Top 7 ornamental fish species 'more expensive than gold'

If you are passionate about small aquarium fish and have nothing in your pocket but money, then buy yourself one of the 7 super expensive aquarium fish below!

Fish are a species of living things that are quite rich in species, colors and shapes. Colorful, "eye-catching" fish are often raised as pets, to decorate the living space. In addition to the familiar fish we often see, there are many very special fish breeds. Their uniqueness and rarity make them sell for up to billions of dong. Below are the 7 most expensive fish on the planet, compiled by The Richest news site.

7. Australian Flathead Perch – $5,000

This is a rare fish, only found in the waters of Australia. Flathead Perch rarely leave their shelter, except when foraging. This fish swims very fast, is small in size, and rarely appears, making it very difficult to catch. They have quite eye-catching colors with a red body, orange fins and white stripes along the body as highlights. The first person to sell this fish was an American fisherman in 2011. Since then, it has created a small "fever" in the aquarium market and is sought after by many people.

6. Neptune Grouper Fish – $6,000

This beautiful fish is so rare that you will hardly find it in any aquarium store. It is a deep water fish which makes it extremely difficult to catch. The Neptune Grouper will change color as it matures, sometimes orange, sometimes yellow, sometimes bright pink.

5. Golden Basslet – $8,000

The Golden Basslet is the smallest member of the grouper family, found in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Although hardy and adaptable to captivity, it is rarely seen for sale. Fishermen must dive very deep to catch Golden Basslets, which is what drives up the price of this fish.

4. Bladefin Basslet – $10,000

You may find it hard to believe that this tiny fish, only about 3-4cm long, costs up to $10,000 per fish. This fish lives mainly in deep-water coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea and rarely swims out. The most special feature of the Bladefin Basslet is the long, salt-white fin on its back that looks like a horn. Fish breeders say that the longer the "horn", the higher the price of the fish.

3. Peppermint Angelfish – $30,000

According to The Richest, in 2012, there was only one Peppermint angelfish on display in the world. This fish was brought back by an ocean research team from the Smithsonian Institute and displayed in a large aquarium at the Waikiki Aquarium. Peppermint angelfish live at depths that normal divers cannot reach, and to catch them requires professional equipment. And that is the reason why it is extremely rare in the "aquarium village". The price of a Peppermint angelfish is up to half a billion VND.

2. Polka Dot Freshwater Stingray – $100,000

The Polka Dot freshwater stingray was first exhibited in Taiwan a few years ago, making aquarium enthusiasts "wow". This fish is of moderate size, not too big like saltwater stingrays, and has strange white dots on its jet-black body. A small genetic mutation causes the front part of the Polka Dot stingray to be U-shaped instead of round, making it even more valuable. In addition, because of the aforementioned genetic mutation, this stingray is very difficult to catch prey and difficult to live in the natural environment. In captivity, it needs to be hand-fed.

1. Platinum Arowana – $400,000

Topping this expensive list is the arowana fish and the “king” of arowana fish is the Platinum albino arowana fish. As a product of a special genetic mutation, the Platinum arowana fish is pure white from head to tail while normal fish can be red, blue, black or yellow… The price of an arowana fish also depends on its color. The white fish is the most expensive, the amount of money spent to own an albino arowana fish is equal to the value of a supercar, followed by the red and yellow arowana fish, and finally the cheapest is the silver arowana fish.

Platinum Arowanas are commonly found in rivers in South America, Southeast Asia or Africa. Adult arowanas can grow up to 90cm in length and can live up to 50 years. They are extremely intelligent, have the ability to recognize individuals and can often be trained to be hand-fed.

According to Nguyen Binh/danviet