Would you pay £200,000 for a fish?
By scheng1
@scheng1 (24650)
Singapore
August 15, 2009 2:26am CST
While doing research on endangered Asian Arowana, I came across some blog posts and articles about Aquarama 2007 exhibition.
According to those blog posts, this fish was not even perfect. An Arowana should not have drooping eyes. The only unique feature is that this fish is platinium white all over, not a spark of other color in the body.
Someone offered £200,000 to buy a Platinium Arowana exhibited in the Aquarama exhibition. The owner refused to sell. The owner said that the first offer was £80,000. The later offer was £200,000.
I wonder who on earth wanted to buy a fish for £200,000. Would you pay £200,000 for a fish?
15 responses
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
16 Aug 09
I was watching tv today and they were showing these elaborate back yards and these people had built a pond and filled it with koi and some were huge and they talked about this one being a show fish and how the prices for some were into the thousands! Unbelievable!
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
16 Aug 09
Hi Canellita, I can understand the love for koi. If the businessman wants to fork out half a million dollars for a few kois, I know why.
There are three kinds of fish that "bring good luck" to the Asians, the goldfish, the Asian Arowana (Dragon fish), and koi. Among the three, the Koi enjoys more attention, and more competitions. Sometimes a koi can win millions in competition.
The Asian Arowana are endangered species, and seldom live in community.
All these three are Feng Shui fishes.
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
17 Aug 09
Hi Canellita, if I'm writing for my blog, I will probaby use "the three good luck fish" as the title.
I dont think Helium can accept this kind of titles. Suggesting titles in Helium is becoming very frustrating. Many people have complained about it, and I had added to the voice.
I hope they can open up the titles. I dont see why they have to control the titles, and those titles in Helium are not really good titles.
1 person likes this
@Canellita (12029)
• United States
16 Aug 09
There is an empty title I am thinking of writing to that has something to do with feng shui. i am still working out the angle and what information to include.
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
15 Aug 09
This kind of thing has become a craze not only in China, but also in India, where they buy a single fish (I do not know the breed or name of the fish) for a large sum of money, usually the price quoted is only $1,000 to $2,000, but 200,000 pounds means something like 30 million rupees, in which I can buy a beach side bunglow, and fancy car and retire and live of the interest with the rest of the money.
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
15 Aug 09
Dont you know that Indians are the most superstious people in the whole world. There are some people in India, who think using the Chinese things like the waterfalls, and all the other things which chinese use for good luck, will also bring them good luck. Now days because of the cheap chinese imports, our markets are flodded with different kind of Happy Buddhas among other things.
Hehe, even I use a Chinese Ying and Yang medallion.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
15 Aug 09
haha Rameshkumar, I dont understand why people in India want to spend so much money on fish.
I can understand the Chinese mentality. The Chinese calls the Arowana, the Dragon Fish. They believe that the fish can bring luck and wards off evil for them. Asian Arowana is an endangered species, that's why the price ranges from a few hundred to ten thousand dollars.
Even then, the buyer who offered 200,000 pounds live in England.
I dont understand why the Indians want to buy fish for such a big sum! Any special belief or superstitution?
@iakulchen (615)
• Singapore
19 Aug 09
Hi scheng1, from your previous comments, I gather that you sort of assumed that it wasn't possible to breed new Platinum Arowana since there was only a single fish. However, it's still possible to breed fish that share traits with a single parent. Assuming that breeding Platinum Arowana was what the person who offered 200,000 pounds wanted. It's true that having a pair makes it even easier. But if he didn't have even a single Platinum Arowana, it would be much much harder.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
19 Aug 09
Hi Iakulchen, this Arowana appears to be the only one of a kind in the world.
The pure white body is due to a rare mutation. The owner is Aro Dynasty, a company specialize in breeding Arowana. Apparently they do not or have not any success in breeding this special Arowana.
This Platinum Arowana does not belong to Asian Arowana breed. It belongs to the South America breed.
In theory it's possible to breed a few platinum arowanas from this fish. Apparently no one has any success in doing so.
@lampar (7584)
• United States
17 Aug 09
If it is the only type of fish in the world and i have several million pound in my account, then i will pay &200,000 for it, Scheng1. Especially for a fish collector who like unique fish and who make easy $$ and had plenty of $$ to spend. Look at it this way, &200,000 is only 1% of his total assets, it is not a lot of money in someone who is very rich. 
@lampar (7584)
• United States
19 Aug 09
Scheng1, you will be surprised some of these men don't even want to spend a dollar or ten cents on a beggar or world hunger fund, but can spend such a huge amount in a bid for rare fish. It is quite common in western and middle eastern society where those men believe doing so put them on notice by all. I am sure this guy put himself at the center of spot now by bidding at this amount, probably all those women present will have a crash on him right away. lol!!
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
20 Aug 09
Hi Lampar, nobody knows who offer the price for the fish. He or she offered through a middle-person.
Many rich persons do donate to charity. They are not stupid. They have to donate to charity in order to reduce their taxes.
I dont know about your country, in singapore, donation to some charities can clain double credits for income tax. It makes sense to donate to avoid hitting the maximum tax bracket.
@chi2nasrin (1101)
• Malaysia
15 Aug 09
In my country, Arowana is quite expensive also, I think it shows their living standard, to say that they are rich for they can afford to buy such expensive fish as pet. The Chinese believe that it can bring good luck to the owner or their family, so they like to have it in their home.
I wouldn't pay such high price for a fish though, mainly because I couldn't afford it. Eventhough if I can afford it I will buy something else, for example, a house or car, or jewelry. Not an arowana fish. 
Maybe I can't understand them but different people different taste, yes?
Maybe I can't understand them but different people different taste, yes?@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
15 Aug 09
Hi Chi2nasrin, Asian Arowana is an endangered species, that's why the price is very high.
That Platinium Arowana does not belong to Asian Arowana, it's a South America species, not endangered. The color changes is due to mutation.
I can understand if people want to buy a pair, and they can breed to produce many fishes. At least the buyer can recoup the money for selling away the babies. I can't imagine why anyone wants to buy a single fish for this sum of money.
@chi2nasrin (1101)
• Malaysia
15 Aug 09
Yes, there are people here who will buy it. And they will buy only one, wouldn't they fight with each other if there's two put in one aquarium? I don't know about this, maybe if two male together they will fight. That's what I heard, not sure if it is true.
@Ace_Anime (38)
•
15 Aug 09
Over here in Japan we have a fish very rare here... It be worth a total of $500,000 dollars in the North America, and a lot of people seem to buy it even though if not rightly cut can kill you when you eat.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
16 Aug 09
Hi Ace, I can understand the Asian mentality. However, the person who offered the money lived in England.
And the owner of the fish refused to sell the fish.
In Asian context, especially for Chinese and Japanese, only three fishes occupy such lofty positions, the Goldfish, The Arowana (nicknamed Dragon fish), and the Koi. If a fish can bring good luck to a businessman, everyone will want to offer high price to buy the fish.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
15 Aug 09
I would not pay that for a fish! I just looked up the arowana and it is a lovely fish but I wouldn't spend that kind of money. There are still some people with money like that?! If I had money like that to waste on collecting, I'd sure be doing something useful with it instead of buying exotic fish.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
15 Aug 09
Hi Dragon54u, the owner is also very weird. He refused to sell the fish even at that kind of price.
If I'm the owner, I would gladly sell the fish away. I can buy a big house and have a few tanks of arowanas.
Many Asians place high value on the Arowana. They think that having an arowana in the house can bring luck or wards off evil. Even then, they will not offer such a big sum of money for a fish.
@mommaj (23112)
• United States
15 Aug 09
Scheng, you couldn't pay me enough to buy a fish over $5. First, why? Secondly, I have two cats that would see that as a toy that couldn't be lost. Of course, one of those cats would probably eat the fish. LOL Third, I'm not that fond of fish. LOL Do you know if you like to look at fish and don't want the trouble or expense of an aquarium, you can buy a picture or a light that looks like fish swimming in the ocean.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
15 Aug 09
haha Mommaj, I dont think the fish wants you also oh!
This fish takes part in fish exhibition, it does not like to stay in a cave with two naughty cats!
I like the fish that I can eat. I think looking at picture is not as good as eating the steamed fish oh! Maybe that's why I'm much smarter than you! I eat a lot of fish.
@jaiho2009 (39142)
• Philippines
15 Aug 09
Hello scheng,
Thats more or less 1.5M pesos in our money.I could buy a small house or a brand new car.(but i can't put a small house or a brand new car inside an aquarium hehehe)
I won't buy a fish costing a million,even if i have the money to buy it.
Yah,you were right,if it is a pair maybe i could bargain for it,so i can start a breeding.
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
15 Aug 09
Hi Jaiho, even in Singapore, that is more than enough money to buy an apartment.
That's why one blogger says that the fish costs more than mortgage, and he couldn't understand why anyone wants to offer so much money.
The weirdest thing is that the owner refuses to sell. The owner is a fish farm breeding expensive fish. If the owner sells the fish away, I think the employees can get a few months bonus.
@wahyueQ (223)
• Indonesia
15 Aug 09
Wow, I won't do that with my money, but I don't know with the fish addict, Maybe they won't think to buy that. I think the buyer probably has 2 reasons to do that, first reason is he really a fish addict, he think he can't live without fish, so he will do anything to get the fish or the second reason is he really a very rich man, and he confuse to spends his/her money, so he/she do that to buy the expensive fish. Do you think the first reason or the best reason the best ??
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
15 Aug 09
haha, if the fish can produce one golden egg per day, then I will convince the bank to lend me the money to buy the fish.
I can understand why people buy expensive koi. At least the koi can win in international competition, and the owner can get the money.
I just can't see why a single fish can cost so much.
@underdogy (700)
• Thailand
16 Aug 09
Hello scheng1! I would like to read the blog you've read. Is it possible to put the link here? If you can, that would be very helpful. Regarding your question, personally i don't have the money to buy that fish. That's way to expensive. I wouldn't even think of bargaining the owner nor even ask for a pair so i can recoup the expenses by selling the fish-lings. I'm afraid that the fish would die in my possession and lose the £200,000. No way lol
