Glow Squid in Minecraft: Where They Live and Glow Ink Uses
Glow squid live in pitch-dark underground water and don't give off light. Where to find them, and how glow ink sacs make glowing signs and item frames.
Glow squid are the cyan, sparkling squid you find in pitch-dark water underground. They’re harmless, they can’t be bred, and their only drop is the glow ink sac, which makes sign text glow and crafts glow item frames. Despite the name, they don’t light anything up.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Health | 10 (5 hearts) |
| Behavior | Passive |
| Spawns | Water at light level 0 below Y 30 (not in the deep dark) |
| Drops | 1-3 glow ink sacs (+1 per Looting level); 1-3 XP |
Where to look for glow squid
In Java, glow squid spawn in schools of four to six in any completely dark water below Y 30. That means flooded caves, underground lakes, aquifers and the bottom of ravines that open into the deep ocean. Bedrock uses a similar rule (dark underground water from Y -64 to 30) with schools of two to four. Neither edition spawns them in the deep dark.
Cave diving is the easiest way to find them. Lush caves often have water deep enough, and you might spot an axolotl attacking one, since axolotls hunt glow squid.
The glow isn’t light
A glow squid’s texture is drawn at full brightness, but it doesn’t emit block light. Drop a glow squid in a dark room and zombies still spawn beside it. When hurt, it stops glowing for five seconds and squirts a cloud of turquoise ink as it swims off.
Glow ink sacs
Every kill drops one to three glow ink sacs. Two uses matter:
- Glowing signs. Use a glow ink sac on a sign and the text glows, readable even in total darkness. Combine with dye on the sign to choose the color. Use a regular ink sac to undo it.
- Glow item frames. Craft a glow ink sac with an item frame. Whatever you put in the frame stays fully bright, great for labeling chests in a dim storage room.
Behavior
Glow squid swim aimlessly, opening and closing their tentacles. They never attack. Out of water they suffocate after about 15 seconds. Guardians and elder guardians attack them, and so do axolotls.
They’re a separate mob from the ordinary squid, which lives in surface water and drops regular ink sacs. Neither one can be bred, and baby glow squid (5% of spawns) grow up after 20 minutes on their own.
Glow squid are an aquatic mob, so Impaling does extra damage to them in Java, and in Bedrock while they’re in water.
Common questions
Does a glow squid give off light?
No. It looks bright, but it doesn't light up the blocks around it, so mobs can still spawn next to one.
What does a glow ink sac do?
Use it on a sign to make the text glow, or craft it with an item frame to make a glow item frame whose contents stay bright in the dark.
Can you breed glow squid?
No. Glow squid can't be bred, and babies only come from natural spawning.
Sources & verification
Facts on this page are checked against these references and in-game behavior for the stated edition(s). how we verify.
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