Subnautica 2 Axum Bacterial Culture — Where to Find
Where to find Axum Bacterial Culture in Subnautica 2: the Karakorum Metal Farms cavern (~450m). Only 5 in the world and they don't respawn — harvest them safely.
Last updated: 2026-06-02
What Is Axum Bacterial Culture?
Axum Bacterial Culture is a meticulously bred microbe colony used to kickstart Axum alien technologies. Its main use is building the Metal Farm, which automates resource production. Think of it less as a raw material and more as a living catalyst: a single culture is what brings an Axum Metal Farm to life, letting it grow and regrow ore nodes on its own. Since each farm permanently claims one culture and only five exist anywhere in the world, every culture you collect is effectively a one-time decision about which ore you most want to automate for the rest of your playthrough.
⚠️ Extremely rare: there are only 5 in the entire world, and they do not respawn. Each Metal Farm consumes one, so plan ahead.
Where to Find It
Region: the Karakorum Metal Farms cavern
Direction: roughly 75° northeast of the Alien Ruins Research Base, ~870m away
Depth: ~450m (a Leviathan-patrolled cave)
They float in the glowing green industrial runoff pool at the centre of the Metal Farms cavern. It's a deep, Leviathan-patrolled cave, so approach with care.
To orient yourself, line up on a heading of about 75° northeast from the Alien Ruins Research Base and travel roughly 870m, dropping to around 450m of depth as you go. The glowing green pool is the unmistakable landmark at the heart of the cavern, so once the cave opens up, head for the green light. Keep the Tadpole close so you have somewhere safe to retreat if a Leviathan turns toward you.
Prerequisite: Tadpole Depth Module
Before harvesting, grab the Tadpole Depth Module (from the cave near Ruby's second blackbox signal) so your Tadpole can reach these deeper areas. Without the module the Tadpole simply can't dive to the roughly 450m where the cultures sit, so this upgrade is a hard requirement rather than a convenience. Picking up the module also gives you a reason to follow Ruby's second blackbox signal, which leads you to the right cave, so treat that signal as your natural stepping stone toward the Karakorum dive.
Harvesting Tips (Important)
- Use the Sonic Resonator: harvesting with the Sonic Resonator avoids a rare bug where manual harvesting causes the culture to glitch under the map. Because there are only 5 in the world and they never respawn, a single harvesting mistake cannot be undone — so favour this safest method.
- Or crack the shell with a light tool: a Flashlight or Scanner can break the casing without the destruction risk that comes with the Multitool.
- Avoid the Multitool: it's powerful enough to destroy the culture outright. If it's destroyed, one of your precious five is gone for good.
Because the culture sits in a Leviathan-patrolled cave at roughly 450m, secure the Tadpole Depth Module before you set out and keep an eye on the Leviathans patrolling the area. Planning your entire harvesting run as a single dive cuts down on repeat trips through these dangerous waters.
FAQ
Q: How many are there, and do they respawn?
A: There are only 5 in the entire world, and they do not respawn once harvested. It's a fixed, finite resource.
Q: What is it used for?
A: It kickstarts Axum alien technology; its main use is building the Metal Farm to mass-produce ore automatically. Each Metal Farm consumes one.
Q: What's the best tool to harvest it?
A: The Sonic Resonator is best; a light tool such as a Flashlight or Scanner can also crack the shell. Do not use the Multitool — it can destroy the culture.
Q: What do I need to reach it?
A: You need the Tadpole Depth Module to dive to ~450m, and you should beware the Leviathans patrolling this cave.
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