Male Hatchling
Name: unnamed
Species: Aphotic Leviathan
Birthday: Thursday, August 9, 2018
Owner: Kiwi329
Element: Neutral 
Aphotic leviathan hatchlings are tiny and mostly helpless, spending the first few weeks of life adrift in the ocean currents. They have large heads and will gobble down anything within reach, much like the adults, but their underdeveloped fins prevent them from actively chasing prey down until they get larger. It's not uncommon for the currents to send the leviathan fry up to the surface, even though they live at the depths as adults. When their fins start to grow in and they can swim against the current, their teeth grow larger and they start to hunt as active predators. Eventually, they'll gain control over their photic sacs and descent to the depths of the ocean where they can use the lights to manipulate their prey.
The eerie aphotic leviathans are seldom seen at the surface, dwelling hundreds of meters down in the oceans' deepest trenches. Glowing sacs all around their bodies contain tiny organisms -- the same organisms responsible for the light of the Candle Archipelagos waters -- that attract shrimps and other small creatures to them. When something large enough comes along, the leviathans contract and extend their phosphorescent sacs to create pulsating displays of light. The light disorients the larger creature so the leviathan can rush up and swallow it whole. While they're the bane of the deep trenches, the lack of food that far down limits the size of the leviathans, so it's rare to find even a female longer than a few feet. They can still deliver a nasty bite to any deep sea-exploring magi who wanders too close.
Sprite art: Lazuli (hatchling) | Description: PKGriffin