Dianoga / Legends Dianoga were large , capable of growing up to ten meters in length , though most specimens grew to approximately five or six meters . They had a single eyestalk protruding from their mollusk - like bodies , and seven suckered tentacles surrounding a fanged maw containing a sharp serrated probe . History . Dianoga originated on the planet Vodran — discovered by the Hutts prior to the formation of the Galactic Republic — where the creatures evolved a form of natural camouflage to disguise themselves and avoid the planet ' s large predators . Their bodies would become transparent when unfed , and , conversely , were known to change to reflect the color of the food they had eaten . This was achieved by diverting small portions of digested food into a series of ducts underneath the creature ' s skin , which would appear to affect the color of the dianoga ' s flesh . Over many millennia , dianoga migrated from Vodran by stowing away aboard garbage ships in their microscopic larval forms , and could be commonly found in trash compactors , garbage pits , and sewers across the galaxy , living off any present organic matter . They were primarily scavengers , and only posed a threat to living creatures when starving or threatened . Because of their penchant for living in and feeding on organic waste , dianoga were sometimes referred to as garbage squids , sewage squids , or trash monsters . Dianoga would often prove a nuisance by nesting in bodies of water , sewage systems , and whatever other large concentrations of dirty , appalling liquid that they could locate . Smaller dianoga were even known to crawl out of toilets . Despite this , they could prove useful , since they served to rid waste of biological material , leaving behind salvageable minerals and metals . Only when a dianoga grew too large was it usually considered a threat , especially in urban areas such as Galactic City on Coruscant . Indeed , in 22 BBY , Coruscant ' s Desrini District experienced a dianoga infestation , following an incident with a misfiring garbage launcher . Up to twenty - five residents were reported to have been attacked by the scavengers , and it was believed the creatures would quickly spread to neighboring districts . The presence of a single dianoga was often cause for alarm , since the creatures were self - fertilizing hermaphrodites , and could quickly multiply to pose a larger problem . One dianoga was known to have boarded the first Death Star , and made its home in one of the space station ' s garbage compactors . When Luke Skywalker , Han Solo , Chewbacca , and Leia Organa , during the rescue of Leia , were forced into the trash compactor , the dianoga attacked Skywalker . It pulled the young farmboy under the murky , polluted water , but was scared away when the compactor walls activated . The dianoga itself had managed to burrow into the wall , and so was relatively safe inside the compactor ; that is , until the Death Star was destroyed . Another infestation of dianoga was experienced by Dash Rendar in the sewers beneath Prince Xizor ' s palace . Upon exiting the sewers , Dash was forced to fight a full grown dianoga , which was at least 10 meters long . Dianoga were also found on Anoat , where several attacked Rebel mercenary Kyle Katarn as he worked through the sewers in an effort to locate Moff Rebus , in his campaign against the Imperial Dark Trooper Project . Dianoga could be found in the sewers of Coruscant and many other locations across the galaxy . Their flesh was used in the making of dianoga pie , and their spleens could be processed to make Dianogan tea , a beverage notably favored by Admiral Pors Tonith . Behind the scenes . The Revised Fourth Draft of mentions this creature as Dia Nogu . The original Kenner toy for the Death Star playset included a Dianoga in its trash compactor . The soft rubber form resembled a green , mutant shark with an eye stalk protruding from its nose and its fins ending with tentacles . In the final film , director George Lucas was reportedly less than impressed with the delivered dianoga effect , having envisioned something bigger and more ominous .