Fish, rich in minerals and polyunsaturated acids, is an important component of the human diet. Fish soup, steaks, dried and smoked - there are a huge number of ways to prepare it.
Along with the usual herring or flounder, there is a fish so exotic that it is included in the Guinness Book of Records and is sold for hundreds of thousands of dollars at thematic auctions. Its uniqueness may lie in its unusual coloring, heavy weight, or even deadly poison content.
In this article we will talk about 10 examples of the most expensive fish in the world, which, despite the enormous cost, finds its buyer.
Tiger shark
This predator of the sea kingdom occupies a leading position in the ranking of the most expensive fish. A specimen of the bloodthirsty fish was caught by order of a British artist for use as a model and to create a work of art. Despite the fact that the fish was embalmed, its body began to deteriorate very quickly. Before it completely falls into disrepair, the owner decides to sell it.
A specimen of a tiger shark was purchased at auction by American billionaire Steve Cohen. He paid $12 million for it.
The tiger shark is caught for the taste of its meat, which is especially pronounced in young representatives of the species. The most valuable parts of fish are the skin, fins, and liver. A delicious dish with a pleasant smell is prepared from shark liver. The fillet is boiled until its color changes to white, followed by a complex and lengthy smoking process.
Cooking fugu
As mentioned above, there are not many chefs in the world who know how to cook Fugu. The chefs who prepare this fish receive great honors. Fugu cooked incorrectly is deadly. The poison contained in one fish is enough to poison several dozen adults. The important thing is that if a person touches the insides of Fugu with his bare hand, he will die. That's how deadly and dangerous the most expensive fish in the world is! Its poison kills not only when eaten, it easily penetrates through the skin into the blood or when inhaling vapors and poisons the body. That is why in the process of preparing this fish, the cook is obliged to adhere to the strictest safety measures.
Tuna
Tuna meat is very tender and tasty. It is often used in sushi; tuna is also popular in canned form.
Several specimens of this type of fish weighed heavily and were sold for impressive sums:
- tuna weighing 108 kg - was sold for $178,000;
- an individual weighing 200 kg was sold at a Tokyo auction for $230,000;
- a bluefin tuna weighing 222 kg was caught off the coast of Japan and sold at the market for $1.76 million to the owner of a chain of sushi restaurants;
- tuna weighing 226 kg - sold at the Tokyo market for $730,000;
- A record-breaking tuna weighing approximately 412 kg was caught by a woman fisherman who sold it for $2.02 million.
Barramundi (white sea bass)
Regular barramundi fish is not very expensive - about $40 per 1 kg - and is available for purchase in supermarkets. However, every year an unusual charity auction takes place in Austria. 75 representatives of the barramundi breed are marked and released into the reservoir.
One of the specimens has a price tag of $1 million, the rest of the fish are valued at $10,000. The person who catches the fish must pay the amount indicated on it.
How to eat the most expensive fish in the world
Eating fugu is a real ritual. Before eating, the prepared piece must be soaked in sake, which the gourmet must then drink. It is believed that this drink will help him become stronger in spirit, strengthen his sense of smell, sight and hearing. After a person eats a piece of Fugu, his arms and legs begin to go numb, but this soon goes away. The Japanese believe that the closer a gourmet's condition was to death, the more virtuosic the cook and the more respect he deserves. Fugu connoisseurs call the return of limb mobility a resurrection.
Platinum Arowana
Due to its color, it is considered one of the most expensive exotic aquarium fish. It has one unique feature, which is why many collectors around the world want to purchase it to replenish their aquariums: the scales of the fish resemble a plate of platinum, which is well polished.
The platinum arowana is equated to a work of art. There is not a single dark spot in the color of this type of fish. Each representative of this aquarium fish is microchipped and constantly monitored.
The most expensive platinum arowana lives with a Singaporean aquarist, who displays it at various exhibitions around the world. This individual was valued at $400,000.
Koi carp
This is a domesticated variety of carp that was bred through selective breeding. Koi carp come in a variety of colors and there are many different varieties. The cost of copies may depend on this.
You can buy them for $100-5000. There are also more unique specimens worth $200 thousand, which can only be bought from breeders in Japan.
The advantage of the species is its life expectancy. With proper care, koi carps can live for a century. But at the same time they grow up to 0.5 m in length.
Pearl stingray
It is the rarest representative of the aquarium world. Stingrays are rare in the natural environment, so catching them is strictly prohibited, and when fish are kept in captivity, it is very difficult for them to reproduce.
Individuals of the pearl stingray are very beautiful and have an unusual body color. On their back, nature has created a contrasting and unusual pattern of spots.
One specimen of the pearl stingray is valued at $50,000.
Russian sturgeon
Sturgeon fish is valued primarily for its delicious caviar. Due to uncontrolled poaching for black caviar, sturgeon was included in the Red Book. There are several sturgeon that, due to their record weight, have been sold for large sums of money.
The most famous is a specimen of sturgeon weighing 1.2 tons with 200 kg of caviar. He was caught at the beginning of the 20th century. In modern money, they paid $289,000 for the fish.
Kaluga
The fish belongs to the sturgeon family and is listed in the Red Book due to a sharp drop in its numbers. Kaluga spawning occurs once every 5 years. During this period, she is capable of laying 1.5 million small eggs.
In 2014, in the Ussuri River, fishermen caught an individual weighing 600 kg with 100 kg of delicious caviar of excellent quality. 100 grams of this product were valued at $2,500.
At the moment, due to poaching, kaluga can only be caught in special nurseries for a fee. Catching river specimens is prohibited.
Albino Beluga
Albino beluga is very rare in nature and lives in the Caspian, Adriatic, White, and Azov seas. During the spawning period, belugas can weigh up to 1 ton.
In this fish, as in previous representatives of the sturgeon family, the main value is caviar. It is considered the most expensive and delicious in the whole world, since the spawning period occurs only once a year.
For 100 grams of beluga caviar they ask for $2,500.
Barramundi
The fish has many names - white sea bass, rayfin fish or lates. It lives in the vast expanses of the Persian Gulf, the Indian Sea and near the coast of Australia. It feels good in both salt water and fresh water, so it can be caught both in the river and in the sea.
The barramundi is a predatory creature whose diet is based on crayfish and small fish. In rare cases, cold-blooded fish catch large insects sitting on the surface of the water and small frogs.
Lates is the most delicious and popular commercial fish, used to prepare expensive and exotic dishes. It is caught in large quantities in Australia, and the export of goods accounts for almost 20% of the total annual income of the state. This country has a strict law requiring fishing at certain times of the year - from March to October. The reason is that in winter the barramundi go to spawn. In other parts of the world, this rule is not followed, so the population of white sea bass there is rapidly declining.
Local residents eat latesa almost every day and do not consider it a delicacy. To catch fish, they use wicker traps that are installed in the water at the bottom of the river. After the barramundi swims into the cage, the door closes and the animal cannot get out. The length of an average fish is 2.5-3 meters, and its weight reaches 50 kilograms. After catching one white perch, a man provides his entire family with food for a couple of days.
In Australia, there is an annual event called “Barramundi for a Million”. Its essence is that 75 individuals with marks on their bodies are released into a closed reservoir. One of the markers is different from the others. The person who catches the “special” fish will receive $1 million. The remaining participants will receive a reward of $10,000.
In Europe, America and Asian countries, barramundi is rare. Dishes made from it are prized by celebrities and rich people. For one serving of salad with lates you will have to pay about 500-600 dollars.
gold fish
This species of fish is aquarium and belongs to the carp family. The fish have very beautiful golden scales. They were developed in China about 1000 years ago. Each imperial dynasty considered it its duty to acquire individual goldfish at any cost and breed them in ponds at their palaces, as well as in aquariums. Among the rulers of China, Emperor Chao-kou became famous for his love of breeding this type of fish.
In the wild, goldfish can be found in the waters near Cheyu Island. It is in the possession of South Korea.
The price for one individual aquarium goldfish is $1,500.
Tetradon mbu
Freshwater African fish, the largest representative of tetradons. In an aquarium it usually reaches 40 cm. When it is in danger, the tetradon swells like a ball. As an adult, it is very aggressive - it can even bite a person. He likes to bury himself in the sand, so that only his eyes remain on the surface. In Russian online stores, the cost of adult tetradons reaches 50,000 rubles.
