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⬅ #7 goldfish #8 pop-eyed goldfish #9 ranchu goldfish ➡


"I got a pop-eyed goldfish! It looks so...surprised!" —New Horizons
Pop-eyed goldfish Gallery

The pop-eyed goldfish is a rare river fish found throughout the year. Its rarity at the right time of the day is just about equal to that of the goldfish and the guppy, leaving the catch rate of a tiny fish in the day time at around 33% (this is excluding the common loach in spring, bitterling during winter, killifish in GCN and neon tetra in City Folk).

Quick Answers

What makes the pop-eyed goldfish a rare catch in Animal Crossing? toggle section
The pop-eyed goldfish in Animal Crossing is a rare find due to its distinct features, such as large, googly eyes and small fins. It inhabits rivers and can be caught throughout the year. Despite its big eyes, its vision is poor. Players have the option to donate this fish to the museum or trade three to C.J. for a pop-eyed goldfish model.
Provided by: Fandom
How does the rarity of the pop-eyed goldfish compare to other fish in Animal Crossing? toggle section
In the Animal Crossing series, the pop-eyed goldfish is not a rare species. It appears in multiple games, inhabiting rivers and holding ponds. It's available throughout the year from 9 am to 4 pm. The selling price is 1,300 Bells, dropping to 100 Bells in Pocket Camp. Thus, its rarity is lower compared to other fish.
Provided by: Fandom
What time of day is best to catch a pop-eyed goldfish in Animal Crossing? toggle section
In Animal Crossing, the pop-eyed goldfish can be caught throughout the year, specifically between 9 am and 4 pm. The fish is located in the river and holding pond areas.
Provided by: Fandom
What is the catch rate of the pop-eyed goldfish in Animal Crossing? toggle section
In Animal Crossing, the pop-eyed goldfish has a catch rate of around 33% in the daytime. This rate does not factor in the presence of other fish like the common loach in spring, winter's bitterling, GCN's killifish, and City Folk's neon tetra. The pop-eyed goldfish is available throughout the year, from 9 am to 4 pm, in rivers and holding ponds.
Provided by: Fandom
What other fish have similar catch rates to the pop-eyed goldfish in Animal Crossing? toggle section
In Animal Crossing, the pop-eyed goldfish shares a catch rate of approximately 33% with other tiny fish such as the common loach, bitterling, killifish in GCN, and neon tetra in City Folk. The guppy is another fish with a comparable catch rate.
Provided by: Fandom

Donation to the museum[]

As with all fish caught in Animal Crossing series, the popeyed goldfish can be donated to the museum in each game by talking to Blathers, who will also give some information on it.

In Animal Crossing[]

Upon donation, Blathers the curator will say:

"Those adorable little fins! Those huge, googly eyes! Even I am helpless in the face of their cuteness! We will take special care of this precious fellow. Welcome to your new home, you darling little fishy!"

In Wild World[]

Upon donation, Blathers the curator will say:

"You should know, the eyes on the popeyed goldfish can occasionally pop out! There's nothing wrong, of course, and if you let the fish be, they go back in. Even so, the first time I witnessed it, MY eyes nearly popped out, wot wot!"

In City Folk[]

Upon donation, Blathers the curator will say:

"Popeyed goldfish look like any other ordinary goldfish whilst still juveniles. As they begin to mature, their eyes bulge outward and gradually assume that distinctive appearance. Imagine how appalled you'd be if you brought one home thinking it was a normal goldfish...".

In New Leaf[]

In New Leaf, an information board in the aquarium will list information about this fish.

"They're known for their protruding eyes, as the name indicates, but this feature is actually a detriment. Their vision is quite poor, to the point that they will swim past food and frequently bump into things. They are a type of goldfish and get their distinguishing eye pop about two months after birth."

In New Horizons[]

In New Horizons, Upon donation or selecting "Tell me more about this!", Blathers the curator will say:

"Pop-eyed goldfish have, as the name suggests, huge round eyes. But as babies they look like other goldfish! As they grow, their eyes begin to pop out and they gain their, hoo, distinct appearance... Imagine the poor fish fancier who unknowingly bought one! Their eyes might well pop out just as far! "

Capture quotes[]

"I caught a popeyed goldfish! Aw, look...He wants his spinach..." —Animal Crossing
"I caught a popeyed goldfish! I think he's in shock!" —Wild World
"I got a popeyed goldfish! It's bugging out!" —City Folk
"I got a pop-eyed goldfish! It should have eaten its spinach!" —New Leaf
"I got a pop-eyed goldfish! It looks so...surprised!" —New Horizons


Encyclopedia information[]

Wild World[]

Fish
Encyclopedia Information
"Though their eyes are big, their vision are poor."
Size 5.9 inches
Habitat Rivers
Season All year
Icon


City Folk[]

Fish
Encyclopedia Information
"Though these have big eyes, their vision is quite poor. They use to look like ordinary goldfish, but as they age, they turn darker and their eyes bug out."
Size About 6 inches
Habitat Rivers
Season All year


New Leaf[]

Fish
Encyclopedia Information
"I got a pop-eyed goldfish! It should have eaten its spinach!"
Size About 6 inches
Habitat Rivers
Season All year


New Horizons[]

Fish
Encyclopedia Information
"I got a pop-eyed goldfish! It looks so...surprised!"
Habitat Pond
Months active (north) All year
Months active (south) All year



Further information[]

PopeyedGoldfishIRL

A real-life popeyed goldfish. They are sometimes known as Telescope Goldfish or the Black Moor.

Main article: Telescope (goldfish) on Wikipedia

Carassius auratus, the goldfish, a close relative to the crucian carp, has been domestically bred into an array of different shapes, sizes and colors. The Popeyed Goldfish breed is a harmless fish, that thrives in slow-flowing ponds, ditches, rivers, and lakes. It feeds off of small insects, crustaceans, and plants. It is a specially bred type of goldfish with large, protruding eyes, which to the surprise of some gives it poor eyesight as a result of heavy inbreeding.

Trivia[]

  • In Animal Crossing and New Leaf, this fish's pun references the comic strip Popeye, where the sailor named Popeye is known for eating spinach.

In other languages[]

Pop-eyed goldfish
Language Name Translation
Japan Japanese デメキン (Demekin) -
France French Cyprin doré -
Spain Spanish Pez telescopio -
Germany German Teleskopauge -
Italy Italian Pesce telescopio -
The Netherlands Dutch Telescoopooggoudvis -
Russia Russian Телескоп (Teleskop) -
China Chinese 龙睛金鱼/龍晴金魚 (Lóngjīngjīnyú) -
South Korea Korean 툭눈금붕어 (Tungnungeumbungeo) -



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