Horse Mackerel

Horse Mackerel
Scientific name	Trachurus japonicus; (Japanese horse mackerel)
Family	Carangidae (jacks)
Time of year	All year
Time of day	All day
Location	Sea
Size	35 cm
Shadow size	Small
Rarity	Very Common
Selling price	120 Bells (Doubutsu no Mori e+, PAL Wild World); 150 Bells (Wild World, City Folk, New Leaf, amiibo Festival, New Horizons)
Main Appearances	DnM AC DnMe+ WW CF NL NH
Other Appearances	PC

The Horse Mackerel (アジ, Aji), one of the cheapest fish in the Animal Crossing series, is a common fish introduced in Doubutsu no Mori e+ that can be found in the sea. It can be caught at any given time or month. When this fish is given to Wendell in City Folk, the player is rewarded with a Horizontal Track pattern. In Animal Crossing: New Leaf it is used in the Fish Salad recipe during the Harvest Festival.

Catch details[edit]

In Doubutsu no Mori e+[edit]

#38

""

Times	All Year: All Day
Location	Sea
Shadow Size	-
Rarity	-
Selling Price	120 Bells
Tank Size

All Year: All DaySea-Unknown-1201201.0x1.0

In Wild World[edit]

#42

"I caught a horse mackerel! Nay!? Yay!"

Description	They have hard scales called "scutes."
Times	All Year: All Day
Peak Times	-
Location	Sea
Shadow Size	Small
Fish Size	40 cm
Rarity
Selling Prices	150 Bells PAL: 120 Bells
Tank Size

I caught a horse mackerel! Nay!? Yay!All Year: All Day-They have hard scales called "scutes."SeaSmall40 cm1501201501.0x1.0

In City Folk[edit]

#47

"I caught a horse mackerel! But it sounds fine to me!"

Description	They have hard scales called "scutes".
Times	All Year: All Day
Peak Times
Location	Sea
Shadow Size	Small
Fish Size	About 16 inches (40 cm)
Rarity
Selling Prices	150 Bells
Tank Size

All Year: All DayThey have hard scales called "scutes".SeaSmallAbout 16 inches (40 cm)1501501.0x1.0

In New Leaf[edit]

#52

"I caught a horse mackerel! Holy mackerel!"

Times	All Year: All Day
Peak Times	-
Location	Sea (including Tortimer Island)
Shadow Size	Small
Fish Size	40cm
Rarity
Selling Price	150 Bells
Tank Size

All Year: All Day-Sea (including Tortimer Island)Small40cm1501501.0x1.0

In Pocket Camp[edit]

#1

Event Availability	None
Location	Saltwater Shores
Shadow Size	Small
Fish Size	33.4 cm - 46.5 cm
Rarity	★
Catch Rate	13.0095%
Selling Price	10 Bells
Request Reward	100 Bells, 2 Friendship Points

N/AUnknownSaltwater ShoresSmall33.4 cm - 46.5 cm★13.0095%10

In New Horizons[edit]

#57

"I caught a horse mackerel! Of course, mack...er...el."

Time of Year	North: All Year South: All Year
Time of Day	All day
Location	Sea
Shadow Size	Small
Rarity
Total Catch
Selling Prices	Nook's Cranny: 150 Bells C.J.: 225 Bells
Tank Size

Horse MackerelAll YearAll YearAll daySeaSmallUnknownUnknown1501.0x1.0 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Donating to the museum[edit]

Wendel gives the player a Horizontal Track Pattern if given a Horse Mackerel.

In Wild World[edit]

Blathers will say this when handed the fish:

"How do you like to eat your fried horse mackerel? With tartar sauce? Vinegar? ...Ah! Cocktail sauce?! Hoo, I see. Fascinating."

In City Folk[edit]

Blathers will say this when handed the fish:

"Horse mackerel are not at all related to horses... Rather obvious, I should think... It's quite a strange name, given how many fish are related to this one, like yellowtail and amberjack."

In New Leaf[edit]

The plaque by the tank in which the fish is housed says the following:

"With their appealing flavor, horse mackerel have long been a cheap and common food source. However, in certain regions, they have actually been branded as something of a luxury dish. They have tough scales on both sides of their bodies that must be removed before preparing. Though small, they are formidable carnivores. Since they go after bait, they are popular with fishers."

In New Horizons[edit]

When donating the Horse Mackerel to the museum, Blathers says this:

"Supposedly the horse mackerel derives its name from a-false-myth about its strengh as a swimmer. The gist of it is that these fish are so powerful underwater that smaller fish can ride them as steeds! It's absurd, of course. Where would these alleged fish jockeys attach a saddle, much less horseshoes? One does wish that people would construct their legends with a BIT more scientific plausibility!"

Fishing Tournament[edit]

New Leaf[edit]

Chip will say this when given a Horse Mackerel:

"Horse mackerel, man, those guys are tasty with a capital MMMM. So I'm just gonna scarf this one down. Totally raw, of course!"

Further information[edit]

The Japanese jack mackerel has a depth range of 0 – 275 m, but usually 50 – 275 m. It is tropical. It is an important fish in the fishing trade and can be found in the northwest Pacific Ocean. It is vulnerable.

Gallery[edit]

For more images, view this subject's gallery.

Names in other languages[edit]

	アジ aji	(Japanese) horse mackerel

	전갱이 jeongaeng-i	(Japanese) horse mackerel

	竹荚鱼 / 竹莢魚 zhújiáyú	(Japanese) horse mackerel

	Ставрида Stavrida	Horse mackerel

	Horsmakreel	Horse mackerel

	Makrele	Mackerel

	Jurel	Horse mackerel

	Chinchard	Horse mackerel

	Sgombro	Horse mackerel

アジaji(Japanese) horse mackerel전갱이jeongaeng-i(Japanese) horse mackerelUnknownUnknownUnknown竹荚鱼竹莢魚zhújiáyú(Japanese) horse mackerelUnknownUnknownUnknownСтавридаStavridaHorse mackerelHorsmakreelHorse mackerelMakreleMackerelJurelHorse mackerelUnknownUnknownChinchardHorse mackerelUnknownUnknownSgombroHorse mackerelUnknownUnknown