Killifish

← (9) Ranchu goldfish

New Horizons fish

Crawfish (11) →

New Horizons fish
← (9) Ranchu goldfish	→ Crawfish (11)

Killifish
Image gallery
Real-world info
Name: Oryzias latipes (Japanese ricefish) Family: Adrianichthyidae (ricefishes)
Main appearances
DnM DnM+ AC DnMe+ iQue WW CF NL NH
Other appearances
Film HHD aF PC
Names in other languages  メダカ  송사리  Killifish  Killifisch  稻田鱼  Fondule barré  Killi  Killivis  稻田魚  Fondule barré  Killi  Оризия

The killifish is a freshwater fish in the Animal Crossing series introduced in Doubutsu no Mori+. It appears as a tiny shadow that can be found in ponds all day long from mid spring to the end of summer.

Catch details

In Animal Crossing

#35

"I caught a killifish! Killer!"

DnM / iQue

DnM+

AC

DnMe+

Time of year	Apr – Aug
Time of day	All day
Location	River Pond
Shadow size	Tiny
Selling price	300 Bells
Feng shui	None
Furniture size

In Wild World

#10

"I caught a killifish! What's the dilly, fish?"

Description	Though small, they're efficient breeders.
Time of year	Apr – Aug
Time of day	All day
Peak times	Jun – Aug
Location	Pond
Shadow size	Tiny
Fish size	4 cm
Selling price	300 Bells
Furniture size

In City Folk

#10

"I caught a killifish! Bet you feel silly, fish!"

Description	Once common to small rivers and waterways, it's now rare to find these in the wild.
Time of year	Apr – Aug
Time of day	All day
Peak times	N/A
Location	Pond
Shadow size	Tiny
Fish size	About 1.6 in.
Selling price	300 Bells
Furniture size

In New Leaf

#10

"I caught a killifish! Maybe I'll put it in a chili dish!"

Time of year	Apr – Aug
Time of day	All day
Peak times	N/A
Location	Pond
Shadow size	Tiny
Fish size	4 cm
Selling price	300 Bells
Furniture size

In Pocket Camp

#96

Event availability	Fishing Tourney: Schoolroom
Location	Lost Lure Creek
Shadow size	Tiny
Fish size	3.3 cm - 4.7 cm
Rarity	★
Catch rate	Cannot be caught at this time
Selling price	10 Bells
Request reward	100 Bells, 2 Friendship Points

In New Horizons

#10

"I caught a killifish! The streams are safe again."

Time of year	North: Apr – Aug South: Oct – Feb
Time of day	All day
Location	Pond
Shadow size	Tiny
Rarity	Uncommon
Spawn requirement	Appears from the start of the game
Selling prices	Nook's Cranny:  300 Bells  C.J.:  450 Bells
Furniture size

Donation to the museum

In Animal Crossing

"Hoo hoo! Hullo, little fishy! Aren't we a tiny little fellow! Adorable! Why, I believe it stuck its tongue out at me! Hoo-rumph! Nevertheless, we'll take care of the little blighter! I'll keep an eye on this mischief-maker myself!"

In Wild World

As with all fish, the killifish may be given to Blathers as an addition to the museum's aquarium.

"I heard that killifish recipes are common all around the world. Sadly, I've seen nary a one, not that I've searched... I haven't a clue as to their taste, even. It IS a fish, though, I can say that!"

The killifish can be found in the first aquarium tank after being donated.

In City Folk

Upon donating to the museum in Animal Crossing: City Folk, Blathers will say the following dialogue:

"...Hoo, here's a morsel of interest--killifish are often used in observational studies... This is because they are translucent, wot? Indeed, their innards can be seen clearly from without! In earlier times, folks used killifish to discover how a body processed food. Well, suffice to say, the killifish is a marvelous little wonder that gives people a true eyeful!"

It can be found in the left tube tank.

In New Leaf

Upon donation to the museum, the information board in front of the tank which houses the killifish reads the following:

"Killifish are small, travel in schools, and are known for having eyes higher up on their faces than others. They swim in shallow areas in rivers and mostly eat bugs that float on the surface of the water. This is why they have mouths as high up their faces as their eyes, making them effective hunters. Being the same temperature as the water they inhabit, getting grabbed by warm hands can shock them."

In New Horizons

When donating to Blathers or selecting "Tell me about this!" in New Horizons, he will provide the following information about the fish:

"Ah, the magnificent killifish! Did you know there are over 1,000 different species? My goodness, what a family tree to keep track of! My own favorite killifish species are the mangrove, which can live on land for weeks, breathing air! And the mummichog, the first fish ever brought to space. I wonder if the killifish you've brought me is related to either of those intrepid explorers?"

Once donated to the museum, the killifish can be found in the small fish tank in the first exhibit room with the goldfish and the pop-eyed goldfish.

Fishing Tourney

During a Fishing Tourney, when given a killifish, Chip will say the following dialogue.

In City Folk

"Listen, the best way to eat killifish is to just swallow them live and a-wriggling! Nyuuuk nyuk nyuk nyuk!"

In New Leaf

"I'll tell you something else I'm good at: eating killifish by the bucketful! Definitely not for amateurs, though! ...And with that, down the hatch!"

Gallery

For more images, view this subject's gallery.

• 

  Animal Crossing

• 

  Animal Crossing: Wild World

• 

  Animal Crossing: City Folk

• 

  Animal Crossing: New Leaf

• 

  Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Real-world information

A real-life killifish

It is unclear what sort of killifish appears in the Animal Crossing series. Judging by the size estimated within the built-in encyclopedia and the Japanese name, it could be a Japanese rice fish. However, all killifish have common traits, noticeably, their translucent skin which has made them an interest in biology due to the visibility of their digestive system. They are a harmless, common, aquarium fish.

Names in other languages

	メダカ Medaka	Japanese rice fish
	송사리 Songsari	Japanese rice fish
	稻田鱼 Dàotiányú	Japanese rice fish (lit. "rice paddy fish")
	稻田魚 Unknown
	Оризия Oriziya	From Orizyas, the genus the Japanese rice fish belongs to
	Killivis
	Killifisch
	Killi
	Fondule barré	Banded killifish (Fundulus diaphanus)
	Killifish

Notes

Pocket Camp fish

Fishing Fishing Tourney Locations Saltwater Shores Lost Lure Creek List of fish Achilles surgeonfish Amago salmon Amazon leaffish Amberjack Anchovy Angelfish Arapaima Arowana Atlantic mackerel Barbel steed Barred knifejaw Bering wolffish Betta Bitterling Black bass Black ghost knifefish Black rockfish Blowfish Bluegill Blue marlin Butterfly fish Carp Catfish Char Cherry salmon Clown fish Coelacanth Comb jelly Crawfish Crucian carp Dab Dace Dark-banded rockfish Darkfin pike eel Eel Firefly squid Flying fish Football fish Freshwater crab Freshwater goby Frilled shark Frog Frogfish Gar Giant king salmon Giant manta ray Giant river prawn Giant snakehead Giant trevally Golden trout Gold football fish Gold horse mackerel Gold olive flounder Gold tuna Gourami Harlequin shrimp Horse mackerel Horsehair crab Japanese halfbeak Killifish King catfish King dab King goliath frog King koi King olive flounder King red snapper King salmon King stringfish Koi Largehead hairtail Loach Longtooth grouper Mantis shrimp Megamouth shark Mitten crab Moorish idol Moray eel Napoleonfish Neon tetra Nomura's jellyfish Northern comb jelly Oarfish Ocean sunfish Octopus Olive flounder Ornate spiny lobster Pacific saury Pale chub Pelican eel Pike Pineapplefish Pond smelt Pop-eyed goldfish Puffer fish Rainbow trout Ray Red snapper Redtail catfish Ribbon eel Sailfin sandfish Sakura shrimp Salmon Sea bass Sea bunny Sea butterfly Sea horse Shark Silver pomfret Skipjack tuna Snapping turtle Snow crab Soft-shelled turtle Spider crab Spiny lobster Splendid alfonsino Splendid garden eel Spotted garden eel Spring mackerel Squid Stringfish Sturgeon Surgeonfish Sweetfish Sweet shrimp Tadpole Threadfin trevally Tiger catfish Tiger prawn Tilapia Tuna Vampire crab Whale shark White lumpfish Yellow perch Zebra turkeyfish List of Fishing Tourney-exclusive fish Amethyst jewelfish Aqua eggler fish Aquamarine jewelfish Atlantic horseshoe crab Barreleye Berry-chocolate fish Bicolor dottyback Bigfin reef squid Black clown fish Black horsehair crab Black ruby barb Black wakin goldfish Blackspot tuskfish Blooper Blue bewitched frog Blue flagonfish Blue moon jellyfish Blue starfish Blueberry-candy fish Chambered nautilus Cheep Cheep Cheep Chomp Cherry-candy fish Crystal red shrimp Dark-chocolate fish Diamond tetra Dorado Eep Cheep Fancy pastel arapaima Fancy pastel arowana Fancy pastel carp Flame angelfish Giant isopod Giant sparkly manta ray Giant squid Gold starfish Golden koi Goldfish Grape candy fish Great barracuda Great white shark Green bonefish Green boxfish Green discus Green lumpfish Green moon jellyfish Green Napoleonfish Green octopus Green spotted puffer Green squid Guppy Hammerhead shark Honey eel Honey sea horse Honey sea slug Horseshoe crab Icy butterfly fish Icy chambered nautilus Icy lobster Island Horse Mackerel Island olive flounder Island red snapper Island tuna Ivory arowana Lemon-candy fish Lemur-tail seahorse Lobster Longsnout seahorse Mahi-mahi Maple-leaf koi Melon candy fish Milk-chocolate fish Nebula starfish Opah Orange bewitched frog Orange bonefish Orange candy fish Orange discus Pacific cod Pink anemonefish Pink eggler fish Pink koi Pink squid Piranha Platinum black bass Platinum catfish Platinum gar Platinum pale chub Pot-bellied seahorse Purple bewitched frog Purple bonefish Purple festival fish Purple octopus Purple starfish Ranchu goldfish Red festival fish Red flagonfish Red garra Red king crab Red lionfish Red lumpfish Red sea bream Red snow crab Red wakin goldfish Ruby jewelfish Saddled bichir Saw shark Silver arowana Smalltooth sand tiger Sparkly jellyfish Sparkly whale shark Spotted knifejaw Threadfin butterflyfish Umbrella octopus Weedy stingfish White angelfish White butterfly koi White puffer fish White ribbon eel White starfish White tuxedo guppy Yellow boxfish Yellow eggler fish Yellow festival fish Yellow flagonfish Yellow king piranha Yellow moon jellyfish Yellow starfish Yellowfin tuna Zebra moray Project