# preserveing a fish



## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

my piranha just died and i was wondering how i could stuff it or something. there was a post on how to do it but i cant find it can any one help me thanks


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Sorry about the fish, I lost my gdr last week..







I have him in a plastic tub covered in baking soda. Im sure there are many other methods but Ive heard that the baking soda was the easiest, so I decided to try it.. You cover it in baking soda for like 2 weeks, but you may need to change the BS after a week and see how the fish is doing.


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## blbig50 (Jan 1, 2009)

Sorry to hear that man.


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## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

blbig50 said:


> Sorry to hear that man.


thanks guys all put a pic up if i can figure out how to do it im not good at computers. i think he died of a broken jaw cuz his jaw was all broken sad day.

o i put him in a dehydrator its hard to let that bastard go


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

I just pop a cork in their mouths to stretch it open, bend them into whatever position I want and let 'em dry.
I then spray like literally 50 coats of high gloss furniture polish on 'em.

Looks killer.
I have 5 that are ready now to be mounted on some bogwood.

Here's the S. altuvei I did...

Oh, and don't forget to cut the lips off with a razor blade while the fish is still "Pliable."


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

Interesting...why not post the rest P man?


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

notaverage said:


> Interesting...why not post the rest P man?


'Cause they're all dried and polished... but just sitting in a box ready for me to mount.
I don't have any pics of 'em.

Once I get the whole thing done, I'll post pics.
I'm gonna have all 5 reds on the same piece of bogwood... and one red which there's only the head... he'll be kinda 'coming out' of the bogwood somewhere...
It's gonna require finding just the right piece of bogwood for sure.

Notaverage... nice to see you again... haven't seen you around for awhile.


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## notaverage (Sep 10, 2005)

yeah...I haven't been able to drink and sit on the computer lately..haha
been takin care of the baby and havent been caring for my tanks the past 4 weeks...just cleaned them tonight.
Well...I probably won't be back for a while...works busying and so is having a baby!
Thank god my wife sleeps downstairs on the couch with the baby so I can sleep at night HAHAHA...
Its her choice though so don't bash me.
later.

GOOD LUCK MOUNTING THEM BUDDY!


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

notaverage said:


> yeah...I haven't been able to drink and sit on the computer lately..haha
> been takin care of the baby and havent been caring for my tanks the past 4 weeks...just cleaned them tonight.
> Well...I probably won't be back for a while...works busying and so is having a baby!
> Thank god my wife sleeps downstairs on the couch with the baby so I can sleep at night HAHAHA...
> ...


Thanks.
And good luck with the baby!
That's so cool that you're a dad.

Be sure to keep us updated with pics!


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## Murphy18 (Oct 17, 2008)

Piranha_man said:


> Interesting...why not post the rest P man?


'Cause they're all dried and polished... but just sitting in a box ready for me to mount.
I don't have any pics of 'em.

Once I get the whole thing done, I'll post pics.
I'm gonna have all 5 reds on the same piece of bogwood... and one red which there's only the head... he'll be kinda 'coming out' of the bogwood somewhere...
It's gonna require finding just the right piece of bogwood for sure.

Notaverage... nice to see you again... haven't seen you around for awhile.








[/quote]

EDIT: Nevermind...


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Pman, I noticed yours, like other members on here have a preserved piranha with a big eye. Will bigger than normal in comparison to the body. Is the the real eye, or a fake one you put on? Because my gdr that Im working on right now has a small eye, and he is like 6''..


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Malawi- said:


> Pman, I noticed yours, like other members on here have a preserved piranha with a big eye. Will bigger than normal in comparison to the body. Is the the real eye, or a fake one you put on? Because my gdr that Im working on right now has a small eye, and he is like 6''..


That's the real eye... it happens because the rest of the fish "Shrinks" in comparison to the eye socket.
The angle in which I took that shot makes the eye look extra big too... 
Here's a couple other shots:

The video is a quick sweep of my dobermanns last summer, my koi, and then of my piranha drying box.
The reason it's outside in the heat is of course to dry it... and the reason for the fan blowing on it is to keep the flies from laying eggs on it.


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## titan505 (Jun 5, 2007)

wow nice backyard


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Interesting, I have my in a rubber container with baking soda stuck under my sink in my kitchen.. I looked at it tonight because of this thread, it is doing good, on the weekend I will replace the old with new baking soda and let it sit another week or so. Then I will clean it and spray it with some coats.


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## assclown (Dec 12, 2005)

that little gdr passed away? damn sorry to hear that man


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Yup, randomly. I think my he may have bumped his head or something. Yeah sad day, Im preserving him though. I will post it when hes done so you can see.

I got 2 questions about MY fish that im preserving...

1.) I just checked on him, and he is hetting hard, and wont move, so his mouth is stuck closed.









2.) The baking soda totally ate the eye, what should I do? Buy a fake one or what?

I will add new baking soda this weekend and dump the old, its getting stinky and clumpy. And if I need to buy a new eye, where do I buy them at? I would get a red one.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Here it is with step by step instructions
http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?showtopic=116108


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Where do people get the fake eyes?


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## ballistic (Dec 26, 2007)

put it in the freezer take to any of ur local baitshop..or whatever and see if they can mount it like they do bass n shiet..


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

pman what did you use and how did you mount that fish to the wood?


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## Us And Them (Dec 4, 2008)

I Think its rather Gross How some People Dry them out and keep them.
I mean I love my P's but i dont think I would go the extent of keeping
them.. Just not my Cup of Tea.

Mayyyyybe If it were some Giant Rhom


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## Malawi- (Oct 21, 2008)

Well if you spent over 150 dollar on the fish, not including the money you invested, you better preserve it...


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2009)

Also there are companies that will "Freeze Dry" the fish for you.
This is a method where the fish is frozen, then the ice is sublimated off to dry the fish out.

Here is an example of a Freeze-Dry mount:


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