Top 15 Best Fish for Fish Pond in Stardew Valley

Let’s face it. It’ll become more tedious and repetitive no matter how good you’re at Fishing in Stardew Valley. Sure, almost every competitive player has muscle memory for each behavior and difficulty. But what if you’re busy with other things like searching for the best boots in the game?

Also, there’s no massive gold in deep waters that’ll make you rich quick, and you’ll end up in a loophole. The Fish Pond is the answer if you want to relax and enjoy your prized possessions. You’ll also get something in return while waiting or challenging yourself at the endgame.

As of 1.4, the artificial pond structure becomes available from the Carpenter’s Shop for Green Algae (5), Stone (200), Seaweed (5), and 5,000g. It has three initial capacity that expands to ten after completing item requests from fishes. However, the material you’ll bring will depend on the type.

Now you’re familiar with the building, and it’s time to choose the best fish for extra profit! We prioritize those with special produce, quantity, and item type since they matter the most.

The following are ranked from least to most performing mainly because of their produce. Every fish isn’t difficult to maintain, but the reproduction rate and item requests will vary. But there are reasons why these are on our top 15 list:

15. Blue Discus

After the Ginger Island update from version 1.5., Blue Discus becomes available to catch in the same area. You can cast your Fishing Rod either North or West to get this tropical fish in your Fish Pond. There’s no need to use Magic Bait as they’re available at any time, season, or weather.

Catching a Blue Discus is easy, and they reproduce every three days. However, they’ll be happier in their new habitat if you give them the following items:

Initial Capacity	Input	Improved Capacity
Three	Taro Root (3)	Five
Five	Taro Root (10)	Ten

Moreover, you’ll get daily drops that you can’t find on Stardew Valley:

The best item you may get by breaking open a Golden Coconut is Golden Helmet. However, it also offers crops and tree seeds such as Banana Saplings, Mahogany Seeds, and Pineapple Seeds. 

14. Octopus

As one of the most challenging fish to reel in, the daily loot it gives isn’t the most rewarding. However, you’ll get Omni Geodes that you can exchange for rare items from the Desert Trader. But the chances are still slim, as shown in the later table comparison.

You can start catching this intelligent creature in all Oceans and exclusively in the Submarine (Night Market). They’re primarily available during Summer from 6am – 1pm, but the fishing part can be frustrating. However, Trap Bobber offers a solution as it gives Octopus less opportunity to move around the fishing bar.

Placing it in the Fish Pond will let them reproduce every four days while requesting the following materials for expansion:

Here’s what you’ll get from the first day until its maximum capacity:

13. Woodskip

Catching a Woodskip in Stardew Valley can bring different hurdles. For example, there’s a 15% to 27% chance in the Secret Woods, depending on the fishing level. You should also consider higher Fishing Zones as it drastically improves your catching chance.

Once in your inventory, you can deposit one into the pond as they reproduce every two days. Since the fish comes from deep woods, it’s not surprising how most items it needs are forest-related:

Woodskip earns the 13th spot since its produces aren’t a big deal. Sure, they’re resources and tree seeds, but you can quickly and conveniently gather them everywhere if you’re experienced.

12. Ghostfish

Although the Mines offer ores and stones, encountering the 20th floor will welcome you with underground water. It’s open for fishing, and you can catch a Ghostfish with enough Luck and patience. 

If you put one piece at the Fish Pond on Day 1, they’ll start to multiply on Day 3 exponentially. The limit is at population ten, but you can fill the habitat easily since you can find the following items on the exact location:

What you’ll get are most items you dropped to the inhabitants. However, they’re not as valuable as you might expect:

11. Stonefish

Like the Ghostfish, you can hook a Stonefish on the 20th floor of the Mines. The highest possible chance of catching one is achieved by equipping a Curiosity Lure, maximizing fishing level, and casting the rod at Zone 5.

Despite being inedible, it sells above average among common and uncommon fishes in Stardew Valley. Moreover, they introduce another member every five days (which takes a lot while). But once you’ve seen the “!” near the Fish Pond, deliver them the following depending on their requests:

The drops from Stonefish are exclusive on levels one to 39 of the Mines, with Copper Ore as the most prevalent. Here are other items to watch out for with chances depending on different capacities:

10. Ice Pip

Descending 60 floors in the Mines is another body of water similar to the one 40 levels above. Albeit existing in a snowy temperature, a rare Ice Pip thrives that you can catch at any time, season, and weather. However, the best odds you have is 10.95% with the following: Level 10 Fishing, Fishing Zone 5, and Curiosity Lure.

Most items you’ll have to donate are exclusive to floors 40 to 79. However, they take five long days before another inhabitant exists on the same Fish Pond.

Ice Pip’s loots are decent upgrades from its previous counterparts that you can find in the Mines. The only issue is the loot probability and how little the items pool there is.

9. Sturgeon

Spoiler: Fetching a Sturgeon is the key to making a Caviar for the Missing Bundle in Stardew Valley. The progress for that sweet Movie Theater is challenging, but catching the fish is harder. They’re slightly difficult to spot, but you have ample time – from 6am – 7pm. You can find them during Summer and Winter at Mountain Lake.

You’ll need the following items, so Sturgeon multiplies every four days:

Turning the fish’s eggs into a Caviar is possible using Preserves Jars. It’s the only loot, and here’s a table of overall chances and item percentages at different capacities:

8. Midnight Squid

Winter 15 to 17 is when multiple merchant boats and vessels visit the Docks. The Night Market’s official opening begins from 5pm – 2am. Going to the left side of the map is a Submarine that’ll take you on an underwater trip for 1,000g. 

After ten in-game minutes, a hatch will open where you can start reeling in the Midnight Squid. It’s the only place you can get one, but they’re worth putting into the Fish Pond.

Before multiplying every three days, fetch the following items first and throw them to the habitat:

Squid Ink isn’t valuable on its own – Seafoam Pudding is. That’s because you’ll get an extra +4 Fishing level, which helps increase the mini-game bar’s length. 

Squid Ink Ravioli is another powerful dish that grants you complete immunity from debuffs. Hate that Putrid Ghost spewing something which makes you feel ill? This item may have saved your life after consumption!

7. Blobfish

The hatch at the Fishing Submarine is also the place to catch Blobfish. This floater sells high, with prices reaching 500g – 1,5000g each! However, the difficulty and behavior are slightly hard, but they’ll be more predictable after some practice.

Give them four days to add another inhabitant. They take time to reproduce in the Fish Pond, and you should be ready to give their demands once they show the “!” icon:

The last two loots are the most important when keeping a Blobfish. The latter will teleport you to your Farmhouse, saving you from potentially passing out at 2am. Meanwhile, you can sell the Pearl for a hefty 2,500g. It’s half the price of a Treasure Chest, but the odds are higher.

6. Slimejack

Will you eat a fish from the Sewers, or would you keep them at a Fish Pond instead? It’s not the most priced nor gives loads of restoration effects, but Slimejack fills the Fish Pond every three days.

The items you’ll need are all things slimy and outright disgusting. However, it’s the only way to get the capacity higher for better loots.

Green Slime Egg is valuable, and you can even use it at the Slime Hutch to produce even more profit. The rest are fair enough, but you surely won’t run out of Slime Eggs to sell!

5. Spookfish

Spookfish is another marine animal you can spot underwater with the Fishing Submarine. It’s less challenging than other rare fishes, although there’s also a selling price advantage.

Throwing a Spookfish at the Fish Pond will start the multiplying process every four days. It’ll gradually reach the tenth capacity, but notice how some items are demanding and not beginner-friendly. However, it’s a win-win since you’ll see later what loots you may get.

Despite the lack in quantity, Treasure Chests stole the spotlight because of their incredible selling price. Although the chances are questionable, aging their eggs are decently profitable.

4. Lionfish

Lionfish is another Ginger Island exclusive that you can catch from the West, South, and Southeast coasts. It’s easy to get one on your inventory, but it means lower profit that you can pocket.

Since you can find Lionfish almost conveniently at any shore, it means you can build a Fish Pond farm out of it. Depositing at least one will start the reproduction process every three days. But you can increase the limit by giving the following items as they request:

Although a Lionfish’s typical selling price ranges from 100g-200g, its products beg to differ. That’s because the Tiger Slime Egg costs 8,000g per piece. Moreover, you can use it at the Slime Egg-Press at the Slime Hutch to make even more profit.

3. Stingray

This type of fish is one of the hardest to catch in Stardew Valley with Sinker behavior and 80 difficulty. However, you can only find them at the Pirate Cove – East from the Ginger Island Resort. 

Stingray reproduces at the Fish Pond every four days, where they’ll request Cinder Shard and Dragon Tooth. If you’re a seasoned player, it’ll be easy to get the materials from Volcano. All you need to do is donate the following items and wait:

Magma Cap, Cinder Shard, and Dragon Tooth are some rare valuables that you’ll get by raising Stingrays. While the odds are lower for more uncommon items, it’s clear how helpful they’re still, but here’s the overall chances and item percentage:

2. Lava Eel

At the Mines’ near-scorching hot floor 100 lies a pool of hot magma where you can catch the Lava Eel. It has a mixed behavior complemented by its 90 difficulty – one of the hardest and almost the same difficulty for Legendaries. As one of the most valuable fish, it sells for 700g-2,100g.

Placing them at a Fish Pond is also a smart move since Lava Eel offers many goodies! They’ll start multiplying every five days. However, don’t forget the following items once they start requesting:

The daily drops you’ll get are mostly from floors 80 to 119 of the Mines. Spicy Eel and Magma Geode are the best as the former offers Luck and Speed buff while the latter contain minerals.

1. Rainbow Trout

Are you wondering why Rainbow Trout is first on the list? It’s effortless to catch and one of the most common River and Mountain Lake fish during Summer. They also multiply every two days – which is quick, so how’s it on the top? Prismatic Shard.

However, you’ll need to drop the following items on the Fish Pond:

There’s not much you can get from this fish except Prismatic Shard. Although it sells for 2,000g-2,600g, there are fantastic and shady uses it can offer in Stardew Valley.

Facts And Trivia

What Is The Point Of The Fish Pond In Stardew Valley?

To collect different fish types, have a nearby source in case of an emergency, and raise them for products. Those are some main reasons for the Fish Pond’s importance. However, the best answer is petting them while receiving excellent loots in return.