What is the Hardest Animal to Catch in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
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The question of the “hardest animal” to catch in Animal Crossing: New Horizons (ACNH) doesn’t have a simple, singular answer. It depends on how you define “hardest.” If we’re talking purely about rarity and difficulty in encountering, the Coelacanth is widely considered the most challenging fish to reel in. However, if we broaden our scope to include all critters, the challenge can shift. Ultimately, a combination of factors—including spawn rates, time of year, time of day, weather conditions, and even luck—contributes to the overall difficulty.
Let’s break down why the Coelacanth typically takes the crown for “hardest,” and then explore other contenders for the title, considering different aspects of the game.
Why the Coelacanth is So Challenging
The Coelacanth is an ancient, deep-sea fish known for its rarity throughout the Animal Crossing series. Here’s why it’s so tough to catch in New Horizons:
- Weather Dependency: The Coelacanth only appears in the ocean when it is raining, not just when it’s cloudy. This significantly reduces the times it can spawn. You can’t just casually fish for this one – you need to plan around the weather.
- Rarity: Even when it’s raining, the Coelacanth has a low spawn rate compared to other ocean fish. This means you need patience and persistence. You might throw a lot of fish bait before you even get a chance to see one’s shadow.
- Large Shadow Size: While helpful for identification (it has a very large shadow), this doesn’t make it easier to catch. A large shadow can also hide other potentially valuable fish.
- Availability: Although technically available all year round, the rainy weather condition makes it much rarer than other common fish that are always available.
- Psychological Factor: The Coelacanth’s reputation for being elusive can add to the challenge. Players often feel extra pressure when fishing for it.
Other Contenders for “Hardest” Title
While the Coelacanth might be the most difficult fish to obtain, other critters present their own unique challenges:
Rare Fish
- Golden Trout: This fish, like the Coelacanth, commands a high price (15,000 bells) and is tough to find. It spawns only in clifftop rivers, and requires the correct time of day and time of the year, adding to its elusiveness.
- Stringfish: Found in clifftop rivers, this fish is only available during specific months and only after 4 PM, making it another rare target. It also shares the 15,000-bell selling price with some of the game’s toughest fish.
- Barreleye: This deep-sea fish is another one that’s worth 15,000 bells and isn’t very common. It is in the ocean all year long but has a low spawn rate.
- Great White Shark: Appearing in the ocean, this finned shadow is exciting but not very common. The thrill of catching a shark adds to its perceived difficulty.
Rare Bugs
- Golden Stag and Giraffe Stag: These beetles only appear on palm trees during late summer nights. Their limited availability window and rarity make them challenging to capture.
- Horned Hercules: Another beetle that only appears on palm trees during the summer, late at night. This, combined with its low spawn rate, makes it hard to come across.
- Dorado: This rare fish appears in rivers during summer months, and is worth 15,000 bells. Its seasonal and time-limited availability adds to its difficulty.
Deep-Sea Creatures
- Gigas Giant Clam: While this is a giant sea creature with a large shadow, the rarity and the large shadow makes it easier to find than the Coelacanth. It can be found both day and night and is worth 15,000 bells, making it a great find when you see the large shadow.
Rare Items
- Royal Crown: This is the rarest and most expensive item in the game. It is not available for sale regularly and can only be bought at the Able Sisters shop if it appears, and it comes at a hefty price.
- Gold Armor Set: Obtaining the required gold nuggets to craft this set can be a long and hard process, making it one of the hardest to complete.
- Zodiac Items: As you can only get these when your island is in the correct month, these can only be crafted when you get the DIY from Celeste and is only available during a specific month.
Conclusion
While the Coelacanth is often crowned the “hardest” due to its specific weather requirements, rarity, and psychological impact, several other creatures and items are challenging to obtain in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The game is designed to be a relaxing experience, so remember to enjoy the process, even when hunting for those rare finds. The thrill of finally catching that elusive fish or finding that rare item is part of the charm of ACNH.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the rarest fish in Animal Crossing: New Horizons?
The Coelacanth is generally considered the rarest fish, due to its weather-dependent spawning conditions and low spawn rate. Other highly rare fish include the Golden Trout, Stringfish, and Barreleye.
What is the hardest bug to catch in ACNH?
The Golden Stag, Giraffe Stag and Horned Hercules are some of the most difficult bugs to catch due to their limited spawning times (late summer nights on palm trees) and low spawn rates.
Can you get a Coelacanth in any season?
Yes, you can catch a Coelacanth in any season, but only when it’s raining.
What is the best time to fish for rare fish?
There is no single “best” time, as it depends on the specific fish. For instance, the Stringfish only appears after 4 PM, while the Golden Trout may need specific times on clifftop rivers. Check availability charts online for specifics.
What are finned shadows in the ocean?
Finned shadows in the ocean indicate that the fish you might catch will be a shark or a Saw Shark or Whale Shark These are rarer than regular fish but have good selling price.
What is the most profitable thing to sell in Animal Crossing?
High-value fish (like the Coelacanth, Golden Trout, Stringfish, and Great White Shark) and bugs (like the Golden Stag and Giraffe Stag) are among the most profitable items.
What is the most expensive item you can buy in ACNH?
The Royal Crown, which can be found at the Able Sister’s shop on random days, is the most expensive item you can buy and comes at a price of 1 million bells.
What is the easiest way to find rare fish in Animal Crossing?
Craft and use fish bait to quickly spawn fish in a chosen location. This allows you to skip some of the waiting time. Be sure to fish during the correct times for specific fish.
Is there a strategy to catch rare fish easier?
Patience is the best strategy. Always be prepared with fish bait when rain is predicted and know the spawn conditions of the fish you want to catch.
What does CJ buy besides fish?
CJ only buys fish. He does not purchase sea creatures.
How do you get the Gold Armor Set?
You need to craft it by having the recipe for each part, and then obtain the required number of gold nuggets for crafting. This can take a long time and is not easy to acquire.
How do you get the Royal Crown?
The Royal Crown will appear randomly in the Able Sister’s shop. It is not available to buy everyday. When it does, it will be available at a price of 1 million bells.
Why are some villagers so expensive?
Villagers like Shino, Ione and Sasha are popular, and this demand increases their value on the trading market among players.
Does the fish bait have any effect on catching rare fish?
While it does not guarantee spawning a rare fish, it drastically increases the rate at which you will encounter any fish, and it decreases the time you would have spent waiting for a fish to appear. It makes catching a rare fish easier by increasing the number of spawnings.
What is the lowest selling fish in Animal Crossing?
The Tadpole, at only 100 bells, is the lowest selling fish in the game, and is fairly common.