Disney Dreamlight Valley Haunted Floating Festival is full of mysterious riddles and playful word clues, but one of the trickiest among them asks players to find “a fish that’s always en garde.” At first glance, this clue doesn’t give much away — but once you know what it’s referring to, it becomes one of the most satisfying puzzles in the event.
What Does “A Fish That’s Always En Garde” Mean?
The phrase “en garde” comes from fencing — it’s what fencers say when they’re ready to strike with their sword. In this context, the riddle points to a Swordfish, a creature known for its long, sword-like bill.
That clever play on words makes the Swordfish the answer to the riddle. This fish is a required ingredient for the Potion Brewer’s House puzzle, one of several quests tied to the Haunted Floating Festival.
You only need to find one Swordfish for this particular task, but it’s worth remembering that it can take a bit of patience to reel in the right one.
Where to Find Swordfish in Disney Dreamlight Valley
The Swordfish can be caught in Dazzle Beach, one of the earliest biomes you’ll unlock in the game. However, it only appears in gold fishing ripple spots, which are rarer than the standard white or blue ones.
If you’re having trouble finding these golden ripples:
- Try waiting a few minutes for fishing spots to respawn.
- Use Miracle Fishing Bait or Even More Miraculous Fishing Bait — these potions temporarily turn all fishing spots gold, greatly increasing your chances.
Once you find a gold ripple on Dazzle Beach, cast your line. Most of the time, these golden spots will yield a Swordfish, but there’s one important exception — rainy weather.
During rain, golden ripples will instead contain Fugu, another rare fish that only appears during storms. If it’s raining, wait for the weather to clear or use a different method to get your Swordfish.
How to Get Swordfish Without Fishing
If fishing isn’t working out, there are a few alternatives:
- Moana’s Boat Stall: Once unlocked, Moana’s Boat can automatically collect Swordfish over time. Check her stall regularly to see if one’s available.
- Personal Storage: If you’ve caught Swordfish before, you can simply retrieve one from your chest.
For the Haunted Floating Festival quest, any Swordfish counts — whether you caught it fresh, collected it from Moana’s Boat, or pulled it out of storage.
How to Use the Swordfish in the Potion Brewer’s House Puzzle
Inside the Potion Brewer’s House on the Haunted Floating Island, you’ll find a green cauldron that needs four ingredients, each hinted at by a riddle. The Swordfish solves the clue “a fish that’s always en garde.”
Here’s the full recipe you’ll need:
- Haunted White Rose – “A thorny bloom of white petals”
- Catfish – “A feline fish”
- Haunted Skeleton Fish (×2) – “Two fleshless fish favored by a ghostly fox”
- Haunted Swordfish – “A fish that’s always en garde”
Once all ingredients are added, the cauldron produces the Black Cauldron, a bubbling furniture item that changes color — a perfect spooky reward to display in your valley.
The Haunted Floating Festival runs from October 22 to November 11, 2025, so make sure to complete the Potion Brewer’s House puzzle before the event ends. The Swordfish might be easy to identify, but catching it requires patience and the right timing.
If you’ve already solved this riddle, there are plenty of other festival mysteries waiting to be tackled next — including the Terror-rific Tree, Ghostly Fox, and Combination Pillar puzzles scattered across the Haunted Island. Play Now!
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