What are ferox good for? An Overview of the Trout, ARK Creature, and Aloe Plant

November 26, 2025 •

4 min read

The Latin word 'ferox' translates to 'fierce' or 'wild,' and its application spans from a rare, predatory trout to a powerful video game beast. Understanding what are ferox good for depends entirely on the context, as the term applies to wildly different subjects and offers unique benefits depending on which one you mean.

Quick Summary

This article explores the distinct purposes of different subjects named 'ferox,' explaining why the large ferox trout is a trophy catch, the ARK ferox is a useful companion, and Aloe ferox is a medicinal plant.

Key Points

Angling Trophy: Ferox trout are prized by anglers for their large size and rarity, representing a challenging catch in the deep lakes of Scotland and Ireland.
ARK Utility: The Ferox in ARK: Survival Evolved offers exceptional mobility and combat utility, transforming into a powerful beast when fed the Element resource.
Medicinal Plant: Aloe ferox, or Cape Aloe, is used for health and skincare, providing a laxative bitter sap and a moisturizing, antioxidant-rich gel.
Piscivorous Diet: Ferox trout grow to their immense size by switching from an insect-based diet to preying on other fish, particularly Arctic charr.
Context is Key: Understanding what ferox are good for depends entirely on the context, as the term applies to a predatory fish, a video game creature, and a medicinal plant.
Conservation Concern: Ferox trout populations are vulnerable due to their low density and reliance on specific spawning grounds, making catch-and-release vital.
Stronger than Vera: Aloe ferox contains higher concentrations of beneficial compounds compared to Aloe vera, offering more potent effects for medicinal and skincare applications.

The term 'ferox' can lead to confusion because it is applied to three very different entities across various fields. The most prominent uses refer to a large, predatory trout, a versatile creature in the video game ARK: Survival Evolved, and a medicinal succulent plant. Each one offers entirely unique benefits and applications.

The Prized Angler's Quarry: What are Ferox Trout Good For?

Ferox trout, a type of brown trout (Salmo trutta), are most notable for their massive size and predatory nature. They inhabit deep, glacial lakes and lochs primarily in Scotland and Ireland. Their value lies in being a challenging and rare catch for dedicated anglers.

Characteristics and Diet

As juveniles, ferox feed on invertebrates like other brown trout. However, upon reaching a certain size (approximately 35 cm), they transition to a piscivorous, or fish-eating, diet. This diet of smaller fish, especially Arctic charr, fuels their remarkable growth, allowing them to live for over 20 years and reach exceptional sizes. Tagging studies have even shown one fish quadrupling its weight in just four years after making the dietary switch.

The Angling Challenge

Anglers highly prize ferox trout not only for their size but also for the skill required to catch them. Techniques often involve deep trolling with large, fish-imitating lures or dead baits to target the fish at depths where they hunt. Slow trolling speeds of around 1.2 knots are recommended to give the fish ample opportunity to strike. The rarity and elusiveness of ferox mean catching one is a significant achievement.

The Genesis Creature: What are ARK Ferox Good For?

In the world of ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended, the ferox is a small, jerboa-like creature with incredible utility. When fed the in-game resource Element, it transforms into a ferocious, muscular, and powerful beast.

Mobility and Combat

This transformational ability is what makes the ARK ferox a valuable companion. In its large form, it gains a host of useful abilities:

Enhanced Mobility: It can climb walls and scale terrain with ease. Timed, repeated jumps can propel it great distances, making it one of the fastest and most agile land creatures. It also takes no fall damage.
Formidable Combat: It deals strong damage with its basic attacks and can even throw rocks with a ranged attack that deals significant damage.
Resource Gathering: On the Genesis map, it can harvest Element Dust and Corrupt Nodules.

A Worthwhile but Needy Companion

While powerful, the ARK ferox's transformation is temporary and depends on Element consumption. Overfeeding can lead to a tantrum, causing it to become aggressive towards its owner and other tribe members. However, its unique combination of combat prowess and unmatched mobility makes it an invaluable asset for exploration and raiding.

The Medicinal Succulent: What is Aloe Ferox Good For?

Aloe ferox, also known as Cape Aloe, is a large succulent plant native to South Africa, renowned for its medicinal properties. Unlike the other subjects, its benefits are focused on human health.

Diverse Medicinal Uses

Aloe ferox yields two main substances from its leaves, the yellow, bitter sap and the inner gel, each with different uses:

Bitter Sap (Aloin): The yellow latex found just beneath the leaf's skin contains high levels of aloin, a potent natural laxative. This sap has been used traditionally for centuries but requires careful supervision in its use, as it can be harmful if not used appropriately.
Inner Gel: The clear gel from the inner part of the leaf is rich in polysaccharides, amino acids, and antioxidants. It is used in skincare products for its hydrating and healing properties, and in some health beverages.

Advantages Over Aloe Vera

Some specialists suggest Aloe ferox is superior to the more common Aloe vera due to its higher concentration of beneficial compounds. It is also known to be more resilient and drought-tolerant. Emerging research suggests potential benefits for metabolic health, including blood sugar control and weight management, although careful, supervised use is required.

Comparing the Different "Ferox"


Feature	Ferox Trout	ARK Ferox	Aloe Ferox
Type	Large, piscivorous brown trout variant	Digital creature in a video game	Succulent plant
Good For	Providing a challenging trophy fishing experience	Enhanced mobility, combat, and resource gathering in-game	Medicinal applications for skin and digestive health
Key Characteristic	Piscivorous diet leading to large size	Temporarily transforms into a powerful beast with Element	Bitter sap contains potent laxative compound (aloin)
Habitat	Deep, glacial lakes in the UK and Ireland	The Genesis maps in ARK: Survival Evolved	Native to South Africa
Conservation Status	Vulnerable due to low population density	Based on game mechanics, not real-world conservation	Relatively resilient, though care is taken in harvesting

Conclusion

While the term 'ferox' might seem confusing at first, it represents a diverse range of subjects, each with its own unique purpose and benefits. From the ultimate angling challenge of catching a trophy-sized ferox trout to leveraging the dynamic power of the ARK ferox for in-game advantage, or utilizing the healing properties of the Aloe ferox plant, the context is everything. Each 'ferox' serves a completely different, yet fascinating, function in its respective domain.

For Further Reading on the Ferox Trout

For more in-depth information on the biology and conservation of the ferox trout, you can consult the official documentation from Inland Fisheries Ireland.

Inland Fisheries Ireland - Ferox trout (Salmo ferox)

Frequently Asked Questions

The main difference is their diet and size. Ferox trout are piscivorous, meaning they eat other fish, which allows them to grow much larger and live longer than brown trout, which primarily feed on invertebrates.

You can passively tame an ARK ferox by feeding it Element. When it is in its small, passive form, you must feed it Element repeatedly until it transforms and the taming process is complete.

The bitter, yellow sap (latex) of Aloe ferox can be consumed as a laxative but its use should be supervised by a healthcare professional, as it can be unsafe in high amounts and for prolonged periods. The inner gel is generally considered safer and is used in some health beverages.

Trolling with large, baitfish-imitating lures or dead baits in deep water is a common and effective method for targeting ferox trout. They are also known to hunt near the surface in low-light conditions during spring and autumn.

Ferox trout are typically found in deep, glacial lakes and lochs throughout the UK and Ireland, with notable populations in Loch Awe (Scotland) and Lough Corrib (Ireland).

If an ARK ferox is fed too much Element, it can become over-addicted. It will enter its transformed "beast mode" and become aggressive towards all creatures and players, including its owner and tribe members.

The inner gel of Aloe ferox is rich in polysaccharides, amino acids, and antioxidants, which help to hydrate and soothe the skin. It is used in skincare products to promote elasticity and aid in healing.