Fish Eat Fish is a colorful underwater survival and growth game from Indiesoft where you begin as a small fish, eat smaller sea creatures, avoid anything larger than you, collect gems, and gradually rebuild a damaged coral reef.
What I like about the game is that getting bigger is not the only goal. Growth gives you more opportunities to collect gems, and those gems can be spent on plants, reef inhabitants, and other items that restore the underwater environment. The result is a simple arcade loop with a little long-term progression.
| Game Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Game | Fish Eat Fish |
| Developer | Indiesoft |
| Genre | Skill, Animal, Fish, Multiplayer |
| Gameplay | Eat smaller fish, grow, collect gems, rebuild the reef |
| Controls | WASD, Arrow Keys, U/H/J/K or Mouse |
| Supported Devices | Desktop, Phone, Tablet |
| Release | January 2022 |
| Latest Verified Update | March 2026 |
| Current Rating | 4.2 |
| Current Votes | 779K+ |
| Players | 1–3 |
| Multiplayer | Local multiplayer |
| Main Characters | Ivi, Neo, Tod |
Poki directly credits Indiesoft and describes Fish Eat Fish as playable alone, with two players, or with three players on the same device.
How Fish Eat Fish Works
The basic rule is simple:
eat fish smaller than you and avoid fish larger than you.
Every successful meal helps your fish grow.
As your size increases, more of the creatures swimming around you become possible targets.
At the same time, larger sea creatures remain a danger until your fish becomes big enough.
The main loop is:
swim → eat smaller fish → grow → earn gems → buy reef items → continue
Fish Eat Fish Controls
The current Poki controls depend on which fish you are using.
Player 1
- W: Move up
- A: Move left
- S: Move down
- D: Move right
Player 2
- Arrow Keys: Move in all directions
Player 3
- U, H, J, K: Move
- Mouse: Alternative control
Poki confirms all three control sets.
Start By Checking Fish Sizes
Size is the most important thing to understand.
A fish that is safe to approach later may be dangerous when you first begin.
Before moving toward another creature, compare its size with yours.
Larger fish should be avoided until your character has gained more size.
Growth Changes What You Can Eat
Fish Eat Fish uses a simple food-chain system.
At first, only the smallest creatures are useful.
After eating enough, your character becomes larger.
That gradually increases the range of fish you can consume.
This means the same ocean changes as your size changes.
Do Not Chase Every Fish
It can be tempting to follow every small creature you see.
That is not always useful.
Chasing one fish too far can move you into an area filled with larger creatures.
I find it easier to stay aware of the whole screen instead of focusing only on one target.
Larger Fish Remain A Threat
The basic danger comes from creatures larger than your fish.
Poki specifically tells players to avoid anything bigger until the size advantage changes.
That keeps the game easy to understand:
smaller = useful
larger = avoid
Three Fish Characters Are Available
The main characters are:
- Ivi
- Neo
- Tod
Poki gives each character a separate player-control layout.
This makes them especially useful in local multiplayer because each person can control a different fish at the same time.
Ivi Uses WASD
Player 1 controls Ivi with WASD.
This is the most familiar keyboard layout for many desktop players.
If you are playing alone on a computer, it is a simple place to start.
Neo Uses The Arrow Keys
Player 2 controls Neo with the Arrow Keys.
This keeps the second control scheme away from WASD, making it possible for two people to share one keyboard.
Tod Uses U, H, J, K Or Mouse
The third fish, Tod, can use U, H, J, K or the mouse.
That gives the third player a separate control area and makes three-player local sessions possible without needing three separate devices.
One Player Mode Is Available
You do not need friends nearby to play.
Poki confirms that Fish Eat Fish supports solo play.
The same basic goal applies:
grow by eating smaller creatures while avoiding anything larger.
Two Players Can Share The Game
Two-player mode lets one person use WASD while the other uses the Arrow Keys.
Both fish appear in the same underwater environment.
That makes Fish Eat Fish work well as a quick same-device game.
Three Players Can Play Together
Fish Eat Fish supports up to three local players.
The three control schemes are:
Player 1: WASD
Player 2: Arrow Keys
Player 3: U/H/J/K or Mouse
This is one of the game’s main features.
Multiplayer Is Local, Not Remote Matchmaking
The multiplayer setup is designed around several people sharing the same device.
Poki describes the game as playable solo, in pairs, or in threes and provides separate local control schemes for each player.
It should therefore be described as local multiplayer, not remote online matchmaking.
Gems Add Progression
Growing your fish also helps you collect gems.
Poki says the larger your fish becomes, the more gems you can earn.
These gems are not only a score.
They connect with the game’s reef-restoration system.
Spend Gems In The Shop
Collected gems can be exchanged for items.
Poki specifically describes using them to buy:
- Plants
- Reef inhabitants
- Other decorative or restoration items
That gives each run a longer-term purpose.
The Reef Has Been Damaged
Fish Eat Fish includes a simple story.
A shark attack has damaged the coral reef, leaving it without many of its original rocks, plants, and inhabitants.
Ivi, Neo, and Tod want to grow, collect gems, and restore their home.
Rebuilding The Reef Is A Main Goal
The shop lets you gradually return life to the reef.
Instead of growth ending when your fish becomes larger, the rewards can be invested into rebuilding the environment.
That creates two connected progression systems:
Fish progression: become larger.
Reef progression: spend gems and restore the area.
The Stone Golem Head Is Part Of The Story
Poki’s current description mentions an ancient Black Sea artifact called the Head of the Stone Golem as part of the reef-restoration story.
This adds a small narrative goal to what would otherwise be a straightforward eat-and-grow arcade game.
Sea Mines Cannot Be Eaten
Poki specifically warns that sea mines are not edible, regardless of how large your fish becomes.
Within the fictional game, treat them as obstacles rather than part of the food chain.
This is an important exception to the normal size rule.
Do Not Assume Bigger Means Everything Is Safe
Becoming large makes more fish available to eat.
It does not mean every object in the water becomes harmless.
Keep watching the environment even when your character has grown significantly.
Growth Gives You More Freedom
At the beginning, much of the ocean can feel dangerous.
As your fish grows, more creatures become smaller relative to you.
That gradually changes the way you move around the screen.
Instead of avoiding almost everything, you can begin moving more confidently through areas that were previously difficult.
Small Fish Are The Best Starting Targets
Early in a run, look for the smallest creatures.
These give you a safer way to build size.
Trying to approach larger fish before growing enough usually ends the attempt quickly.
The useful early rhythm is:
find small fish → eat → grow slightly → repeat
Stay Aware Of The Whole Screen
Because creatures can approach from different directions, watching only one side of the screen can cause problems.
I find it useful to keep your fish nearer an area where you can change direction easily.
That gives you more room when a larger fish appears nearby.
Do Not Get Trapped Near The Edge
Swimming into an edge while a larger fish approaches can reduce your movement options.
Try to keep enough open water around you to change direction.
This matters more as the screen becomes crowded.
The Ocean Becomes Busier As You Grow
Poki describes the ocean as becoming more crowded as the fish grows.
This increases the number of decisions you have to make.
You may see several smaller fish, several larger ones, and obstacles at the same time.
Mobile Play Is Supported
Poki officially supports:
- Desktop
- Phone
- Tablet
This is useful because some older versions of similar fish games were mainly designed for shared desktop keyboards.
The current Indiesoft Poki version is officially listed for mobile devices too.
Desktop Is Best For Three Players
Although mobile support exists, desktop is the most natural choice for three-player local play.
The separate WASD, Arrow Key, keyboard, and mouse control schemes are designed around a shared computer.
Solo play works more naturally across all three supported device types.
Release Date
Poki currently lists:
Release: January 2022.
This should be used for the current Indiesoft version rather than borrowing dates from older games with nearly identical names.
Latest Update
Poki currently lists:
Latest update: March 2026.
For a September 2026 Mopoga article, March 2026 is the freshest verified current-platform update date.
Current Fish Eat Fish Rating
Poki currently shows approximately:
4.2 from 779,511 votes.
Because the vote total changes over time, 4.2 from 779K+ votes is the cleaner publishing format.
Who Created Fish Eat Fish?
The current Poki version of Fish Eat Fish was created by Indiesoft.
Poki directly lists Indiesoft in the developer field.
This is important because several older or similarly titled games use different developer credits.
Other Indiesoft Games
Poki currently connects Indiesoft with titles including:
- Puffy Cat
- Fantasy Sandbox
- Mahjong Cards
These games use different mechanics, so the shared developer is the main connection.
Do Not Confuse It With Fish Eat Fishes
There is another game called Fish Eat Fishes by DonislawDev.
CrazyGames dates that separate title to 2018 and describes its own one-to-three-player growth gameplay.
It is not the same game as the current Indiesoft Fish Eat Fish on Poki.
Do Not Confuse It With The Older Y8 Version
Y8 also hosts Fish Eat Fish 3 Players, which it credits to Y8 Studio and dates to December 21, 2014.
That is another separate publication.
For the Mopoga page titled Fish Eat Fish, the current Poki version should use:
Developer: Indiesoft
Release: January 2022
Update: March 2026
Common Fish Eat Fish Mistakes
One common mistake is approaching a fish without comparing its size first.
Another is chasing a small fish so aggressively that you move close to a larger one.
Players may also focus entirely on growth and forget to spend collected gems on reef restoration.
In multiplayer, another common problem is mixing up the three control layouts.
A Better Way To Play
Start by targeting clearly smaller fish.
Keep open space around your character.
Grow gradually.
Avoid larger creatures and sea mines.
Once you have earned gems, check what can be added to the reef.
In local multiplayer, make sure every player knows their control scheme before starting.
A useful rhythm is:
check size → swim → eat → grow → collect gems → restore reef → repeat
Related Categories
Fish Eat Fish fits naturally into:
- Fish Games
- Animal Games
- Skill Games
- Multiplayer Games
- Two-Player Games
- Three-Player Games
- Local Multiplayer Games
- Mobile Games
- Arcade Games
Poki currently connects it with Skill, Animal, Multiplayer, Fish, and 2 Player categories.
What Makes Fish Eat Fish Different?
Fish Eat Fish takes the familiar eat-smaller-creatures growth idea and adds a longer progression system.
You begin tiny.
Eat smaller fish.
Grow larger.
Earn gems.
Then spend those gems restoring a coral reef damaged by a shark attack.
The ability to play with one, two, or three people on the same device also gives it more flexibility than many single-player fish-growth games.
Its simple size rules make it easy to understand, while the reef shop and March 2026 update give the current Indiesoft version more structure than the older similarly named games.
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