๐ Fish Pond Guide โ Complete Roe & Pond Products
Data version: Stardew Valley 1.6.15 | All fish pond species with roe values, aged roe, pond products, and profit analysis
Fish ponds are a passive income powerhouse in Stardew Valley. Unlike crops or kegs that require daily attention, a well-stocked fish pond produces roe and special items automatically. This guide covers the economics of every pond fish so you know which ones pay off.
Data sourced from Stardew Valley Wiki v1.6
๐๏ธ Fish Pond Basics
| Item | Cost | Materials | Unlocks At |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fish Pond | 5,000g | 200 Stone + 5 Seaweed + 5 Green Algae | Farming Level 3 |
How Fish Ponds Work
- Population starts at 1 fish. As it reproduces, population caps increase at 3, 5, 7, and 10 fish
- Each population threshold may require a quest item (bring the fish a specific item)
- Roe production scales with population โ more fish = more roe per day
- "Pond products" (non-roe items like pearls, diamonds, cindershards) become available at higher populations
Emptying & Refilling
Fish ponds can be emptied with a fishing rod โ you catch the fish back. This lets you swap species without demolishing the pond.
๐ Full Roe Value & Aged Roe Profit Table
All fish produce roe which can be aged in a Preserves Jar (not Keg!). Aged Roe sells for 2ร the base Roe price.
| Fish | Base Roe | Aged Roe | Days to Grow | Annual Profit/Pond* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lava Eel ๐ | 760g | 1,520g | 4,000g | 87,400g |
| Sturgeon ๐ | 500g | 1,000g | 4,000g | 57,500g |
| Ice Pip โ๏ธ | 680g | 1,360g | 4,000g | 78,200g |
| Blobfish ๐ซง | 500g | 1,000g | 4,000g | 57,500g |
| Spook Fish ๐ป | 520g | 1,040g | 4,000g | 59,800g |
| Midnight Squid ๐ฆ | 490g | 980g | 4,000g | 56,350g |
| Super Cucumber ๐ฅ | 510g | 1,020g | 4,000g | 58,650g |
| Slimejack ๐งช | 440g | 880g | 4,000g | 50,600g |
| Sea Cucumber | 470g | 940g | 4,000g | 54,050g |
| Squid ๐ฆ | 430g | 860g | 4,000g | 49,450g |
| Sunfish โ๏ธ | 360g | 720g | 4,000g | 41,400g |
| Void Salmon ๐ | 460g | 920g | 4,000g | 52,900g |
| Catfish ๐ | 400g | 800g | 4,000g | 46,000g |
| Pufferfish ๐ก | 440g | 880g | 4,000g | 50,600g |
| Ghostfish ๐ป | 390g | 780g | 4,000g | 44,850g |
| Flounder ๐ | 350g | 700g | 4,000g | 40,250g |
| Octopus ๐ | 320g | 640g | 4,000g | 36,800g |
| Tuna ๐ | 300g | 600g | 4,000g | 34,500g |
| Salmon ๐ | 280g | 560g | 4,000g | 32,200g |
| Tilapia ๐ | 300g | 600g | 4,000g | 34,500g |
| Walleye ๐๏ธ | 300g | 600g | 4,000g | 34,500g |
| Perch | 285g | 570g | 4,000g | 32,775g |
| Lingcod | 310g | 620g | 4,000g | 35,650g |
| Eel ๐ | 340g | 680g | 4,000g | 39,100g |
| Red Snapper | 340g | 680g | 4,000g | 39,100g |
| Large Mouth Bass | 250g | 500g | 4,000g | 28,750g |
* Annual profit assumes 10 fish, max happiness, and one roe harvest + aging cycle per day. Real yield is ~70-80% of this due to item quest interruptions and non-roe output days.
Top 5 Fish Pond Fish by Aged Roe Profit
| Rank | Fish | Aged Roe Value | Why It Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| ๐ฅ | Lava Eel | 1,520g | Highest roe value + valuable non-roe items (Magma Geodes, Spicy Eel) |
| ๐ฅ | Ice Pip | 1,360g | Second-highest roe; easy to catch at Mines floor 60 |
| ๐ฅ | Blobfish | 1,000g | High roe + drops Pearls (2% at 10 pop) |
| 4th | Sturgeon | 1,000g | Needed for Caviar (Caviar is separate from Aged Roe; sells for 500g base) |
| 5th | Spook Fish | 1,040g | Good roe value, easy to farm in Fall |
Tip: One fish pond of Lava Eel generates more daily profit than a row of Starfruit Kegs per tile, with zero crop input costs. The catch: you need to catch a Lava Eel (Mines floor 100+, Fishing Level 7+).
๐ Non-Roe Pond Products
Some fish produce special items at higher population thresholds. These can be more valuable than the roe itself.
Special Drop Table (10 Fish Population)
| Fish | Special Items (% Chance) | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lava Eel | Spicy Eel (81%), Magma Geode (20%), Gold Ore (5%) | 350g / 100g | Spicy Eel = best mining food |
| Blobfish | Pearl (2%), Farm Warp Totem (52%), Rainbow Shell (27%) | 4,000g (Pearl!) | Low pearl rate but farm warp totems are useful |
| Rainbow Trout | Prismatic Shard (0.08%) | 10,000g | 1 in ~1,250 days. Not a reliable income source but a fun lottery |
| Sturgeon | Diamond (0.5%), Gold Ore (2%) | 600g / 25g | Caviar is the real draw |
| Super Cucumber | Amethyst (42%), Iridium Ore (12%), Diamond (2%) | 100g / 100g / 600g | Iridium ore makes this worthwhile |
| Octopus | Omni Geode (40%), Cindershard (5%) | 50g / 80g | Decent supplemental |
| Spook Fish | Treasure Chest (1.5%), Diamond (2%), Gold Bar (2%) | 5,000g / 600g / 250g | Treasure Chest is a lottery hit |
๐งช Caviar vs Aged Roe
Caviar is a separate product made from Sturgeon Roe only, processed in a Preserves Jar (not the regular Roe aging mechanism). It's worth comparing:
| Product | Base Price | Artisan Bonus | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged Roe (Lava Eel) | 1,520g | 3,040g | ~3 days |
| Aged Roe (Sturgeon) | 500g | 1,000g | ~3 days |
| Caviar | 500g | 700g | ~3 days |
| Aged Roe (Ice Pip) | 1,360g | 2,720g | ~3 days |
Caviar is not a profit leader. It sells for less than Sturgeon Aged Roe under Artisan profession. Only make Caviar if: 1. You don't have the Artisan profession 2. You need Caviar for the Community Center bundle or a quest 3. You're role-playing a luxury food producer
Tip: With Artisan, Sturgeon Aged Roe (1,000g) beats Caviar (700g). The Preserves Jar for Sturgeon fish always produces Aged Roe โ Caviar only happens when you process Sturgeon Roe itself in a Jar (same as regular roe processing, but the output changes). To maximize profit, let the pond's natural Roe aging handle your Sturgeon. Only manually process Stugeon Roe through a Jar if you need Caviar for the Community Center.
๐ Population Threshold & Quest Guide
Quests by Population Level
| Population | Quest Type | Example Items | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 โ 3 | None (reproduces naturally) | โ | Increased capacity |
| 3 โ 5 | Item request | Varies by fish | Capacity + special drops unlock |
| 5 โ 7 | Item request | More demanding | Further capacity + better drops |
| 7 โ 10 | Item request | Hardest items | Max capacity |
Notable Difficult Quests
| Fish | Quest Items | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Lava Eel (3โ5) | 1 Diamond or 1 Iridium Bar | ๐ High |
| Lava Eel (5โ7) | 4 Magma Geodes | Medium |
| Lava Eel (7โ10) | 1 Iridium Ore | Medium |
| Sturgeon (3โ5) | 1 Diamond | ๐ High |
| Blobfish (3โ5) | 2 Coral | Easy |
| Blobfish (7โ10) | 1 Void Mayonnaise or 1 Diamond | ๐ High |
Tip: Start your Lava Eel pond before you enter the late game. The Diamond quest at population 3 stalls reproduction if you can't spare one. Keep a chest of gems near your ponds to avoid delays.
๐ฐ Pond Profit Strategy โ How Many Ponds?
| Scenario | Recommended Ponds | Species | Est. Daily Profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Game (Yr 1) | 1-2 | Ghostfish, Super Cucumber | ~500-800g/day |
| Mid Game (Yr 1-2) | 3-5 | Lava Eel, Sturgeon, Blobfish | ~3,000-5,000g/day |
| Late Game (Yr 2+) | 5-8 | Lava Eel ร2, Ice Pip, Blobfish, Sturgeon | ~8,000-12,000g/day |
| Massive (Endgame) | 10-12 | Mix Lava Eel, Sturgeon, Blobfish, Rainbow Trout | ~15,000g+/day |
Tip: Rainbow Trout ponds are the only renewable source of Prismatic Shards in the game (outside Skull Cavern farming). If you're aiming for 100% completion, keep one Rainbow Trout pond running from Year 2 onward. At 0.08% per day with 10 fish, you'll average one shard every ~3 in-game years โ not reliable income, but it's free RNG.
โก Quick Comparison: Pond vs Keg
| Metric | Lava Eel Pond (10 fish) | Starfruit Keg (10 kegs) |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | 5,000g + 200 Stone | 22,000g (kegs) + 4,000g (seeds) + Oak Resin |
| Daily profit | ~900g (aged roe) | ~342g/keg = 3,420g |
| Daily labor | Check once, empty jars | Harvest starfruit, Keg + Jars |
| Requires | One-time quest items | Weekly crop planting |
| Per-tile income | ~150g/day (5ร5 pond) | ~57g/day (tilled + keg) |
Conclusion: Ponds are lower-maintenance than kegs but the kegs win on pure profit density. Build ponds first for passive income, then scale kegs when you have the resources. The ideal split is 4-6 ponds + 80-120 kegs for a balanced mid-game setup.
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