I have a question about shiny Pokemon: Specifically, Mareanie. I noticed that the shiny forms of Mareanie are very similar to the normal colouration of the Corsola. Is this a coincident, or have shiny Mareanie actually evolved to blend in with and sneak up on Corsola better? Thank you for your time!

This is actually more of a coincidence. After all, if it was an evolutionary trait that benefited mareanie, you’d see far more pink ones. You see, mareanie actually try to blend in with stones in the shallower depths of the ocean floor (or the surrounding water) more than corsola colonies, while corsola colonies are brightly colored, partly due to their diets and partly to make it easier to find one another. A blue corsola is difficult for other corsola to see, and a pink mareanie is easier for predators to spot (or they’re simply mistaken for corsola by other mareanie).

Of course, both colors have their advantages: blue corsola are more difficult for mareanie to see (because they blend in with the water and sand), while it’s true pink mareanie find it easier to sneak up on corsola. It’s just that the colors don’t really provide that much of an advantage for either species, and the reasoning behind those colors has more to do with pure accident than adaptation.

When I first moved to Alola, I befriended a Mareanie with gigantism. Now, eight years later, he’s leaving with me as my starter. He’s a Toxapex now, and given his size I wondering, are there any health concerns if I use his bunker as a tent while we’re on the road? Also, are there rules against letting him hunt for Corsola whole we’re out? I know it’s a controversial topic, but… I mean, he’s my best friend and it’s his favorite food.

Allow me to answer your second question first. In regions where there are no corsola protection laws (such as in Alola, where the mareanie line is a native species, and Johto, which features a dense population of corsola), it’s fine to let your toxapex hunt, although Johto restricts how many pounds of corsola a day you can fish for this purpose to avoid decimating the native corsola population. On the other hand, despite corsola being abundant there, the entire nation of Australia strictly prohibits corsola hunting. In short there, it depends on the region you’re visiting. Remember to check local regulations at the start of your journey to determine specific policies. You can even simply ask a league representative when you register for that region’s league.

As for your first question, so long as he doesn’t mind and you’re careful, it should be fine. Just be sure to avoid his fragile body and his venomous spikes when you wake up in the morning.

Best of luck, and congratulations on your new journey!

Hey Bill! I’ve been considering getting a Corsola, but I am a worrywart of a trainer and the reason I can’t decide to get one or not is due to Mareanies. I don’t want to force my Corsola to always stay within eye sight, but I am afraid what could happen if they ran into their natural predetor, and wonder if there is any way I could help Corsola counter or look less attractive as a meal to a Mareanie?

The best advice I could possibly offer in this situation is informing you that corsola can learn Calm Mind, Psychic, and Earthquake via the TM system and that the mareanie line is part poison.

(Well, that and mareanie tend to be rare outside of Alola, so you may not have much to worry about at all.)

Best of luck, anonymous!

Corsola

Corsola
The Coral Pokémon
Type: Water/Rock
Official Registration #: 222
Entry: A vibrantly colored coral-like pokémon that dwells in warm, shallow seas. Although this pokémon can be highly mobile, it prefers congregating into massive colonies not far from sandy, warm beaches and staying there. This behavior is so well-known that humans feel perfectly safe building entire communities atop corsola forests, and pokémon frequently make nests in corsola’s sturdy horns. However, due to rising ocean temperatures, corsola’s normally brilliant colors have been fading, and its normally sturdy arms—which shed naturally at a rate of once per year—have begun shedding more frequently every year. All of these signs are key indicators of an oncoming drop in corsola populations as corsola devote more time and energy to self-preservation than breeding. Or, at least, this is what scientific experts say. According to Unovan politicians, meanwhile, the weather changes all the time, and corsola are known for being lazy pokémon that have absolutely no overall impact on our ecology, so what’s a few corsola, anyway?