Coelacanth

The Coelacanth (シーラカンス,) is often considered the rarest fish in. In the original game this was the only fish to occur in the ocean.

Unlike any other fish in the series, the coelacanth can only appear when it is raining or snowing, and it is the only fish to spawn in this unique manner. An elusive fish, it only appears in darker hours of the day. Despite the fact that it can rain on the island in New Leaf, it cannot be caught there, though it can be caught on the island in GCN games.

Donation To The Museum
As with all fish caught in, the coelacanth can be donated to the museum by talking to Blathers.

In Animal Crossing
Blathers will say: "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."

In Wild World
Blathers will comment: "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..."

In City Folk
Blathers will say the following when given the coelacanth:

"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!"

In New Leaf
The description plate in the museum will say the following:

"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 flavor 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."

Encyclopedia Information
Once the player has caught a particular fish or bug, they can find information about it in the bug menu or the fish menu. Once the coelacanth has been caught, the following information can be found in the fish menu:

New Leaf


An average size for a coelacanth is between 57-63 inches.

Trivia

 * In, when the player gives Wendell a coelacanth, he will not take it from the player and will say "Oh! My mother told me not to eat these, so I'm going to have to give it back." He will then complain that he is hungry.

Further Information
The coelacanths (Latimeria spp.) are extremely rare living fossil fish. Thought to be extinct, it was then found off the coast of South Africa in 1938. They are currently extremely rare, because of overfishing. There are currently two known species of coelacanths, the West Indian and the Indonesian. Genetic research indicates that both species most likely evolved from the same common ancestor.