Should You Sell Fish in Animal Crossing? An Expert‘s In-Depth Guide

As an Animal Crossing enthusiast, I absolutely recommend selling fish as one of the best ways to earn bells in the game. However, there are some key factors to consider, which I‘ll explore in detail below.

The main things to keep in mind when deciding whether to sell fish are:

• Donating new catches to the museum first
• Saving valuable and rare fish for C.J. or villager recipes
• Keeping diverse fish for decorating your island
• Monitoring fish prices and seasonal changes

Carefully balancing these objectives will help maximize your profits and enjoyment. So let‘s dive into the nuances of the Animal Crossing fish market!

Donating New Fish is Crucial

The first fish of every species you catch must be donated to the museum before selling any duplicates. Here‘s why:

• Donating completes your museum‘s collection and makes Blathers happy!

• You want the museum to track each fish before accidentally selling the last one.

• Donating unlocks the fish‘s collectible poster for purchase.

• Blathers gives fun facts about each new donation.

• It contributes to your total donation count for achievements.

I recommend donating a fish as soon as possible after catching it the first time. Make donating your top priority, even if the fish has a high sell price – you can always earn more bells later. But you may have trouble catching another of a rare fish!

C.J. Will Buy Fish for 50% More

C.J. is an occasional visitor who purchases your fish for 1.5 times the Nook‘s Cranny sell price. This makes him extremely useful for earning bells from valuable fish.

For example, the coveted coelacanth normally sells for 15,000 bells. But with C.J., you‘ll earn 22,500 bells instead!

Here are the top fish prices with C.J. vs. normal:

Fish	C.J. Price	Normal Price
Coelacanth	22,500	15,000
Blue marlin	15,000	10,000
Giant trevally	6,750	4,500
Tuna	10,500	7,000

As you can see, it‘s well worth saving high-value fish until the next time C.J. visits your island!

Keep Fish for Villager DIY Recipes

Beyond selling for bells, certain fish unlock special DIY recipes when given to your villagers.

For example, giving an oarfish to a villager may reward you with a magic wand DIY recipe. And giving a barreleye can unlock the wooden-plank sign DIY.

Before selling a new or rare catch, consider whether a villager might request it first. The DIY reward is often much more valuable than the bells you‘d earn from selling.

Here are some of the fish known to unlock sought-after DIYs:

• Oarfish – Magic wand
• Barreleye – Wooden-plank sign
• Sea butterfly – Shell wreath
• Giant trevally – Key holder
• Mahi-mahi – Natural garden chair
• Blue marlin – Wooden fish

So if you want all the DIYs, be selective about which fish you sell vs gift.

Fish Have Decor and Gift Uses Too

Beyond selling to C.J. or gifting for DIYs, fish have other creative uses:

• Place fish models and tanks around your island as decorations
• Give wrapped fish to villagers to raise friendship
• Use fish icons in custom designs and signage

Balancing these uses with selling fish depends on your goals:

• If decorating: Keep 1-2 of each fish model for variety

• If making friends: Gift your villagers fish above minerals or fruit

• If breeding flowers: Use fish bait to keep Shovel durability

Evaluate whether you value bells, DIYs, friendship, or decoration most when deciding what to do with fish.

Fish Prices Change Over Time

Fish prices fluctuate slightly over time in Animal Crossing, increasing up to around 10-20%. So the same fish may sell for more bells now versus at launch.

For example, based on player data, the crucian carp sold for 160 bells at launch, but now sells for 200 bells. More modest increases apply to other fish too.

So old price guides may be outdated – make sure to check the current sell price before judging a fish‘s value. Apps like ACNH Exchange can track up-to-date prices.

Here are some other fish that have increased in base value over time:

Fish	Launch Price	Current Price
Pale chub	200	220
Pop-eyed goldfish	1,300	1,500
Gazami crab	2,200	2,500

While the increases are small, they do add up over time and many catches. So reference real-time prices when planning your fishing strategy and sales.

Seasonal Fish Spawns Change Value Cycles

Fish availability fluctuates each month as new species enter and exit season. This causes price spikes for newly arrived fish.

For example, the coveted stringfish is only catchable in the winter and early spring. In March specifically, stringfish sell for 15,000 bells, compared to just 300 bells for the common yellow perch also available then.

But in June, stringfish leave season, while yellow perch remain. Now yellow perch sell for 700 bells, while there are no more stringfish until winter.

Seasonal supply and demand cycles cause short windows of high prices for rare seasonal fish. You can optimize earnings by targeting:

• New arrivals like tuna, blue marlin, and giant trevally in November

• Peak winter rarities like stringfish and barreleye in December-February

• Coelacanth during heavy rainstorms in any season

Check the full fish availability calendar to plan your fishing.

Some Valuable Year-Round Fish

While most top fish are seasonal, a few valuable species spawn all year and make great regular income sources.

The king salmon and rainbow trout offer stable value at 800 and 800-1,000 bells respectively. They spawn on clifftop rivers all day, every day.

Ponds also provide reliable options like koi at 4,000 bells and goldfish at 1,300 bells spawning 9am-4pm.

Targeting these year-round fish guarantees profitable catches regardless of season. Sell extra king salmon after donating the first for easy bells daily.

Top 15 Rarest & Most Expensive Fish

To maximize income, memorize the top high-value fish. These are the most profitable catches:

Fish	Price	Time	Seasons (Northern)
Coelacanth	15,000	All day (rain)	Year-round
Giant trevally	4,500	9am – 4pm	May – Oct
Tuna	7,000	All day	Nov – April
Blue marlin	10,000	All day	July – Sept, Nov – Apr
Stringfish	15,000	4pm – 9am	Dec – Mar
Dorado	15,000	4am – 9pm	June – Sept
Arowana	10,000	4pm – 9am	June – Sept
Gar	6,000	4pm – 9am	June – Sept
Arapaima	10,000	4pm – 9am	June – Sept
Saddled bichir	4,000	9pm – 4am	June – Sept
Mahi-mahi	6,000	All day	May – Oct
Ribbon eel	600	All day	June – Oct
Ocean sunfish	4,000	4am – 9pm	July – Sept
Saw shark	12,000	4pm – 9am	June – Sept
Whale shark	13,000	All day	June – Sept

Prioritize catching and selling these top-tier options – save the coelacanth, tuna, and blue marlin for C.J. visits. Avoid selling them below their potential!

Conclusion – Balancing Fish Uses is Key

Selling fish in Animal Crossing can be immensely profitable if done strategically. But it also pays to be selective.

The key is balancing fish donations, high-value sales, DIY gifting, and decor uses. Carefully manage each fish catch to maximize all benefits.

I hope these tips from an experienced player help you make the most of your island‘s fishery! Let me know if you have any other questions – I‘m always happy to chat Animal Crossing fish with fellow fans.