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