Coelacanth

The Coelacanth (pronounced ˈsiː.lə.kænθ, "seel-uh-canth") (シーラカンス, Shīrakansu) is a very rare fish. The player can only fish for it at the ocean if it is raining or snowing. Coelacanths appear in every main Animal Crossing series title. It first appears in, in which it is the only fish to be featured in the ocean.

The player has the option to donate a Coelacanth to the museum, and it is worth 15,000 Bells. He or she can view it in a large tank in the back of the fish exhibit. In New Leaf, it is grouped in the same tank as other large saltwater fish.

Museum
The Coelacanth is described by Blathers in the first three games, whereas in, it is described from an associated description plate.

"Hoo, my goodness! Glorious! Seen in this light, of course, it's quite a grotesque beast. And yet, it does have a certain peculiar allure, wot? You may rest assured that we shall treat it with much affection and respect, wot! My word as a gentleowl."

- Blathers

"It was once thought that the coelacanth had gone extinct, eh wot? Indeed, right up until a scholar saw them lined up in a market. Hoo hoo! That would clearly suggest that they are edible, don't you agree? Though I must admit, they don't look like they would taste very good..."

- Blathers

"Many years ago, the theory was that the coelacanth had gone extinct...But as it turns out, it still exists and has been living deep in the ocean this whole time, wot? Imagine! This fish has known the world since the dinosaurs... Perhaps it's the true master of the sea!"

- Blathers

"Coelacanths are ancient fish once believed to be extinct but recently discovered around South Africa. Called "living fossils," they have apparently changed very little over the past 400 million years. They can live for over 60 years and reach lengths of six feet but have rather small brains, even for fish. They have more fins and harder scales than the average fish, making them a rather resilient breed. Their flavour is very different from most fish, and they contain a fat that is indigestible by humans. It's for that second reason that eating them really isn't highly recommended."

- Description plate

Further information
The Coelacanth is an ancient species of fish that was, for a long time, believed to be extinct, due to the discovery of fossils. The first ever live one was caught in 1938. It can grow up to two meters in length and lives for an average of forty-eight years. Coelacanths are found off the south coast of Africa, living in steep rocky shores, sheltering in caves during the day. It can travel around eight kilometers a night in search for food, passively swimming with the current, making it a "slow-moving" fish that only uses its fins to adjust its position. It preys on fish and squid, but some have been known to eat eels, skates, and even sharks. Its main predator is likely to be large sharks.

Trivia

 * In, if the player gives a Coelacanth to Wendell, he refuses to take it, saying his mother told him to not eat them. In the real world, coelacanth are poisonous, inedible fish.