10 Most Expensive Fish #10. Zebra Pleco
At number 10, we have the Zebra Pleco, which costs around 300 dollars and there are a
number of reasons why. Firstly, this fish is a relatively recent discovery, as it was first
discovered in 1990. Secondly, it is only native to the Xingu tributary of the Amazon River. Here too,
its numbers are rapidly declining due to a decrease in water currents after the Belo
Monte Dam was made. The Brazilian Government has hence banned the export of the Zebra Pleco.
Their name originates from their white and black striped body and they can make a beautiful
addition to your aquarium. Their 3 inch long bodies require only a minimum of 30 gallons of
fresh water where they may live up to 10 to 15 years. They require a high protein diet enjoying
live brine shrimp and bloodworms, but they may also survive on freeze-dried food and occasional
meals of algae or blanched vegetables. #9. Zebra Shovelnose Catfish
Costing a good $500 the Zebra Shovelnose Catfish is found in the freshwater regions
of the Upper Amazon region in Brazil with some small populations being found in parts
of Columbia and Peru. Striped black and white like a zebra, this catfish has a pointy snout
and a body that is around 24 inches long. It can live up to more than 10 years and requires a tank
size of 180 gallons. Carnivorous by nature, you can feed live fish, earthworms, tablets,
and meal scraps. However, it can be difficult and expensive to keep especially when you consider
its high water requirements. It can barely tolerate poor water conditions and requires a
high concentration of dissolved solids and oxygen in its aquarium. The Zebra Shovelnose Catfish is
also a popular food source in South America and is more often found dead in local fish markets
than alive in pet aquariums despite its price. #8. Blue-Eyed Pleco Catfish
This eerie-looking blue-eyed fish is an armored catfish and also one of the rarest plecos.
It is perhaps the rarity of the Blue-Eyed Plecos that make them as expensive as $600.
They are found in the freshwaters of the Rio Magdalena region in Columbia and they
feed on wood, algae, and raw vegetables such as courgette. So, if you are thinking of buying one
of these make sure you have enough to spend on its special diet and a tank with 120 gallons of water.
Other than that, its greyish-brown color, electric blue eyes, and 16-inch body make it a feature fish
that you can add to your collection. It can also live up to 15 to 20 years. Despite their
specific diet, they are relatively easy to keep but you will have to be careful of the water
quality in their aquarium as parasitic bacteria can be a huge problem to this brown beauty.
#7. Wrought Iron Buttterflyfish With the shape of an Angelfish,
this beauty has semicircular, metallic scales which glow a unique sliver black. Its
delicate-looking fins are outlined by a vibrant green color, which only makes you want it more.
Native to the Central Pacific the rarity of these fish is what makes them so expensive,
and they cost as high as $2700. These metallic species like to stay in mated pairs or groups of
hundreds to form shimmery black balls in order to protect themselves from predators while they
graze in reefs. They feed on benthic algae and invertebrates and are also generally peaceful
and easy to keep. They do require excellent water quality for survival and tank size of 80 gallons,
despite their moderate size of about 6 inches. #6. Golden Alligator Gar
As the name suggests, the Golden Alligator Gar has a long flattened snout filled with extremely
sharp teeth and beautiful golden-yellow color. It is only found in Northern and
Central American freshwaters, and because of their rarity, it can cost up to $7000.
Gars are particularly fond of live feed but there may be frozen alternatives you can stock up on
for this huge pet. One might think it is a danger to humans because of its massive
size and sharp teeth, but luckily for us, it only preys on smaller fish and not humans.
However, do not ever think of making caviar out of a Gar s eggs, as one of its defense mechanisms is
the toxicity in its eggs. Darwin Aaron and his family from Cleburne County learned this the
hard way and suffered from extreme food poisoning which continued days after a meal with Gar eggs.
#5. Platinum Alligator Gar Greyish in color, the Platinum
Alligator Gar requires a minimum tank size of 200 gallons, a powerful filtration system,
and a large surface area. This is because they produce a lot of waste and need to breathe in
atmospheric air from time to time. Like its Golden relative, the Platinum Alligator Gar
also has a large size of around 10 feet and costs a good $7000 due to its selective habitat. It is
native to southwestern states and river drainages on the southeastern coasts of the US. This Gar
can be kept in captivity with other fish as long as they are not small enough to become its prey.
It can also be kept in groups of 3 to 6 of its own kind. This Gar too is not a potential threat to
humans but its eggs are toxic like most Gar eggs. It may be interesting to know that Alligator Gars
are also called living fossils because their relatives date back to 157 million years ago.
#4. Bladefin Basslet The Bladefin Basslet is a
saltwater species found in very deep reefs, with an average size of just 1.5 inches. Despite its
size and small lifespan of just 5 to 8 years, this Basslet costs up to $10,000 as it is difficult
to collect. This might make you wonder, just how difficult can it be to catch this fish? Well, this
fish lives under a depth of 500 feet and it is often collected via submarines.
People enjoy collecting this fish because its vibrant colors add an aesthetic value to their
aquarium. Basslets are also peaceful species and have common dietary habits. You can feed them
zooplanktons and small crustaceans 2 to 3 times a day with other supplements to keep them healthy.
#3. Masked Angelfish This fish can be commonly found in salty waters,
however, it is extremely expensive because of the commercial fishing ban on it. The price rounds up
to around 20,000 dollars which makes it one of the most expensive fish out there! True to its name,
this fish has a natural black mask in complete contrast to its snow-white body. With a length of
around 7 inches, a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, and omnivorous in nature, the fish is not particularly
difficult to keep. A surprising fact about masked angelfish is that they exhibit sexual dimorphism.
They are born female and age into males, their black mask changing to a vibrant yellow one. They
are also pricey because these fish do not usually breed in captivity. Captive breeding has only
occurred once for this species. This was achieved by Karen Brittain more than 10 years ago.
#2. Peppermint Angelfish The Peppermint Angelfish is small in size
at around 3 inches, however, that doesn t mean you should underestimate it! This fish can cost up
to a crazy 30,000 dollars! This is because it is only found around Rarotonga in the Cook Islands,
located in the eastern central Pacific Ocean. Its rarity is intensified by the fact that it
is called the Holy Grail of the marine angelfish. This orange and white striped cutie has a maximum
life span of 15 years and it is particularly fond of live feed so you may want to stock up
on that before you purchase one of these. Today s video was requested by Acwichstrom
if you have any other topics you like to learn about, subscribe and let us know
in the comments section below. #1. Platinum Arowana
The Platinum Arowana is a silvery-white, freshwater Asian fish that ranks number 1
on our list of the ten most expensive fish. This extremely special fish can cost anywhere between
400,000 to 430,000 dollars! The Platinum Arowana costs a fortune due to its association with luck,
happiness, and prosperity. Not only is it the most expensive fish to purchase, but the Platinum
Arowana is also the most expensive to keep, all thanks to its massive size and expensive diet.
An average Platinum Arowana is as big as 4 feet 9 inches and is carnivorous in nature. Before you
think about buying it, keep in mind that it needs a huge tank. At least as big as 250 gallons.
Which fish would you spend all your money on? Let us know in the comments section below