# How to preserve my dead piranha as a display?



## CarloFlores (Oct 13, 2004)

How to preserve my dead piranha as a display? Like taxidermy... can someone tell me what and how to do piranha preservation/taxidermy.. thanks!


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## Dragster (Aug 3, 2004)

doh????????


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## skelator (Sep 12, 2004)

Look in your phone book, or online, for a taxadermist... They'll set it up any way you want it!









Don't know prices though, just call around...


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

You can get a skelaton by boiling all the meat off the bones or by placing the body near an ant hill (just make sure no animals get to it). Preserving the whole body is going to require some kind of alcohol treatment I'm not too familiar with


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## piranhaha (Mar 22, 2004)

how big is it? do you want a profesional mount or do you just want to preserve it?i had a red belly that was like 5" die on me and i just soaked it in a water based polycrilic(like polyurethane) for like a week.then i took it out and put a couple more coats on it.it looks like it lost all its water weight but besides that it looks really good and it only cost me like 10bucks.i actually like it because you can see all the skeletal definition, its really neat.


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## pinchy (Jun 3, 2004)

piranhaha said:


> how big is it? do you want a profesional mount or do you just want to preserve it?i had a red belly that was like 5" die on me and i just soaked it in a water based polycrilic(like polyurethane) for like a week.then i took it out and put a couple more coats on it.it looks like it lost all its water weight but besides that it looks really good and it only cost me like 10bucks.i actually like it because you can see all the skeletal definition, its really neat.


 that sounds cool


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## sourbugs (Aug 10, 2004)

first off,









but someone with experience in this area should do an article on preserving loved fishies. This isnt the first time this question has been asked. Personally I hope my p never ever dies but it would be cool to have him around like that.


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## elTwitcho (Jun 22, 2004)

sourbugs said:


> first off,


 dyeing is when the fish (usually cichlids and some kinds of tetras) are injected with a dye to make them more colorful and attractive to potential buyers dude...


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## sourbugs (Aug 10, 2004)

it was a play on words.


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## yorkshire (Jul 27, 2004)

I've got two piranhas that have been in my freezer for over a year now. Phoned round the taxidermists and they were all quoting nearly £150.
I've decided to buy some maggots from my local fishing tackle shop to strip the flesh.
I only want the skull and jaw so that my brother, who's a goldsmith, can make a replica in silver, with the jaw hinged. Thought it might look good as a pendant for the gf. Especially as one of the piranhas is the one that ate her finger tip :laugh:


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## jackburton (Nov 25, 2003)

yeh i had to ps i wanted to b done hers a pic 2 8 inch eigenmannies but i couldnt get ahold of anyone to do it also like yorkshre said its very expensive


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## jackburton (Nov 25, 2003)

another


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2004)

Here is a company that sells stuffed piranha. Their specimens look as if they were freeze-dried instead of actually made from a plasrer cast.
http://www.sealifegifts.net/taxidermy.html


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## caribekeeper (Feb 26, 2004)

Anybody know if they ship to the UK ? I wouldn't mind one of those.....

I got one of these...had it years, came with TFH magazine as a freebie for ordering a subscription.









Rich


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## SMITZ71 (Jun 4, 2004)

Also look into Ash's site (fishkeeper) for he has some being made currently and should be for sale soon


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## [email protected]° (Jun 16, 2004)

I have a mounted Caribe That was given as a gift to me by a coworker. He said he had a "friend" that does it, or sells them, or whatever... I'll ask him for some info tommorow, and see what he can find out...

IMO the best way is going to be some method of dehydration, then a SOLID coating of polyurethane. The one I have is a bit "shrunken" from being dried out, as well as coated with some sort of resin. It has also been painted a bit in places (fins, belly, black spot) to bring out the "carachteristics" of the color that may have been lost in the process.

You can make your own dehydrater. All you need is a bunch of sylica gell, or even ICE MELTER (aka calcium chloride) a large container, and a "rack" to keep the "subject" above the substrate.

Fill the bottom of the vessel with a GOOD layer of material.
Place the rack in to elevate the subject to about the middle.
fill a cheese cloth bag with material and place over the top mostly sealing off the container with "small" ventalation holes left. 
try and keep in a dry mildew/mold free place with good ventalation.

KEEP A CLOSE EYE OUT FOR DECAY, by checking it often, and replacing the substrate as it becomes fully absorbed...

Search google about "drying" / "Dehydrating". That is just one method I read about while finding a way to dry out some "home grown fungus"


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## rosal548 (Nov 1, 2003)

http://www.taxidermy.net/information/fish1.html


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## P-Power (Jan 23, 2004)

A friend gave me this one:
it feels like it has been dried then laquered.


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## [email protected]° (Jun 16, 2004)

here is a crappy pic of my "preserved P"


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