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The Old-Evolution-Mind control fungus!

Counter-Evolution-No mind control fungus!

[Orb]

Develop a gland that produces communication pheromones so we can start to have remote control over our subjects.

I just realized that we are exactly like the Beast from Homeworld: Cataclysm.  This is awesome.

The beast was a fungus? 

[omagaalpha]

We should get some sort of stomach/digestive tract. Just a small one, to be energy efficient.

We should improve our leaves to produce more energy, storing the excess in our fat cells.

Eventually, we may be able to lure potenrial slaves in with fatty "bait."

this sound good

[Armok]

Umm, we have chemical memories, the way to communicate is obvious:

Evolve to communicate by simply releasing memories into the water. (I guess this might count as REALLY information dense pheromones if you want to call it that)

Also, you need to be more clear about what exactly is going on, my current theory: The "hive mind" number is older fungi that have settled into the plantlike stage on the bottom, and have much larger brains, ordering their parasitic children that cant have as large brains dues to space constraints around.
If this is the case: Have two of the fishes settle down into hive mind units as well, improving our intelligence. Order two to infect something with arms or tentacles or soem other way of grasping, and have the rest hunt for food.

[Iituem]

That implies a very, very information rich method of protein manipulation on a cellular level.  Can we do that?  What you're proposing (scent) seems limited to information transfer on a level approaching that of speech at best - the method of transfer is too diffuse.

Also Jethro is absurd what are we even thinking.

[Armok]

either "very, very information rich method of protein manipulation on a cellular level" or customized DNA/RNA/?NA is pretty much what a chemical brain and good chemical memory means.

[Iituem]

It's not the chemical memory I have issues with, it's the dispersal system without direct contract.  Dispersing chemicals into a medium is essentially letting loose scents to pick up - even if they are information rich scents (this strongly depends on the number of scents used and the method of interpretation) they are still limited by their speed of diffusion - especially if you require multiple different chemicals to be emitted.  I believe the limitations of the medium will render this method of communication at best no better than talking (and indeed sound manipulation might be better, as you could use binary or similarly encoded emissions with rather less chemical expense).

[Armok]

I didn't say it'd be fast, or long range, or that it wouldn't degrade and leave old traces and cause general confusion. It'd have both huge disadvantages and huge advantages relative sound.

It'd also be completely useless on land, or in to fast moving water, or if the PH is not exactly right.

We'd probably still use the current touch requiring system for most things.

[USEC_OFFICER]

After briefly considering lungs (but you are a fungus, so why do you need them?) You create a stomach, to efficiently comsume food. (Which you desposite to your minions in a tasty paste) You also create some cells that release pheromones, giving you a way to communicate with your minions that does not involve touch.

You improve your DNA stealing cells (You now have a DNA library, sweet!), the hive-mind, and your leaves. You minions will now require less food, and you'll produce some as well.

You briefly consider having a few of your minions fuse with you, but then decide that there are better uses for them, at least for now.

You send off most of your minions to hunt/infect, but keep a few nearby for anything that might want to eat you.

Hive:
Hive-mind: 1 (You)
Infected fishes: 15

Materials:
Food: 2 (Food needed: 15)

Spoiler: DNA Library (click to show/hide)

Mind-control fungus:
Leaves
Brains (Chemical/electrical)
Reproductive chemicals
Fungus body
Roots
Stomach

Fish:
Skeleton
Jaw
Tail
Muscle
Eyes
Stomach
Gills
Intestines
Reproductive parts.

(Anything else you think a fish/fungus would have.)

[USEC_OFFICER]

Wait, what's that, out in the distance?



Hive:
Hive-mind: 1 (You)
Infected fishes: 15 (3 Guards)

Materials:
Food: 2 (Food needed: 15)

Spoiler: DNA Library (click to show/hide)

Mind-control fungus:
Leaves
Brains (Chemical/electrical)
Reproductive chemicals
Fungus body
Roots
Stomach

Fish:
Skeleton
Jaw
Tail
Muscle
Eyes
Stomach
Gills
Intestines
Reproductive parts.

(Anything else you think a fish/fungus would have.)

[FuzzyZergling]

Sent out a guard fish to lure it over, then infect it!

[Lillipad]

Send your guards to lure the being to you. Assume control of mysterious fish figure.

[USEC_OFFICER]

You send your guards to go lure the thing to you and infect it. After all, that is their purpose. They succeed in luring it closer, but seem to have trouble infecting it. It's quickly getting closer to you.

[Lillipad]

Have the guards pin it down and take control of it yourself.

[FuzzyZergling]

Go into trapdoor-mode and wait untill it's almost on top of you, then grab it and shove your tentacles up its gills!
(If it has no gills, go for another exposed meaty bit.)

[USEC_OFFICER]

You tell your guards to pin it down, so you can infect it. However, your guards prove to be worthless at pinning it down, and it advances closer.  When it approaches, you attempt to infect it, but your tentacles cannot pierce its scaly hide. It proceeds to start devouring you. (But not the tentacles, obviously.)