How To Catch A Coelacanth In Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Seeking to capture the legendary living fossil fish in New Horizons? Success hinges entirely on understanding the precise meteorological conditions required for this ancient creature to surface.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons features an impressive collection of 80 aquatic species, ranging from massive sharks patrolling the ocean depths to miniature tadpoles inhabiting your island’s freshwater ponds. Among these diverse fish, the coelacanth stands apart as both exceptionally rare and highly valuable—a prehistoric fish species that was once believed extinct in reality but continues to thrive in the game’s virtual waters. Fortunately, capturing this prized specimen doesn’t require complex rituals; your primary focus should be monitoring atmospheric conditions.

For pronunciation clarity, coelacanth is correctly spoken as “see-la-canth.” Many players first encounter this term through their Animal Crossing adventures.

What distinguishes the coelacanth from most other fish species is its year-round availability without time restrictions. However, this ancient fish maintains one non-negotiable requirement: it exclusively emerges during precipitation events. Since New Horizons’ weather systems operate independently from real-world meteorological patterns, you must remain vigilant for randomly occurring rainy periods during gameplay—rainfall can commence or cease multiple times within a single day.

A coelacanth in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Longtime series enthusiasts may recall that previous Animal Crossing installments permitted coelacanth captures during snowfall. However, New Horizons’ official Critterpedia documentation specifically enumerates rain as the sole weather prerequisite, excluding snow conditions. We’ll provide confirmation updates as additional testing data becomes available.

Coelacanths exclusively inhabit ocean waters, presenting themselves through the game’s largest fish shadow silhouette. During rainy conditions, concentrate your efforts along coastal areas while scanning diligently for oversized fish shadows. While you’ll inevitably encounter the frustrating sea bass occasionally, maintaining persistence will eventually reward you with the coveted coelacanth.

Advanced angling strategy: Position yourself to maximize ocean visibility by clearing coastal obstructions. Create fishing lanes by removing rocks and weeds, allowing unobstructed views of approaching fish shadows. Experienced players report 30-40% higher catch rates when employing systematic shoreline patrol patterns rather than stationary waiting.

Mystery Tours to deserted islands offer alternative coelacanth fishing opportunities. Since meteorological conditions on these islands frequently differ from your home island’s weather patterns, they provide excellent backup options when you’re eager to complete museum collections or generate quick income. That being said, unlike time-sensitive seasonal fish, coelacanths lack capture deadlines, making patient waiting for home island rainfall typically more convenient.

Common mistake avoidance: Many players waste bait during non-rainy conditions hoping for rare spawns. Save your fish bait exclusively for rainy days to optimize your efforts. Additionally, avoid scaring away other fish shadows—every frightened fish represents a missed potential coelacanth spawn opportunity.

Similar to other fish and insect specimens, you face two primary decisions after securing a coelacanth: Contribution to Blathers’ museum collection or commercialization for bell currency. We strongly advocate donating your initial capture to prevent oversight, then vending any subsequent specimens through Timmy and Tommy at Nook’s Cranny or to the special visitor C.J. for 150% premium pricing.

Profit optimization: When C.J. visits your island, he purchases fish at 1.5 times their standard value, elevating coelacanth worth to 22,500 bells—the highest single-fish value in the game. Always check for his presence before selling high-value specimens. For players pursuing the Weapons Unlock achievements in other games, this same strategic patience applies to maximizing in-game resource value.

Storage strategy: If C.J. isn’t currently visiting, store coelacanths in your home storage or outside your house (they don’t despawn) until his next appearance. This simple delay strategy can net you an additional 7,500 bells per fish compared to immediate Nook’s Cranny sales.

Long-term planning: Consider keeping at least one additional coelacanth for future interior decoration or trading opportunities with other players. As detailed in our Complete Guide to gaming efficiency, resource management principles transcend individual titles.

No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » How To Catch A Coelacanth In Animal Crossing: New Horizons Master the art of catching the elusive coelacanth in Animal Crossing with expert timing, location strategies, and profit optimization