The Most Expensive Tropical Fish

Believe it or not, some tropical aquarium fish can sell for more than the cost of a house. Different things push up the price tag of a fish. Some species are still wild-caught from remote regions. Others took breeders many generations -- either fish or human generations -- to produce.

  1. Koi and Goldfish

    • Koi originate in Japan while goldfish originate in mainland China.

      Breeders in eastern Asia have kept goldfish in captivity for more than a thousand years. The related koi has also undergone selective breeding for more than a century. Through careful breeding, hundreds of varieties of each fish have been created. Highly rated show-grade goldfish and koi can sell for $10,000 dollars. Pet shops rarely stock goldfish and koi of this grade. Instead, fish like this have to be acquired through mail-order or by visiting fish shows.

    Flowerhorns

    • Flowerhorns are artificial hybrids of central American cichlids, originally created in Malaysia -- the exact species used is often a closely guarded trade secret. Due to their hodgepodge of cichlid genetics, flowerhorns have unusual, goldfish-like bodies and pronounced forehead humps. Many types of flowerhorns have vibrant, contrasting colors. At one point, a desirable flowerhorn could sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, due to stock-market like fluctuations in their value and breeders increasing the supply, the price has gone down.

    Zebra Pleco

    • The zebra pleco hit the aquarium trade so rapidly it was actually sold and traded before it had a proper scientific name. Instead, dealers used the designation L46 until scientists named it Hypancistrus zebra. This small catfish grows to 3 to 4 inches. It has a bright, contrasting black-and-white pattern. Oddly, unlike most plecos, it's an awful algae-eater that prefers meaty foods like blackworms. Zebra plecos do not breed easily in captivity, and can sell for hundreds of dollars.

    Brunei Beauty

    • Brunei beauties belong to the same genus as the common betta.

      The colorful, long-finned bettas in pet shops all come from a single species. However, the waters of southeast Asia hold dozens of other species of betta. One, the Brunei beauty, hails from the Sultinate of Brunei. The sultan has banned their export; however, some already lived in captivity at the time of their protection. Unfortunately, they do not breed as rapidly as the more common pet-shop bettas, keeping the supply low and pushing their cost into the hundreds.

    Platinum Arowana

    • With the decline in the cost of flowerhorns, the most expensive fish today is a platinum arowana, bred by Aro Dynasty, a Singapore-based fish-breeding company. The fish was unveiled at the Aquarama fish show. The fish is not an albino, but instead has a mutation that gives it a white silvery sheen without the pinkish tint of albino fish. Practical Fishkeeping Magazine was able to confirm that Aro Dynasty turned down an offer for $80,000 U.S. at one point. In 2007, Aro Dynasty sold the fish for an undisclosed sum -- but it's known the price was more than the equivalent of $270,000 U.S. at the time.