% |
| 10 | Eel | ~234K | Epic boat 75% |
| 11 | Pufferfish | ~925,000 | Epic boat 20% |
| 12 | Lionfish | ~3.7M | Epic boat 5% |
| 13 | Swordfish | - | Legendary boat 65% |
| 14 | Sea Urchin | 57M | Legendary boat 25% |
| 15 | Oarfish | 225M | Legendary boat 8% |
| 16 | Coelacanth | - | Legendary boat 2% |
| 17 | Crystal Carp | 3.5B | Mythic boat 65% |
| 18 | Ghost Fish | 13B | Mythic boat 25% |
| 19 | Moonfish | - | Mythic boat 8% |
| 20 | Dragon Koi | - | Mythic boat 2% |
| 21 | Cosmic Ray | - | Secret boat 65% |
| 22 | Rainbow Fish | - | Secret boat 25% |
| 23 | Angelfish | - | Secret boat 8% |
| 24 | Golden Koi | ~52T | Secret boat 2% |
When boats take over
After early merges, docked boats become the main way to jump tiers. Keep merging for Index gaps, but do not expect Hire 100 to beat boat pools late.
Boat pools and skip rules: Boats.
FAQ
Can Hire pads spawn high-tier fish?
No. Hire 1/5/25/100 only produce Tier 1. Higher Index fish come from merging or boats.
Is there a Merge-all button?
No. Stand on the yellow Merge pad so ready same-tier groups auto-merge.
Are Index names complete through Tier 24?
Yes. Boat Hire pads list every name through Golden Koi. For live fish values, open your Index screen. Some mid and late numbers on this page are snapshots from play.
When should I switch to boats?
When early merges slow down and boats start docking with better pools. Keep merging for Index gaps, but boats beat Hire 100 for progress later on.
Do bad Legendary rolls still help?
Yes. Three same-tier Legendaries still merge up. If you already hold two Sea Urchins, another Swordfish can finish the third Urchin and open an Oarfish merge without needing the 2% Coelacanth.