The Dragonfish Economy: Arowana Breeding and Trade

In this episode, we dive into the strange, high-stakes world of the global arowana trade—a market where a single shimmering “dragonfish” can sell for tens of thousands of dollars and inspire both obsession and danger. Once an endangered food fish, the arowana has become a Southeast Asian status symbol, propped up by superstition, luxury culture, and a booming breeding industry in places like West Kalimantan. But as prices fluctuate and security concerns escalate—with owners hiring guards and thieves willing to kill for a prized specimen—the business reveals a darker edge. We explore how this fish became a global fetish object, why its value is slipping even as demand holds strong, and what the rise of “arofanatics” says about luck, identity, and the risks people take for beauty.economist.com/asia/2018/09/13/economies-of-scale-why-asia-is-obsessed-with-arowanas