The Tadpole is the first submersible you can build in Subnautica 2, and it stays locked behind a fragment hunt until you scan three pieces of broken Tadpole hulls left behind by other Pioneers. Scanning the third fragment unlocks the crafting recipe along with two essential base modules you need to actually build the thing.
What you need before searching
Fragments sit between roughly 90 and 125 meters deep around wreckage and old colonist structures, so you need oxygen management gear before you head out. Open the character menu and turn on all landmark signals first, which makes wreck sites and Blackboxes visible from a distance.
| Gear | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Scanner | Required to register each fragment |
| Standard Air Tank | Required for the deeper wreck dives |
| Air Bladder | Fast ascents back to the surface |
| Wakemaker | Arm jets that cut travel time between sites |
Tadpole fragment locations
You only need three scans total, but the fragments are scattered across multiple wreck sites and bunkers. The cluster south of the Lifepod is the safest and most reliable run because all three pieces sit within one crater. The Blackbox and bunker routes are useful if you have already explored further out.
Cluster route: wreckage crater south of the Lifepod
Step 1: Face bearing S 195 from the Lifepod and swim about 145 meters across the surface. You will see a large debris field below with a deep crater carved into the seabed.
Step 2: Dive into the crater between 90 and 125 meters. The first fragment rests on a piece of metal debris near the rim. Use the Scanner, then deploy the Air Bladder to surface and refill oxygen.
Step 3: Dive back down and swim counter-clockwise around the crater's outer edge. Look for a circular hatch on a section of the crashed ship and enter the compartment. Scan the second fragment inside. The Moonpool blueprint unlocks for the Builder Tool here.
Step 4: Exit and continue counter-clockwise past the large clam-like structure. The third fragment lies on the sandy floor as the crater deepens. Scan it to unlock the Vehicle Fabricator blueprint and the Tadpole recipe.
Alternate fragment locations
If the cluster route is contested or you have already pulled fragments elsewhere, the following spots each contain one fragment. Mixing and matching works — the game only checks the total scan count.
| Location | Direction from Lifepod | Distance / depth |
|---|---|---|
| Blackbox - Ruby (fish skeleton on small formation) | Between NE and 30 | ~400 m |
| Colonist outpost past the Cicada wreck arches | South from the Ruby Blackbox site | Follow the tunnel formation |
| Colonist Bunker (Unauthorized NoA Modification) — red hatch in cliff face | SW, near Blackbox - Wander | ~250–280 m, hatch around 60 m depth |
| Old Habitat ruins (north) | N | ~430 m |
| Tadpole Pens (story mission) | Story-gated | Requires heat tolerance adaptation |
The Tadpole Pens hold two fragments and the Moonpool blueprint crate on the desk next to the docked Tadpole, but you cannot safely reach the area until you have cured the Angel Comb and earned heat tolerance.
What unlocks at each scan
The blueprint chain is staged across the three scans, so you do not need to track down separate Moonpool or Vehicle Fabricator fragments. Both base modules drop automatically as you progress through the Tadpole fragments.
| Scan | Unlocks |
|---|---|
| Fragment 1 | Progress toward Tadpole blueprint |
| Fragment 2 | Moonpool blueprint (Habitat Builder) |
| Fragment 3 | Vehicle Fabricator blueprint and Tadpole recipe |
You will see notifications on the left side of the screen confirming each unlock. Once all three are scanned, the Tadpole appears as a buildable vehicle inside any Vehicle Fabricator placed on a Moonpool edge.
How to verify the unlock worked
Open the Builder Tool and check the Standard Elements category. The Moonpool should appear under base pieces, and the Vehicle Fabricator should appear under vehicles. Place a Moonpool with enough vertical clearance underneath, attach the Vehicle Fabricator to one of its edges, and interact with it. The Tadpole recipe appears in the fabricator menu, requiring two Titanium Ingots, one Glass, one System Chip, and one Power Cell.
If the Tadpole option does not appear, you are missing a scan. Return to the wreckage crater and confirm all three fragments registered — partial scans do not count, and the Scanner has to fully complete its animation for each piece.