Critters and Companions Mod

Overview

Vanilla Minecraft has a solid roster of animals, but after a few hundred hours the world starts to feel thin. The Critters and Companions mod fills that gap by adding nine new mobs, all designed to fit naturally alongside existing creatures. You get land animals like ferrets and red pandas, water dwellers like koi fish and dumbo octopuses, and a few quirky passive critters in between. Some of these mobs have genuinely useful mechanics, such as koi fish granting the Luck effect or dumbo octopuses providing a bubble helmet when you are drowning. The mod supports Forge, Fabric, and NeoForge, and works with Minecraft 1.20.1 and 1.21.1. This Apex Hosting guide walks through downloading, installing, and getting the most from every creature the mod adds.

How to Download the Critters and Companions Mod

Navigate to Critters and Companions on CurseForge, then click Files near the top.
Locate your desired Game Version for this mod in the list below.
Once found, press the three vertical dots on the right and click Download File.
Save this file somewhere easily accessible on your computer for later.
Repeat this process for the GeckoLib dependency mod, as it’s required.
Fabric Only: Make sure to install Fabric API too so everything works as intended.

Client Installation

Before getting started with Critters and Companions, you need to set up Forge, Fabric, or NeoForge on the Minecraft launcher. This gives the launcher the ability to load mods. After installing Forge on your Minecraft launcher or your preferred loader, follow these steps to add the mod.

Open your Minecraft launcher and click Installations near the top.
Locate your previously installed Forge, Fabric, or NeoForge profile, then press its Folder icon.
In the new window, find and enter the mods directory in the list.
Note: If you don’t see this folder, create it before proceeding with the installation.
Drag and drop the downloaded files into this folder.
Return to the main launcher and press the Play button on your modded profile.

Server Installation

The Minecraft server must have Forge, Fabric, or NeoForge installed to support mods. Select the correct loader and version in the Game File area of the main panel, then restart to generate the necessary files. Once done, follow these steps to add Critters and Companions to the server. For a full walkthrough, see the guide on adding mods to your Minecraft server.

Head to your Apex server panel and click FTP File Access near the top left.
Type your Password in the text box, then press the Login button to gain access.
Enter the mods directory from the list and click Upload at the top left corner.
Drag and drop the downloaded files into the upload area.
Wait for them to reach 100%, then return to the main panel and Restart the server.

Getting Started with Critters and Companions

After joining the server, new creatures may already appear near your spawn point. Ferrets turn up in forests, otters patrol rivers, and red pandas hide out in jungles. The quickest way to find a specific critter is to enable cheats or set yourself as an operator, then use spawn eggs in creative mode to confirm the mod is loaded. The sections below cover every mob, where it spawns, and what you can do with it.

Land Animals

These creatures spawn on the surface across various biomes. None of them live in rivers or oceans.

Ferrets

Ferrets are small predators that spawn in forests and actively hunt chickens and other small mobs. Tame them with raw rabbit, and they become loyal pets that help you hunt for food. Tamed ferrets also dig up buried treasure periodically, making them one of the more useful companions in the mod.

Dragonflies

Dragonflies spawn hovering above rivers. Tame one with spider eyes, and you can equip it with armor to help it fight hostile mobs. These flying critters are practical travel companions, especially in areas where you face ranged or airborne threats.

Leaf Insects

Leaf Insects are small passive creatures that only spawn in forests. They cannot be tamed or interacted with directly, but they react to music by dancing near a jukebox. They add visual variety to forested builds without affecting gameplay.

Red Pandas

Red Pandas spawn exclusively in jungle biomes and sleep through the day. Breed them with bamboo and tame them with sweet berries. Once tamed, they scare off aggressive mobs, which proves useful when exploring caves or building in areas with frequent hostile spawns.

Shima Enagas

Shima Enagas are small birds that spawn in snowy biomes. Tame them with seeds, and they will perch on or under trees near your base. They are purely cosmetic companions, but they bring visible life to what are otherwise quiet, empty snow biomes.

Water Creatures

These mobs live in rivers and oceans. Several of them can be captured in buckets and relocated to base ponds or aquariums.

Otters

Otters spawn in rivers, swimming on the surface and attacking nearby fish. Fishing in otter-populated rivers occasionally produces clams. Otters open these clams, sometimes revealing pearls, which are crafted into a pearl necklace. Otters are one of the more interactive water mobs the mod adds.

Koi Fish

Koi Fish spawn in rivers and grant the Luck status effect when a group of them forms nearby. The Luck effect improves loot table rolls, helping you get better items from chests and fishing. Capture koi in a bucket to move them to a pond at your base for a reliable Luck source.

Dumbo Octopuses

Dumbo Octopuses spawn in deep ocean biomes. When a player is drowning nearby, a dumbo octopus provides a temporary bubble helmet, giving you a few extra seconds to reach the surface. Capture one in a bucket to keep it on hand for deep ocean exploration or shipwreck diving.

Sea Bunnies

Sea Bunnies are small snail-like creatures that live at the bottom of oceans. They are passive and do not provide combat utility, but they can be picked up in buckets and kept as decorative pets. Sea bunny slime can also be collected with glass bottles and crafted into sea bunny slime blocks, adding a unique building material.

New Mob Spawns

Critter	Spawnpoint
Otter	Rivers
Ferret	Plains & Forests
Dragonfly	Above Rivers
Leaf Insect	Forests
Red Panda	Jungles
Shima Enaga	Snowy Biomes
Sea Bunny	Oceans
Dumbo Octopus	Deep Oceans
Koi Fish	Rivers

Special Items

Critters and Companions adds two craftable items: Dragonfly Armor and the Pearl Necklace.

Dragonfly Armor strengthens your tamed dragonfly companion, improving its combat effectiveness against hostile mobs.

The Pearl Necklace is crafted from pearls found inside clams that otters open. Wearing it reduces detection range for drowned zombies and guardians, and increases your swimming speed underwater. Both effects make it a strong choice for anyone spending time in ocean or deep ocean biomes.

Common Issues

Unable to Join or Launch

If the game fails to launch or the server refuses connections after installation, the most common cause is a missing dependency. Check that GeckoLib is installed alongside Critters and Companions. Fabric users also need the Fabric API. All mods must match the loader version, so a Forge 1.20.1 server requires Forge 1.20.1 versions of every mod. If the connection still fails, verify that the correct loader is selected in the Game File area of the panel, re-upload the mod files, and restart. If the problem continues, contact the Apex Support Team for direct assistance.

No New Creatures in World

If no new creatures appear after loading the mod, first check for conflicts with other animal mods. Critters and Companions can be incompatible with mods that modify the same spawn categories. Remove other animal mods and test the world in isolation. Switch to creative mode and check your inventory for Critters and Companions spawn eggs. If none appear, the mod is not loading correctly on your server or client.