# My old Tern sent back as a Trophy!!!



## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Remember my old Tern that caught an internal bacteria? Sent it to Frank (hastatus) to do an autopsy on the cause of his death. Frank had done something I wasn't expecting at all. Dead Tern $400.. a taxidermed P of that same dead Tern... PRICELESS!!! Thanks Frank!!! Its an honor!!!

Check out the pics!!! And if you guys want more info or facts on the autopsy... Autopsy on a Dead 13" Tern


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Remember his sunken eyes???


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Another shot..


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

Signature of authensity, from the scientist himself.


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## qwuintus (Feb 3, 2003)

Sweet.


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## Makoa84 (Aug 27, 2003)

Damn that's awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## khuzhong (Apr 11, 2003)

pretty damn COOL Al...


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## fishofury (May 10, 2003)

That's Badass







Great job Frank and nice addition Rhom :laugh:


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## xt12ap5peedx17x (Oct 20, 2003)

Thats some tight sh*t


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## tecknik (Jul 18, 2003)

Thats just awesome!


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## Atlanta Braves Baby! (Mar 12, 2003)

You are a very nice man for doing that Frank


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## pamonster (Jun 26, 2003)

what a beast


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

I have to admit, I was pretty impressed how well the fish head came out, considering what poor shape it was in when it died. I teased RhomZilla about sending him the guts in formalin for a keepsake.







But thought that having the head of the fish and mounted would suffice and at least as a minimum give him years of enjoyment knowing his fish was still with him. At least he has the photos to show what it looked like live and now the head to share.

I'm presently working on a few other fish, including my skeleton pirana that has part flesh on it to show how it is layered over the bones. I'll take a photo of it later so that you can see what it looks like. Its not complete yet, but is taking shape.

Here is a Piraya plaque that is still being worked on. As you can see, it is more work on a fully body than just a head. I doubt I will make many of these if only just 1. Fishes under 6 inches are easier to work with.

You don't realize how tempted I was just to keep Al's plaque.
















It was certainly an impressive fish.


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## yonam (Apr 16, 2004)

Wow


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## LaZy (Jun 17, 2003)

Very Nice!!!!


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## pirayaboy (Feb 24, 2004)

that was nice


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## LuigiMX (Mar 16, 2004)

I have make a taxidermy at this 6" nattereri.
What do you think about my work?
Fish color is red because i've used a bad alchool.
Antonucci Luigi


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## mdserras (May 28, 2004)

very cool


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## LuigiMX (Mar 16, 2004)

Another one.
I can say to all what's the my personal method of taxidermy, but i don't speack good english.
If in this forum are one person that can translate from italian to english, i can told what's my method!
Antonucci Luigi


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## Xenon (Nov 15, 2002)

very nice al.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

You must have used Italian Wine alcohol.
















j/k









Very nicely done.


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## Xantarc (May 25, 2004)

all i gotta say is if my P's die they all gonna look like that =p just wondering where do u get those molded or whatever its called ?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Each person has their own unique technique to make a finished product, from scaulding in hotwater to using beetles to soaking in chemicals. I prefer the later method, using formalin. Normally, it requires a 6 month soaking. Then the fish is layed out doors during the hot months and allowed to dry naturally. The formalin brings out the natural body markings. Alcohol can do the same thing, but tends to attract more flies so a screen would be needed to keep them from crapping on your specimen or laying eggs.

Once it has dried sufficiently (2 to 4 days, sometimes a week), then this is scrubbed with a soft brush and a thin coat of lacquer or other cover is used. This is allowed to dry and set. Then more layers are put down until you have a good covering (minimum 7 sprays of a fine coat). The fish is then allowed to air out and dry completely. The fish is then mounted onto something (glued on) and respraying is done again until the fish and the board become fixed. Then begins the process of using fine steel wool to level the areas, then spraying another coat.

Presto your done (more or less).









Here is the skeleton fish I'm working on. I allowed natural processes to devour much of the flesh until portions of the skeleton show. This makes an excellent teaching tool. I've been working on it for about a year. Just now getting around to finishing the spray before fixing it to a stand.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

I'm working on a large (9 in.) S. rhombeus that is being giving to the Veterans Administration once its done. Hopefully, it will be placed in the Mental Health office in Roseburg where many Veterans can appreciate it.

Here is one that I made especially for Mike (Xenon) for all his unselfish help and devotion to OPEFE. I wish I could make everyone a plaque, but it is time consuming and expensive in terms of labor and material. So I make a few for special individuals that stood by me or made special efforts or contribution to science. Perhaps by sharing the method on how it is done, will help those individuals to make one of their own pirana, hopefully not for profit as that defeats the purpose of why I'm sharing the method.

PS: Mike expect your fish in early August.


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

That really is special and brings a little good back from the tragedy of losing such a fine fish.
Great Job Frank


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## l2ob (May 22, 2004)

your the man!


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## Kain (Mar 13, 2003)

Damn that kicks ass!!!







I hope to do that to my betta someday


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## Raptor (Jan 3, 2003)

Thats very nice of you frank.


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## master_of_puppets (Aug 29, 2003)

that's awesome


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## Genin (Feb 4, 2003)

sweet trophy Zilla. That was awesome of you to do Frank.


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## Pizzo (Nov 22, 2003)

wow Frank

nuff said...


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## Outie (Feb 19, 2003)

Great to see fellow members doing cool things for one another.


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

Wow looks great, all the plaques look really good


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## siclids (Mar 16, 2003)

Amazing :nod:


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## camotekid (Sep 21, 2003)

now i know the method, i hope one of my P's dies soon!

J/K :rasp:

i didnt knew you're also skilled in crafts too, and not only a scientist. Definitely you're the man Frank! And Rhomzilla, i definitely believe that head is one greatest gift ever to be received.


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

camotekid said:


> Definitely you're the man Frank! And Rhomzilla, i definitely believe that head is one greatest gift ever to be received.


 You bet it is!!!!







Its a great gesture on Franks part, especially how much of a busy guy he is.



Frank said:


> I teased RhomZilla about sending him the guts in formalin for a keepsake. But thought that having the head of the fish and mounted would suffice and at least as a minimum give him years of enjoyment knowing his fish was still with him.


That was actually true. I had no idea what Frank was talking about. He mentioned that he was gonna send me back a part of the fish for me to have some remeberance. All i thought of was either the gutts (cause we were in a conversation about internals at the time) or just the jaws. No way did I think it was gonna be the whole head!!! Badass.. Thanks again Frank!!!!

Also.. I think Im soon to have a dead Cariba and Tern (again)







Ill try and follow the rules Frank posted to see if I have what it takes to make my own trophy. Probably for a future PFury give-away!!!!


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## ineedchanna (May 27, 2003)

Nice trophy!!


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## Gigante Pirana (Apr 23, 2004)

hastatus said:


> I have to admit, I was pretty impressed how well the fish head came out, considering what poor shape it was in when it died. I teased RhomZilla about sending him the guts in formalin for a keepsake.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Frank, was that the piraya I sent to you ages ago?


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

> Gigante Pirana Posted on Jul 13 2004, 04:37 PM
> QUOTE (hastatus @ Jul 12 2004, 04:01 PM)
> I have to admit, I was pretty impressed how well the fish head came out, considering what poor shape it was in when it died. I teased RhomZilla about sending him the guts in formalin for a keepsake. But thought that having the head of the fish and mounted would suffice and at least as a minimum give him years of enjoyment knowing his fish was still with him. At least he has the photos to show what it looked like live and now the head to share.
> 
> ...


Nope, the one you sent was used for DNA and is held in storage. This one, I believe came from Hollywood.
Yours is pictured here and where it went.


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## KingJeff (Jul 22, 2003)

thats bad ass.


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## bir2 (Jun 4, 2004)

nice bad ass jaws dude!!!!


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## bir2 (Jun 4, 2004)

guys, how do you do those stuffs???? the preserving sh*t... i really wanna preserve my solo when sh*t happens to him....


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

That's really nice work!

When my large rhom dies, I'll make sure to send it to Frank so he can do an "autopsy" on it also.


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## thePACK (Jan 3, 2003)

very nice job frank...lol..but really al...did you really have to get a gold chain and put it around your neck????


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## soon2breed (Aug 30, 2006)

LuigiMX said:


> Another one.
> I can say to all what's the my personal method of taxidermy, but i don't speack good english.
> If in this forum are one person that can translate from italian to english, i can told what's my method!
> Antonucci Luigi


I can translate italian to english for you


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## nemo the piranha (Sep 29, 2006)

im going to do that when one of mine croaks,and it is a good size of course


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## razor-sharp (Sep 27, 2006)

hes got some nice teeth


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## C0Rey (Jan 7, 2006)

soon2breed said:


> Another one.
> I can say to all what's the my personal method of taxidermy, but i don't speack good english.
> If in this forum are one person that can translate from italian to english, i can told what's my method!
> Antonucci Luigi


I can translate italian to english for you
[/quote]

look at the date of the original post..


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## Piranha loca (Aug 20, 2006)

that looks cool man.


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

closed 2 year old thread..........lol...........


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