# Manueli Preservation Project



## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

*For those interested, here was the process I used:*

*Items needed:*

Baking Soda (enough to cover the fish with)
Get a tupperware container with a lid, like a ziplock or glad container
Razor (to shave off lips)
Small hook-like object (like a bent wire) for gutting *Note - I did not do this*

*Steps:*

Take fish out of freezer
Cut off lips
Use the small wire hook to try to gut the insides out (*Note - I did not do this*)
Try opening the jaws out to the desired position (It's best to do it at this stage before it dries up)
Then pour baking soda inside the fish through mouth
Then pour some baking soda in the tupperware container, then lay the fish on it, then pour some more baking soda to completely cover the fish
Cover the container properly and store in cabinets for a few weeks
AFter a few weeks, open the container and pour out the baking soda and throw it away, and refill with fresh baking soda (I did this twice after the first time)
After a few more weeks, it should be dried up enough to take out and inspect
At this point the eyes will most likely be dried out and sunken into the body, so getting fake eyes may be a good idea to put on
You can spray with a varnish type spray and let it dry

*Note* - you'll have to get something to wipe off the baking soda from the body and teeth when ready to spray paint... I used an old tooth brush with soft bristles, and that seemed to work well for me. I've seen others use a damp cloth...

Here's when I was setting it up. Got a tupperware container filled with baking soda ready, and took him out of the freezer to thaw...









Then took a surgical type razor and cut off the lips to expose the teeth:

















I didn't gut this guy, didn't want to mess him up. He's been in the cabinets for well over a month, probably 2, and within that time I dumped out the baking soda and refilled it twice.

Here's my Zombie Manny:

















I glazed him last night, and he looks complete. The only thing that I have pending is the fake eyes... As soon as I get a hold of some, I will glue them on and show the final result.


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## 0S1R1S (Aug 29, 2010)

Can't wait to see the finished result.


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2011)

UPDATE PICS


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

...Damn Smoke!..I didn't know you lost a Manny!..Sorry to hear about that!...So you only have two Manny's left?!


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## His Majesty (Apr 5, 2005)

interesting thread. but sorry for the loss.

look forward to seeing the end product


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## balluupnetme (Oct 23, 2006)

I lost my manny last year n I have it in the freezer still, interesting to see how u mummify him


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## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

nice smoke, again sorry for your loss...


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

Thanks all.

I still have my 3 Mannies alive and well...

This was one that died a long while ago and I've just been keeping in the freezer for some time until I decided to preserve him... In fact, I also have 2 Elongs in my freezer as well, that never survived the shipping... Not sure if I want to preserve those or just cut them open to examine the sex...

I will post pics this weekend when I pickup the clear coat spray.


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

Updated pics...


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

and methodology


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

looks good so far. did you take out the eyes or left them on there?
I wonder if anyone tried something like this with larger piranhas.
http://www.fishtaxidermy.com/kennedytaxidermy/process.htm


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

I left the eyes on, but it basically got depressed into the eye sockets to the point where it looks like there are no eyes... So I have to get some fake ones to complete it. I got the Krylon glaze spray and sprayed him, so he looks nice except for the eyes.

I checked out that link about the styrofoam preservation... that looks like too much work for me


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

yea especially your manueli is still small but for people with something larger like a 15" rhom it would be a much better way to display the fish.


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## Smoke (Sep 8, 2010)

jp80911 said:


> yea especially your manueli is still small but for people with something larger like a 15" rhom it would be a much better way to display the fish.


Well I've used this thread for some inspiration - and he preserved a BIG rhom using baking soda:
http://www.piranha-fury.com/pfury/index.php?/topic/168951-preserving-my-rhom/page__p__2146500__hl__%2Bpreserve+%2Brhom__fromsearch__1#entry2146500










Which the above thread also referenced this article:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/bodies/webcast_activity.html

So using the above I went with the easy route (easy for me). I need to get red eyes like he did for his Rhom


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## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

can you please please please post pics of the elong


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## jp80911 (Apr 3, 2008)

yea I agree it's easier and doesn't look too bad at all if done right but if I ever have a big one die on me I want it to look like this


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## Da' Manster! (Sep 1, 2009)

Damn!..those are some wicked and well done preservation/taxidermy on rhoms!...


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