Quick answer: The most expensive aquarium fish are top-grade Asian arowana and show-winning koi, which have sold for six and even seven figures at the very top end. Below them come rare deep-reef marine fish such as the peppermint angelfish, Clarion angelfish and bladefin basslet, and high-grade freshwater stingrays. More attainable "expensive" fish, such as zebra plecos, show discus and designer clownfish, usually cost a few hundred dollars in Canada. Some of the priciest fish, notably Asian arowana, are CITES Appendix I and heavily restricted.
Why some fish cost so much
The same forces that drive up the price of rare reptiles apply to fish:
- Depth and difficulty of collection. Many of the priciest marine fish live on deep reefs, often below 60 m, and must be collected by technical divers and decompressed slowly. Each fish represents hours of specialist work.
- Restricted ranges and export limits. Fish from a single island group, or from countries that limit export, stay scarce.
- Breeding and grading. Koi, discus, flowerhorns and fancy goldfish are graded on colour, pattern and body shape. A single outstanding fish from thousands of fry can command a huge premium.
- Legal protection. CITES listings and national export bans limit legal supply.
- Cultural value. In parts of Asia, arowana and koi are associated with luck and prosperity, which pushes prices far beyond what rarity alone would.
Expensive aquarium fish at a glance
Prices below are approximate and in Canadian dollars. They are typical asking prices for healthy specimens where the fish is legally available, and they vary widely with size, grade and source. Record prices for exceptional individuals are noted separately in the text. Treat everything here as a guide, not a quote.
Freshwater and pond fish
| Fish | Scientific name | Approx. price (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian arowana (super red, golden, platinum) | Scleropages formosus | Thousands to six figures | CITES Appendix I; trade only from registered farms with permits |
| Show-grade koi | Cyprinus rubrofuscus / C. carpio (koi) | Hundreds to seven figures | Top Japanese show koi have sold for well over US$1 million |
| White-blotched river stingray ("polka dot", "black diamond") | Potamotrygon leopoldi | $500–3,000+ | Captive-bred; high-contrast lines cost most; venomous tail spine |
| Tiger river stingray | Potamotrygon tigrina | $800–3,000+ | Bold banded pattern; needs a very large, soft-sand tank |
| Henle's river stingray | Potamotrygon henlei | $400–1,500 | Black disc with white spots; grows large |
| Australian lungfish | Neoceratodus forsteri | Rarely available | CITES Appendix II and protected in Australia; mostly seen in public aquariums |
| Zebra pleco (L046) | Hypancistrus zebra | $200–600 | Wild export from Brazil has long been banned; buy captive-bred |
| L236 pleco | Hypancistrus sp. L236 | $200–800 | White-and-black pleco from the Rio Xingu; high-white individuals cost most |
| Siamese tigerfish | Datnioides pulcher | $300–1,500 | Critically endangered in the wild; most trade fish are the cheaper D. microlepis |
| Show-grade discus | Symphysodon spp. | $100–500+ | Competition-grade adults can cost far more |
| Show-grade flowerhorn | Hybrid cichlid | $300–3,000+ | Valued for head hump (kok), colour and pearling |
| Show-grade ranchu | Carassius auratus (fancy goldfish) | $200–2,000+ | Japanese-bred, judged on back profile and head growth |
| Wild altum angelfish | Pterophyllum altum | $80–250 | Tall, soft-water angelfish; tricky to acclimate |
Marine fish
| Fish | Scientific name | Approx. price (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peppermint angelfish | Centropyge boylei | Five figures, when available | Deep-reef Cook Islands species; almost never offered |
| Narcosis angelfish | Centropyge narcosis | Several thousand+ | Bright yellow deep-water angel, very rarely collected |
| Clarion angelfish | Holacanthus clarionensis | Several thousand | Restricted Mexican range; limited collection permits |
| Masked angelfish | Genicanthus personatus | Several thousand | Hawaiian deep-water angel; males especially costly |
| Conspicuous angelfish | Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus | Several thousand | From Australia, New Caledonia and nearby reefs |
| Interruptus angelfish | Centropyge interrupta | $1,000–3,000 | Japanese and Pacific islands species |
| Bandit angelfish | Apolemichthys arcuatus | $800–2,500 | Hawaiian endemic, deep-water |
| Griffis angelfish | Apolemichthys griffisi | $800–2,500 | Rare central Pacific species |
| Wrought iron butterflyfish | Chaetodon daedalma | $1,500–4,000 | Japanese endemic with a dark, lattice-like pattern |
| Gem tang | Zebrasoma gemmatum | $1,500–4,000 | Western Indian Ocean; dark body with white spots |
| Bladefin basslet | Jeboehlkia gladifer | Several thousand | Tiny deep-reef Caribbean fish, rarely collected |
| Golden basslet | Liopropoma aberrans | $800–3,000 | Deep Caribbean reefs |
| Candy basslet | Liopropoma carmabi | $200–600 | Shy, striped Caribbean basslet |
| Neptune grouper | Cephalopholis igarashiensis | $1,000–3,000 | Deep-water grouper; needs careful decompression |
| Lightning maroon clownfish | Premnas biaculeatus (variant) | $300–1,500 | Originally a single wild fish from Papua New Guinea; now captive-bred |
| Designer clownfish (e.g. platinum) | Amphiprion ocellaris / A. percula | $100–400 | Captive-bred colour forms; prices fall as they become common |
| Achilles tang | Acanthurus achilles | $300–900 | Beautiful but demanding; needs high oxygen and flow |
| Rhinopias scorpionfish | Rhinopias spp. | $800–3,000+ | Venomous spines; eats live or carefully trained frozen food |
The record holders
Asian arowana
The Asian arowana is the fish most often called the world's most expensive. Exceptional super red, golden and rare platinum individuals have reportedly sold for very large sums in Asia. It is listed on CITES Appendix I, so international trade is limited to fish from registered captive-breeding farms, each microchipped and sold with permits. It is banned from trade in the United States under the Endangered Species Act. Canadian hobbyists should confirm import and permit requirements with Environment and Climate Change Canada before considering one, and should never buy a fish without CITES documentation.
Show koi
The highest prices ever reported for a single fish have been paid for Japanese show koi. A champion Kohaku sold in 2018 for a price widely reported at around US$1.8 million. These are pond fish rather than aquarium fish, and the price reflects decades of selective breeding by a handful of Japanese farms.
Deep-reef marine angelfish
The peppermint angelfish is the classic "most expensive marine fish". It is small, red-and-white striped, and lives on deep reefs in the Cook Islands. Only a handful have ever entered the trade, so prices are rarely public and very high. Other deep-reef fish in the table, such as the narcosis angelfish and bladefin basslet, follow the same pattern.
What an expensive fish really costs
As with reptiles, the purchase price is only the start. Large stingrays and arowana need aquariums of well over 1,000 litres, strong filtration and heating that runs all winter. Deep-reef marine fish need mature, stable reef systems with chillers in some cases. Plan for:
- A properly sized aquarium, stand, filtration and backup equipment.
- A quarantine system so a new fish cannot bring disease into your display.
- Electricity for heating through a Canadian winter, which is significant for large systems.
- Aquatic vet support where available, and an emergency fund.
Natural décor for high-end aquariums
Many of these fish, especially stingrays, arowana, plecos and discus, look and behave best in natural-looking setups with real wood and stone. Hardwoods like Malaysian driftwood and mopani wood give plecos cover and release tannins that many soft-water species appreciate. Our guides to driftwood for aquariums and vivariums and mopani wood explain how to choose and prepare wood, and how to clean and prepare wood covers soaking and boiling.
Almond leaves are popular for blackwater discus, altum angelfish and betta setups. For aquascaping, Seiryu stone and our wider stones and rocks range work well, though Seiryu can raise hardness slightly, so it is better suited to hard-water fish than to soft-water discus or altums. If you want land and water together, see how to build a paludarium with driftwood.
Interested in rare animals beyond fish? See the most expensive reptiles and amphibians, or browse every list on our top 10s hub.
FAQ
What is the most expensive aquarium fish in the world?
The Asian arowana is usually named the most expensive aquarium fish, with top specimens reportedly selling for very large sums in Asia. If pond fish count, champion Japanese koi hold the highest reported prices, with one Kohaku sold for around US$1.8 million in 2018.
Can I legally buy an Asian arowana in Canada?
Asian arowana are CITES Appendix I, so any legal trade requires captive-bred fish from registered farms with full CITES permits. Check current import and permit rules with Environment and Climate Change Canada before considering one, and never buy one without documentation.
What is the most expensive marine fish?
The peppermint angelfish is generally considered the most expensive marine aquarium fish because it lives on deep reefs and is almost never collected. Other deep-reef species such as the narcosis angelfish and bladefin basslet are also very costly.
Why are zebra plecos so expensive?
Zebra plecos come from a small stretch of the Rio Xingu in Brazil, and wild export has been banned for many years. Nearly all fish in the hobby are now captive-bred, and they breed slowly with small clutches, so prices stay in the hundreds of dollars.
Are expensive fish harder to keep?
Often, yes. Many expensive fish are deep-reef or specialist species with demanding water quality, diet or space needs. Large stingrays and arowana need very large aquariums. Research the adult size and care before you pay a premium.