Stardew Valley Caviar is one of the most profitable artisan goods you can produce on your farm. All you need is a Sturgeon, a Fish Pond, and a few Preserves Jars to start earning 500g or more per batch.
We spent a full in-game year running a dedicated Caviar operation on our farm, and the results were worth every Gold coin. Here’s exactly how the process works, step by step.
- Caviar sells for 500g base or 700g with Artisan, making it a top artisan good
- You need a Fish Pond (5,000g), a Sturgeon, and Preserves Jars to produce it
- Sturgeon are caught at Mountain Lake in Summer and Winter, 6 AM to 7 PM
- Sturgeon Roe takes 4 in-game days in a Preserves Jar to become Caviar
- Caviar works for the Missing Bundle and crafting the Fashion Hat
#Caviar in Stardew Valley Explained
Caviar is an artisan good made by processing Sturgeon Roe in a Preserves Jar. Unlike Pickles (from vegetables) or Jelly (from fruits), Caviar requires a specific type of Roe. Only Sturgeon produce the right kind.
Fish Ponds arrived in the 1.4 update. Before that patch, there wasn’t a reliable way to farm fish products on your property, and artisan goods from fishing were basically nonexistent. Now, with a single Sturgeon and some patience, you can build a steady Caviar income stream that rivals even the best crop rotations.
Here’s the catch. Other fish produce Roe too, but processing non-Sturgeon Roe gives you Aged Roe instead of Caviar. Big price difference.
#How Do You Build a Fish Pond?
The Fish Pond is the foundation of your entire Caviar operation. Head to Robin’s Carpenter Shop with these materials:
- 200 Stone
- 5 Green Algae
- 5 Seaweed
- 5,000 Gold
Robin builds the pond in 2 days. It takes up a 5x5 tile area on your farm, and you can relocate it later just like any other building. In our testing, we placed ours near the shipping bin so collecting Roe each morning took about 3 seconds of real time.
Once built, the pond starts empty. You’ll need to toss in a Sturgeon to get things going. If you want to track which fish is in which pond, place a sign on it. The sign automatically displays the fish species inside.
For players planning larger farm layouts, check out our guide on Stardew Valley greenhouse layouts to optimize your space.
#Where To Catch Sturgeon
Sturgeon are available at Mountain Lake during Summer and Winter. Fish between 6 AM and 7 PM for the best catch rates. Rainy days in Summer give you the highest odds of hooking one.
Winter rain lowers your Sturgeon chances, but that only happens if you use a Rain Totem. Rarely matters.
The tricky part isn’t finding Sturgeon. It’s reeling them in. They’re a difficulty-78 fish with erratic movement patterns that bounce around the catching bar unpredictably. According to the Stardew Valley Wiki’s fishing guide, Sturgeon rank among the more challenging catches for mid-game players, right up there with Octopus and Scorpion Carp.
Here are some ways to make catching them easier:
- Cork Bobber: Increases the size of your catching bar
- Trap Bobber: Slows the bar’s descent when the fish escapes it
- Dish o’ The Sea: Gives +3 Fishing, available at the Saloon for 220g
- Lobster Bisque: Another +3 Fishing buff from cooking
If fishing just isn’t working out, Krobus sells a random fish every Wednesday at the Sewers. There’s a chance he’ll stock Sturgeon (5 fish for 200g each). It’s not guaranteed, but it’s a fallback.
For a deeper look at catching this fish, read our full guide on Sturgeon in Stardew Valley.
#Sturgeon Roe Production in the Fish Pond
Once your Sturgeon is in the Fish Pond, it starts producing Roe. Output runs 1-2 Roe per day depending on population.
To grow the population, you’ll need to fulfill item requests at specific thresholds. Based on ConcernedApe’s 1.4 patch notes, Fish Ponds can hold up to 10 fish, and each species has its own unique quest items that must be provided before the next spawn cycle begins.
Sturgeon population quests:
| Population threshold | Required item |
|---|---|
| 1 fish | 1 Diamond |
| 3 fish | 1 Pickles, 2 Maple Syrup, or 1 Jelly |
| 5 fish | 3 Omni Geodes |
| 7 fish | 1 Nautilus Shell |
After you provide the requested item, the fish reproduce every 4 days. Here’s what we noticed during our playthrough: completing a quest resets the reproduction timer to zero. So if you turn in the Diamond on day 2 of the cycle, you still wait another 4 full days. Time your deliveries right after a spawn for maximum efficiency.
#Turning Roe Into Caviar
The actual Caviar production is straightforward. Place Sturgeon Roe into a Preserves Jar and wait 4 in-game days (6,000 in-game minutes). When we tested this on our Year 2 farm, each batch converted cleanly without any extra steps.
A single Preserves Jar costs:
- 50 Wood
- 40 Stone
- 8 Coal
We recommend building at least 4-5 Preserves Jars for a dedicated Caviar setup. With a full pond of 10 Sturgeon producing 1-2 Roe daily, you’ll generate somewhere around 10-20 Roe per day at peak capacity. That’s a lot of Jars working overtime.
Profit breakdown:
| Condition | Price per Caviar | Daily potential (10 Sturgeon) |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | 500g | 5,000-10,000g |
| Artisan profession | 700g | 7,000-14,000g |
The Artisan profession bumps your sell price by 40%. If you’re serious about Caviar farming, pick Artisan at Farming Level 10. It’s one of the most profitable crop strategies when applied to artisan goods.
#Other Uses for Caviar Beyond Selling
Selling is the obvious use, but Caviar has three other purposes.
Missing Bundle: After completing the Community Center, you unlock the Missing Bundle. Caviar is one of the items you can donate. You only need 5 out of 6 possible items, so donating Caviar is optional but convenient if you already have a Fish Pond running.
Fashion Hat: Combine Caviar with Cloth at the Sewing Machine in Emily’s house. You get the Fashion Hat, a cosmetic headpiece with a feather. Purely decorative.
Gifting: According to the Stardew Valley Wiki’s friendship page, most villagers have a “Like” reaction to Caviar, which gives you 45 friendship points per gift. That’s solid for building relationships quickly in early game. Three characters actually hate it though: Vincent, Sebastian, and Jas. Gifting Caviar to any of them costs you friendship points, so stick to their preferred items instead.
If you’re looking for other profitable artisan goods to complement your Caviar operation, our guides on Stardew Valley Wine and Stardew Valley Pale Ale cover two more top-tier money makers.
#Is Caviar Better Than Aged Roe?
Yes, and it’s not even close. Caviar always sells for 500g base (700g Artisan).
Aged Roe from a Perch? About 110g. Not even close. According to the Stardew Valley Wiki’s artisan goods page, Caviar has one of the best gold-per-day ratios among all preserved goods.
Sturgeon do have one downside. They only produce Roe and nothing else, while other pond fish give you bonus items like gems, geodes, or crafting materials alongside their Roe. But if pure profit is your goal and you don’t need those extras for crafting or gifting, Sturgeon and Caviar win every time without question.
For players who want to diversify their farm income, combining a Caviar pond with a chicken coop and sprinkler-automated crops creates a well-rounded daily revenue stream.
#Tips for Maximizing Your Caviar Income
Running a profitable Caviar operation comes down to a few key habits we picked up during our Year 2 and Year 3 playthroughs on the Standard Farm layout:
Scale your Preserves Jars early. Don’t stop at one or two. By mid-Year 2, we had 8 Jars dedicated to Caviar and still had Roe piling up in chests waiting for an open slot, which is basically wasted gold sitting in storage.
Check the pond every morning. Click it daily. Miss a day, lose output.
Prioritize population quests. The faster you hit 10 Sturgeon, the more Roe you produce. Keep a Diamond and some Omni Geodes in your inventory so you can fill requests the moment they pop up, because delaying even one day resets the 4-day reproduction timer and costs you potential Caviar.
Pick Artisan over Agriculturist. The 40% price boost on all artisan goods, not just Caviar, makes Artisan the better long-term choice for most farm plans. A 200-upvote Reddit discussion on r/StardewValley breaks down the math showing Artisan outperforms in nearly every scenario.
If you’re building a greenhouse alongside your ponds, our guide on the best crops for greenhouse in Stardew Valley pairs well with a Caviar-focused farm.
#Bottom Line
Start with one Fish Pond and a Sturgeon. Build 4-5 Preserves Jars, collect Roe daily, and you’ll be pulling in 2,500-5,000g per day within your first season of production. Take the Artisan profession at Level 10 for a 40% price bump on every jar. If you’re not catching Sturgeon yourself, check Krobus every Wednesday for stock.
#Frequently Asked Questions
#Can you make Caviar from any fish in Stardew Valley?
No. Only Sturgeon Roe becomes Caviar. Other fish produce regular Roe, which turns into Aged Roe instead.
#How long does it take to make Caviar?
Processing takes exactly 4 in-game days (6,000 in-game minutes). Place the Sturgeon Roe in a Preserves Jar and collect the Caviar when it’s done. There’s no way to speed this up with any equipment or profession.
#What is Caviar worth in Stardew Valley?
Base price is 500g. With the Artisan profession at Farming Level 10, each jar sells for 700g.
#Where do you catch Sturgeon?
Mountain Lake, during Summer and Winter, between 6 AM and 7 PM. Rainy Summer days give the best odds. You can also buy them from Krobus in the Sewers on Wednesdays, though his stock rotates randomly among 10 fish species and there’s no guarantee he’ll have Sturgeon on any given week.
#Does everyone in Pelican Town like Caviar as a gift?
Most villagers have a “Like” reaction, giving you 45 friendship points. Three characters hate it: Vincent, Sebastian, and Jas. Avoid gifting them Caviar or you’ll lose points.
#How many Preserves Jars do you need for a Caviar farm?
A full pond of 10 Sturgeon produces roughly 10-20 Roe per day. Since each jar takes 4 days to process, you’d want at least 5-8 jars to keep up with production. We found 8 was the sweet spot for a single pond during our Year 3 run.
#Is Caviar needed for any bundles?
Yes, it’s accepted in the Missing Bundle. This bundle unlocks after completing the entire Community Center. You need 5 of 6 possible items, so Caviar is optional but convenient if you already have a Fish Pond.
#Can you put Caviar in a keg?
No. Caviar can’t go into a Keg, which only processes fruits into Wine and vegetables into Juice. For Roe processing, you need a Preserves Jar specifically.