Every fish and bug leaving Animal Crossing: New Horizons on March 31

As March comes to a close for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, we can look forward to upcoming April events like Bunny Day, a secular version of Easter that features a bunny and lots of colored eggs. But April also means that major changes will happen to the types of fish and bugs that call your island home. Everything that leaves at the end of March won’t be available for quite some time unless you utilize some controversial time travel tactics.

What exactly is leaving, and what's worth your time to track down before they do?

Northern and Southern Hemisphere matters in Animal Crossing: New Horizons

At the start of New Horizons, all players have to select their Hemisphere in the real world, but what did that choice really mean?

New Horizons’ fauna differs based on where you live in the real world. Due to how seasons are experienced, folks in the Northern Hemisphere have access to a different selection of critters than those who reside in the Southern Hemisphere. The Northern Hemisphere is beginning to experience warmer months, so Animal Crossing reflects that, while also reflecting the Southern Hemisphere going into Winter months. Their annual cycles run opposite in that regard.

Everyone will eventually have access to all the island creatures, but it will take quite a bit of time.

Northern Hemisphere fish and bugs leaving Animal Crossing: New Horizons in March

Villagers located in the Northern Hemisphere will only be losing access to a handful of fish and bugs once April rolls around. Specific timing for each species references whatever your in-game clock reads. Meaning, If an animal appears from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. that's relative to whatever time zone you're in.

Additionally, some fish only appear in specific sub-sections of your island, such as River (Mouth) or River (Clifftop). These refer to where the ocean meets the river on your island versus the section of your river location in an elevated area that might require an incline or a ladder to reach.

Here's everything swimming, flying, or crawling away at the end of March.

Bitterling

• Type: Fish
• Location: River
• Size: Smallest
• Available: All day
• Returns in November
• Sells for 900 Bells

Emperor Butterfly

• Type: Bug
• Size: Bug
• Location: Land
• Available 5 p.m. – 8 a.m.
• Returns in June
• Sells for 4,000 Bells

Football Fish

• Type: Fish
• Size: Large
• Catch in the Sea / Ocean
• Available: 4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
• Returns in November
• Sells for 2,500 Bells

Sea Butterfly

• Type: Fish
• Size: Smallest
• Location: Sea / Ocean
• Available All Day
• Returns in December
• Sells for 1,000 Bells

Stringfish

• Type: Fish
• Size: Largest
• Location: River (Clifftop)
• Available 4 p.m. – 9 a.m.
• Returns in December
• Sells for 15,000 Bells

Sturgeon

• Type: Fish
• Size: Largest
• Location: River (Mouth)
• Available All Day
• Returns in September
• Sells for 10,000 Bells

Yellow Perch

• Type: Fish
• Size: Medium
• Location: River
• Available All Day
• Returns in October
• Sells for 300 Bells

A total of seven critters are departing islands based in the Northern Hemisphere. That's a small number compared to what's happening in the Southern Hemisphere.

Southern Hemisphere fish and bugs leaving Animal Crossing: New Horizons in March

Although many American players presumably list themselves as presiding in the Northern Hemisphere, some might claim otherwise in order to appear as more desirable trading partners to their friends. If you're a member of this rarified group, you've got some bad news coming: Nearly 30 critters are departing from New Horizons' Southern Hemisphere-based players on April 1. The list includes quite a few large high-value fish like Dorado, Great White Shark, Whale Shark, Saw Shark, Arowana, and Arapaima — all of which are worth over 10,000 Bells. If you are playing in the globe's southern side, March's closing days might be your last time to make a little bit of extra sea-bound cash.

If you're part of this group, here's the full list:

• Anchovy
• Angelfish
• Arapaima
• Arowana
• Barred Knifejaw
• Barreleye
• Betta
• Black Bass
• Blue Marlin
• Bluegill
• Butterfly Fish
• Carp
• Catfish
• Char
• Cherry Salmon
• Clown Fish
• Coelacanth
• Crawfish
• Crucian Carp
• Dace
• Dorado
• Freshwater Goby
• Gar
• Giant Trevally
• Golden Trout
• Goldfish
• Great White Shark
• Guppy
• Hammerhead Shark
• Horse Mackerel
• King Salmon
• Koi
• Mahi-mahi
• Mitten Crab
• Moray Eel
• Neon Tetra
• Ocean Sunfish
• Olive Flounder
• Pale Chub
• Pike
• Piranha
• Pop-eyed Goldfish
• Puffer Fish
• Rainbowfish
• Ranchu Goldfish
• Ray
• Red Snapper
• Ribbon Eel
• Saddled Bichir
• Salmon
• Saw Shark
• Sea Bass
• Seahorse
• Snapping Turtle
• Soft-shelled Turtle
• Sturgeon
• Suckerfish
• Surgeonfish
• Sweetfish
• Tilapia
• Whale Shark
• Zebra Turkeyfish

If you can catch all of these creatures before April 1, Blathers will have a total hoot!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is currently available for Nintendo Switch.