Owning and maintaining an aquarium is an art style: pristine waters, vibrant and lively coral, and beautiful marine life. The masterpiece of every hobbyist’s imagination, coming to life from an empty tank, sand, and rock. The hobby is not as common, but it becomes an obsession for the extremely passionate hobbyist. The goal is to own top-of-the-line equipment and the most exotic and rare fish. Here are some of the most exotic and expensive fish for any aquarium.
- Candy Basslet – $1,000
Considered to be one of the most colorful fish, this little guy gets his name from its vibrant candy-like colors of bright orange and fluorescent blue stripes. Candy Basslets are generally disease resistant, easy to feed, and remain small, only capable of reaching a final length of six inches. They are rarely found in the Caribbean and are extremely hard to catch, so the Candy Basslet is priced at around $1,000.
- Clarion Angelfish – $2,500
The lifespan of this fish will amaze you! With being able to live up to 40 years, the Clarion Angelfish brightens up your aquarium with its beautiful colors for the long run. Inhabiting the Revillagigedo Islands on Mexico’s Pacific coast, it is a complete abundance of almost 99% of the island’s marine population. However, being located in a marine protected area and generally not traded as an aquarium fish, the Clarion Angelfish is priced at around $2,500.
- Wrought Iron Butterfly – $2,700
The Japanese Bolt would be a better name for this fish. This black-and-white beauty will zip through your tank effortlessly because of its contrasting colors and aggressive swimming. It is native to the Pacific islands of Japan, and like the Clarion Angelfish, the Wrought Iron Butterly is rarely traded as an aquarium fish, which is why it is priced at $2,700.
- Australian Flathead Perch – $5,000
A scarce fish in the Basslet family inhabits Western Australia and Queensland. This fish is unique, with its flat head traits and slim torpedo shape. It is still considered a really rare sight and hard to catch. This is why this rare exotic fish is priced at around $5,000.
- Neptune Grouper – $6,000
These fish are bright and fluorescent orange as juveniles, but when mature, they lose the fluorescence and gain a pink hue. Neptune Groupers are deep-sea dwellers. Living under 250ft-800ft underwater makes the Neptune Grouper extremely hard to catch. Deep sea nets could capture these beauties, but the fish would die without decompression. So, it’s up to the fortunate divers to go deeper than they usually do to get a glimpse of the ultra-rare fish. Catching is a feat in and of itself. Then, the diver must proceed to the surface and decompress for himself and the Neptune Grouper. This requires special equipment. Because of this, the Neptune Grouper is ultra rare in the aquarium trade and priced at $6,000.
- Golden Basslet – $8,000
One of the smallest in the grouper family, the Golden Basslet is usually found in the Atlantic and Pacific. These fish live deeper than the Neptune Grouper, only being able to be reached by submersible craft around 800ft below water. Deep-sea dwellers, and because of the decompression process, are priced around $8,000.
- Bladefin Basslet – $10,000
The Bladefin Basslet is a rather exquisite fish with beautiful transitions from glistening white to vibrant oranges. Only able to grow up to 1.5 inches and more challenging to catch than the Neptune Grouper and Golden Basslet, this fish is priced at $10,000.
- Peppermint Angelfish – $30,000
Reminiscing about a traditional holiday cane, the Peppermint Angelfish is a deep-dwelling beauty. The Peppermint Angelfish inhabits the Caribbean deep sea reef and has yet to be caught often. With such an ultra-rare tropical fish with vibrant colors, the collectors are at the edge of their seats, bidding on this fish for more than $30,000.
- Freshwater Polka Dot Stingray – $100,000
This particular fish is known for its rare genetic mutation that causes its head to be U-shaped rather than the usual round shape of every other stingray. This stingray is extremely rare and not so easy to take care of. Because of its U-shaped head, it cannot hunt and eat like its normal round shape counterpart. This means that it must be fed by hand in captivity for survival. Taiwan displays this stingray and prices it at $100,000.
- Platinum Arowana – $400,000
Able to live 50 years and grow up to 3 feet long, this haunting white beauty remains the single most expensive exotic saltwater fish. Its color is the result of a very rare genetic mutation. They are brilliant, as they can learn to recognize individuals, making them great pets to own. But, because they grow so long, they require a massive tank of at least 300 gallons, which is not a luxury for most hobbyists. Due to their rarity, they are implanted with a micro ID chip as juveniles to identify and authenticate it.
When browsing for exotic fish, trust your local fish stores to carry the right selection for you. Visit OCD Reefs to get your own exotic beauty today, and browse through our fantastic selection of coral and high-tech saltwater tank equipment.
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