- "I caught a football fish! Thanks to my fishing tackle!" —New Leaf
The football fish (チョウチンアンコウ, Chōchin'ankō?) is an uncommon winter fish. It can be found between 4 pm and 9 am between the months of November and March. It sells for 2,500 Bells at Tom Nook's store.
Donating to the Museum
In Wild World
"This is rather graphic, but football fish males can get attached to females... Literally attached! And then the males get absorbed into the females! I heard this, and I thought how lucky I was to have been born an owl, eh wot?"
In City Folk
"...The most striking detail of the football fish's life is the way multiple males are cared for by one female. You heard me correctly! A single female football fish will nourish and raise multiple males by herself! In contrast to the females, males don't make nests or gather food. Their sole task is to cling to the female! ...Another tidbit: only the females possess that amazing, glowing antenna! ...Romance certainly takes many forms in the animal kingdom, eh wot?"
In New Leaf
In New Leaf, an information board in the aquarium will list information about this fish.
"Football fish live in parts of the ocean so deep that light does not reach them. Their lanterns, which they sway back and forth to lure prey, can emit light thanks to special bacteria. When prey gets near, they shoot a luminescent liquid and snatch the prey while it's blinded by the light. Only females possess the useful lantern. They can grow to be about two feet by maturity. Males are small, less than two inches in length."
Capture quotes
- "I caught a football fish! Well, well... you've came a long way!" —Wild World
- "AWESOME! I caught a football fish! TOUCHDOWN!" —City Folk
Encyclopedia information
Wild World
Fish
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"Males are only a few centimeters long. Bacteria on the fish make them glow." | |
| Size | 23.4 inches | |
| Habitat | Ocean | |
| Season | Fall to spring | |
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City Folk
Fish
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New Leaf
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Gallery
Further Information
A real life Atlantic Football Fish
The Himantolophus groenlandicus[1] or the Atlantic Football Fish is a type of football fish found in tropical and temperate bodies of water. They live deep underwater, in the "midnight zone". Both genders have a gelatinous flesh which thickens in the females, the bacteria on their body also gives them a "glowing" appearance.[2]
Females are a lot bigger than males, ranging to about 40-60 cm in length. Females also have an esca (the growth coming from their head) which they use as a lure to catch smaller fish; cuttlefish or small crustaceans. Males are much smaller than females, the biggest recorded size being only 7 cm.[3]
References
