How to investigate the Tadpole Pens in Subnautica 2

In Subnautica 2, after discovering multiple Blackbox entries and learning more about the whereabouts of various colonists who came before you, your next task will be to investigate the Tadpole pens for more clues. However, there's a catch—we need a passcode to enter the facility.

Although you can explore the area's first couple of rooms, you can't fully unlock it until you find an access key to activate a locked door. Here's a deep dive on how to investigate the Tadpole Pens in Subnautica 2.

Tadpole Pens access keycode location in Subnautica 2

Investigating the Tadpole Pens requires visiting Zip's Blackbox location, 350 meters southwest of the facility. After arriving at the Tadpole Pens and exploring its interior, you'll find a separate signal marker leading you to "Blackbox - Zip." The access key is next to the Blackbox.

I recommend having access to the Tadpole mini submarine before exploring these areas. Although you can swim around, the far distance make it a slow process, and the depths you'll be exploring will cause rapid oxygen drain regardless of your unlocked Adaptations. There are also multiple aggressive fish that'll attack you near the Tadpole Pens, Zip's Blackbox, and all throughout the volcanic ocean biome that you'll be exploring.

While past Blackbox locations just required beelining it to their quest markers, you'll instead want to detour into a cave hold in the ocean floor once you're about 150 meters away from its location.

As you approach the Zip Blackbox quest marker, you'll eventually reach a small cave with the Blackbox and a purple tentacle-like tendril on the ground. Atop this tentacle is a small databank label "Tziporah "ZIP" Malk" that, upon interacting with it, will grant you the access keycode for the Tadpole Pens doorway. You'll also find a Thermal Plant to scan.

Once you interact with the databank, you'll earn a new entry, "Kurul Level Access Key." You can now exit the cave, make the trek back to the Tadpole Pens, and press the button in front of the hatch door to enter the rest of the facility. If you don't remember which direction to go, you'll still have the "investigate the Tadpole Pens" quest marker to lead the way until you unlock this last door.

If you’re struggling to pick up resources around the map and want more inventory spaces before exploring beyond this point in the story, check out our list of every Biobed Adaptation location in Subnautica 2, or click the tags below to explore our growing guide collection.

The post How to investigate the Tadpole Pens in Subnautica 2 appeared first on Destructoid.