Fallen Friends- Crispy Fish

[BenitaSolo]

I want sure where to post this...
Does anyone else dehydrate their dead fish? I don’t want to make it sound like I’m swimming in piles of dead fish or anything...
I had a disease and failed QT. Lost my favorite fish :/
I’m also considering getting in touch with the LFS to have them collect their dead...

What do you guys think??
I’m working on better preservation techniques.
Please let me know if you have advice or a good resource!

 

[TheAquarian]

You should have it mounted with the inscription “In Memory Of The Fallen”

 

[pharazon]

Well that’s interesting to say the least. What are your preservation techniques?

 

[BenitaSolo]

So the first one i did was a small clown and I let it dry in the open air.
The second one I did I stored in the freezer before I dried it. I wanted to to get a little bit dry before I hit it with heat. I was afraid it would stink.
The third fish was straight to the dehydrator at 160 degrees. This was too high I think. Saves time but it didn’t turn out great.
The 4th fish- this sailfin, was out into the dehydrator at medium temp. I took care to use toothpicks and other little things to keep the fins off of the body. The color and shape of the fish and fins turned out well.

Going forward I will do a little research to see what I can do chemically to help preserve color.
I like the dry look. I don’t want a straight taxidermy. I want to make a display that looks very old. Something that Darwin might have

 

[DeniseAndy]

Crazy morbid, but kinda cool too. I think this would creep kids out and also fascinate them at my presentations. Interesting idea...

 

[pharazon]

I can picture a specimen shadow box with scientific names on little placards, like you often see with insects.

 

[JMM744]

As a taxidermist I like it. Going to be tough keeping color. Might try soaking in borax water or powder the fresh fish with it before starting to dry it. Worth a shot anyways.

 

[BenitaSolo]

I have something like his in mind!

I can picture a specimen shadow box with scientific names on little placards, like you often see with insects.

As a taxidermist I like it. Going to be tough keeping color. Might try soaking in borax water or powder the fresh fish with it before starting to dry it. Worth a shot anyways.

Oh wow! Do you have any good YouTube channels you can point me to?? I have a flagfin angel I dried 2 years ago. The yellow is fading

 

[JMM744]

Most fish skins dry dark. Sometimes I use a light bleach mix to wet the skin. Let it lighten and then rinse well. Pat dry. Might help a bit. Taxidermists have to paint the fish. Lots of utube stuff on painting.

 

[BenitaSolo]

Crazy morbid, but kinda cool too. I think this would creep kids out and also fascinate them at my presentations. Interesting idea...

Hey Denise, Milford resident here. If I actually follow through and everything looks presentable I would love to let you use it whenever, wherever

 

[DeniseAndy]

Seriously? That is so cool. It would have to be in a container so the kids could not actually touch it. They love hands on, but tend to break things too. Just contact me whenever. If you are interested in supporting the organization, look us up. Thanks!

 

[4FordFamily]

Most fish skins dry dark. Sometimes I use a light bleach mix to wet the skin. Let it lighten and then rinse well. Pat dry. Might help a bit. Taxidermists have to paint the fish. Lots of utube stuff on painting.

A desjardini sailfin would be a tough one to paint!

 

[carbene]

i misread the title of the thread. thought you were asking if anybody fried their fish and eat them

 

[fish farmer]

Crazy morbid, but kinda cool too. I think this would creep kids out and also fascinate them at my presentations. Interesting idea...

Not this kid! I tried mounting my pirahna back in the mid 80's. I had one little pirahna that jumped ship....I clearcoated it and mounted it on a wine cork! I also brought back a stuffed shark from the Dominican Republic in 1980...another kid across from me had two shark jaws, we didn't even have to stow them in the overhead compartment.

 

[cracker]

I think it's very cool ! spray it with clear high gloss lacquer . this will strengthen it greatly. I have a perfect mount of a blue lobster molt.

 

[pharazon]

Like this! Or you could do smaller individual boxes per fish - hopefully you don’t have that many!

While I don’t think this is something I’d be into, I really like the idea! I’d love to see how it turns out.

 

[BenitaSolo]

Like this! Or you could do smaller individual boxes per fish - hopefully you don’t have that many!

While I don’t think this is something I’d be into, I really like the idea! I’d love to see how it turns out.

Exactly what I was thinking.
I would like to reach out the LFSs in my area. I don't have the money to kill enough fish to get a decent collection going!

 

[pharazon]

Exactly what I was thinking.
I would like to reach out the LFSs in my area. I don't have the money to kill enough fish to get a decent collection going!

Definitely get involved with DeniseAndy’s project, that way you can tell them it’s for a good cause. Otherwise, you might end up being “that weird dude who keeps bugging us for dead fish.”

 

[BenitaSolo]

Definitely get involved with DeniseAndy’s project, that way you can tell them it’s for a good cause. Otherwise, you might end up being “that weird dude who keeps bugging us for dead fish.”

Hah! I used to work at the LFS and vowed to never be a 'that guy'... turns out I am 'that guy'

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

Here's a crispy Rainfordia opercularis that I met. He dried himself out by jumping, but I like to say its a method used for shipping fish called dry-shipping.