Quick answer: To tame an Archelon in ARK Survival Ascended you cannot knock it out: put Superior Kibble or Bio Toxin in the last hotbar slot and press E to feed it while it is awake. It takes a while and a lot of Bio Toxin, so clear Megalodons and Mantas from the area first.
Updated October 2026 for ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA).
The Archelon is a giant sea turtle that came to ARK Survival Ascended from the ARK Additions mod. Its shell halves most incoming damage, it carries four passengers and gives air to nearby players underwater. It also produces Archelon Algae, an excellent taming food for herbivores.
Archelon quick facts in ARK Survival Ascended
| Diet | Eats jellyfish (Cnidaria); once tamed it also accepts berries |
|---|---|
| Temperament | Docile |
| Taming method | Passive (feed it while it is awake) |
| Preferred kibble | Superior Kibble |
| Best food | Bio Toxin |
| How to immobilize it | Not needed: it is slow and docile, and very slow on land |
| How to knock it out | It cannot be knocked out: it is torpor immune and is tamed by feeding it while awake |
| Saddle | Archelon Saddle (level 45), with room for a rider and 4 passengers |
| Maps (ASA) | The Island, The Center, Ragnarok, Valguero, Genesis: Part 1, Astraeos |
How to tame an Archelon step by step
- Gather plenty of Bio Toxin (harvested from jellyfish) or Superior Kibble.
- Clear the area of Megalodons, Mantas and other sea threats.
- For extra safety, lure it to shore with a semi-aquatic mount like a Baryonyx or with ranged weapons: on land it is extremely slow.
- Put the food in the last hotbar slot, get close and press E to feed it. You can stand on its shell while taming.
- Keep feeding it whenever it accepts food until the tame completes.
Archelon taming food and taming calculator
These numbers come from ARK’s taming formula for a level 150 Archelon. The 1x column is the official rate and the 8x column is Tharyon’s rate. They are estimates: hitting the sleeping creature or a game patch can change them slightly.
| Food | Amount 1x | Time 1x | Amount 8x (Tharyon) | Time 8x (Tharyon) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Superior Kibble | 10 | 20 min | 2 | 4 min |
Archelon taming time by level with Superior Kibble
| Level | Amount 1x | Time 1x | Amount 8x | Time 8x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 4 | 8 min | 1 | 2 min |
| 60 | 5 | 10 min | 1 | 2 min |
| 100 | 7 | 14 min | 1 | 2 min |
| 150 | 10 | 20 min | 2 | 4 min |
Where to find the Archelon in ARK Ascended
It lives in the ocean, both in shallow water and the deep sea, and sometimes comes up near the shore. It is a huge, calm sea turtle that is easy to spot swimming slowly along the coast.
Official ARK Survival Ascended maps where it spawns: The Island, The Center, Ragnarok, Valguero, Genesis: Part 1, Astraeos.
Archelon abilities and uses
- Its shell halves most incoming damage.
- It is immune to stuns and deals 10x damage to jellyfish; after killing one it gains big damage and defense boosts for 90 seconds.
- When tamed, it slowly produces Archelon Algae, faster while swimming.
- Gives air bubbles that refill the oxygen of nearby players.
- Rises and sinks vertically underwater and carries four passengers.
Archelon variants
There is an X-Archelon, a biome variant from Genesis: Part 1.
Archelon breeding
The egg takes 5 h to hatch and the baby needs 7 d 17 h to reach adulthood at official rates. The egg needs 26-29 °C. On Tharyon (25x hatching and 35x maturation) that drops to about 12 min and 5 h 17 min.
Tips and mistakes to avoid
- It is great for taming Electrophorus and Tusoteuthis, since stuns do not affect it.
- It turns slowly: if attacked from behind, passengers with crossbows or pikes can cover it.
- Babies must stay fully underwater or they die within minutes.
Tame your Archelon faster on Tharyon
On Tharyon taming runs at 8x: a level 150 Archelon is ready in about 4 min instead of 20 min.
- ARK Survival Ascended with crossplay: PC, PS5 and Xbox.
- 8x taming, 2.5x XP and harvesting, 35x maturation and 25x hatching.
- 11 PvE maps: The Island, The Center, Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ragnarok, Valguero, Lost Island, Genesis 1, Astraeos and Forglar.
- Automatic events (a supply crate every 60 minutes and an event creature every 70), quests and an in-game shop.
To join, hop into our Discord and use the /link command. See every rate in the rates section.
Archelon taming FAQ
What does the Archelon eat after taming?
Once tamed it can eat berries. Bio Toxin also works and heals a little health per piece.
What food does the Archelon need for taming?
Superior Kibble or Bio Toxin, fed while it is awake. Have a lot of Bio Toxin ready.
Can you knock out an Archelon to tame it?
No. It is torpor immune and can only be tamed passively.
What level unlocks the Archelon Saddle?
At level 45.
Why is my Archelon not taming?
It is almost always one of these: it is not hungry yet (it only eats when its food bar drops, so the first bite can take a while), the food in its inventory is not one it accepts, it woke up because torpor ran out, or something is attacking it. Check that the taming bar goes up every time it eats.
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