TL;DR
- Northern Hemisphere gets only 2 returning fish and 1 bug, making it perfect for new players to catch up
- Southern Hemisphere experiences spring boom with 10 new fish and 9 bugs for extensive collecting
- High-value sea creatures available in both hemispheres – spiny lobster (5,000 bells) in north, lobster (4,500 bells) in south
- Time-specific creatures require strategic planning – check tables for optimal catching windows
- Don’t miss seasonal exclusives like snapping turtles and rare butterflies before they disappear
October transforms your island with seasonal changes that significantly impact your creature collecting routine. While Halloween festivities dominate the seasonal activities, the shifting creature populations offer both challenges and opportunities for museum completion and bell-making ventures.
Understanding the hemisphere-specific variations is crucial this month. Northern Hemisphere players experience a relatively quiet period with minimal new arrivals, creating an ideal window for catching up on previously missed specimens. Southern Hemisphere residents, however, face an abundance of spring arrivals that demand strategic time management.
For comprehensive creature management across all seasons, our Complete Guide provides foundational strategies that apply year-round.
The Northern Hemisphere experiences a creature lull in October, presenting limited but valuable opportunities. This seasonal slowdown allows players to focus on Halloween preparations while still making progress toward complete Critterpedia and museum collections.
Fish populations see only two returning species this month. The dab and yellow perch both sell for 300 bells and are available all day, making them easy additions to your collection if you missed them earlier in the year.
| New October Fish | Price | Location / Size | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dab | 300 | Sea / 3 | All day |
| Yellow perch | 300 | River / 3 | All day |
Bug collectors have just one target this month. Ladybugs return to flower patches between 8 AM and 5 PM, offering a straightforward catch for newcomers who haven’t encountered them before.
| New October Bugs | Price | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ladybug | 200 | On flowers | 8 AM – 5 PM |
Sea creatures provide the most lucrative opportunities this month. The spiny lobster and Venus flower basket both command 5,000 bells, with the spiny lobster requiring nighttime diving between 9 PM and 4 AM for successful capture.
| New October Sea Creatures | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Spiny lobster | 5,000 | 9 PM – 4 AM |
| Venus flower basket | 5,000 | All day |
| Seaweed | 600 | All day |
Strategic tip: Focus your sea creature diving during evening hours when both high-value specimens are available, maximizing your bell earnings potential.
Spring brings an explosion of new creatures to Southern Hemisphere islands, offering collectors their most active month since the seasonal transition began. The diversity requires careful scheduling to ensure you don’t miss time-limited specimens.
Fish populations see ten new arrivals, ranging from the valuable snapping turtle (5,000 bells) to common varieties like crawfish (200 bells). This creates excellent opportunities for both museum donations and profitable sales.
| New October Fish | Price | Location / Size | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snapping turtle | 5,000 | River / 4 | 9 PM – 4 AM |
| Guppy | 1,300 | River / 1 | 9 AM – 4 PM |
| Sea horse | 1,100 | Sea / 1 | All day |
| Butterfly fish | 1,000 | Sea / 2 | All day |
| Surgeonfish | 1,000 | Sea / 2 | All day |
| Clown fish | 650 | Sea / 1 | All day |
| Neon tetra | 500 | River / 1 | 9 AM – 4 PM |
| Zebra turkeyfish | 500 | Sea / 3 | All day |
| Killifish | 300 | Pond / 1 | All day |
| Crawfish | 200 | Pond / 2 | All day |
Bug collectors face their most challenging month with nine new specimens. The agrias butterfly and atlas moth both sell for 3,000 bells, while the humble flea presents unique catching challenges at only 70 bells.
| New October Bugs | Price | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agrias butterfly | 3,000 | Flying near flowers | 8 AM – 5 PM |
| Atlas moth | 3,000 | On trees | 7 PM – 4 AM |
| Madagascan sunset moth | 2,500 | Flying near flowers | 8 AM – 4 PM |
| Rajah Brooke’s birdwing | 2,500 | Flying near flowers | 8 AM – 5 PM |
| Jewel beetle | 2,400 | On tree stumps | All day |
| Giant water bug | 2,000 | River/pond (surface) | 7 PM – 8 AM |
| Common bluebottle | 300 | Flying near flowers | 4 AM – 7 PM |
| Long locust | 200 | On the ground | 8 AM – 7 PM |
| Darner dragonfly | 230 | Flying | 8 AM – 5 PM |
| Flea | 70 | On a flea-infested villager | All day |
Sea creatures offer two valuable additions. The lobster commands 4,500 bells and is available all day, while the sea pineapple provides a decent 1,500 bell return for divers.
| New October Sea Creatures | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lobster | 4,500 | All day |
| Sea pineapple | 1,500 | All day |
For optimizing your creature collection approach, our Weapons Unlock strategies can be adapted for efficient resource gathering.
Maximizing your October creature collection requires understanding both hemisphere-specific patterns and universal catching techniques. Proper timing and location awareness dramatically increase your success rates.
Common mistake: Players often overlook the snapping turtle’s unique display properties. When placed outdoors, it functions as a living decoration without requiring an aquarium, making it perfect for natural-looking island designs.
Advanced strategy: Create dedicated flower gardens near your home to attract daytime butterflies, then transition to tree-heavy areas at night for moth hunting. This spatial optimization saves valuable time during limited availability windows.
Flea catching requires close villager observation. Watch for subtle scratching animations and listen for unique sound cues indicating infestation. Approach carefully with net equipped for successful capture.
For specialized creature collection approaches, our Class Guide offers additional strategic frameworks.
Profit optimization: Save high-value creatures like spiny lobsters and snapping turtles for when Flick or C.J. visit your island. These special characters pay 50% more than Nook’s Cranny, significantly boosting your bell earnings from rare specimens.
All the standard fish sizes in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Time management: Southern Hemisphere players should prioritize morning river fishing (9 AM – 4 PM) for guppies and neon tetras, then shift to sea diving for all-day availability creatures during afternoon hours.
Action Checklist
- Check your Critterpedia for missing dab and yellow perch (Northern) or snapping turtle (Southern)
- Create flower gardens near home base for efficient butterfly catching
- Schedule evening diving sessions (9 PM – 4 AM) for high-value spiny lobsters
- Monitor villagers daily for flea infestations with net ready
- Save 5,000+ bell creatures for Flick/C.J. visits
- Place snapping turtles as decoration around your island
No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » All New October Fish, Bugs, And Sea Creatures In Animal Crossing: New Horizons Complete October critter guide for both hemispheres with expert catching strategies and museum completion tips
