# Dermestid Beetles



## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Well, I had a fatality yesterday... a 10" cariba... so I'm going for it.

Of course GG planted the idea when he announced he's getting his monster rhom done somewhere with beetles...
I did a little research and found out they're called "Dermestid Beetles."

Gonna order them from ebay --> Dermestid beetles for sale on ebay

Let's see how it goes!


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Time-lapse video of dead mouse getting stripped clean by a bunch of dermestid beetles


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Can ship em to me after your done. Lol I want a skeleton shoal too


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

P-man, can you try making some pictures of the process and write a kind of report on how it's done, how long it's taking and that kind of stuff ?


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Yeah, I'll definitely photographically document the process.
I just got a message from the beetle distributor guy that it should take about 3 days for the beetles to 'do their thing.'

I'll order them today (going to get 750 of them), they should be here in a few days.


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

These are mostly larvae and eggs, so it'll take about three months before you have colony that's gonna do the job I guess ?


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

memento said:


> These are mostly larvae and eggs, so it'll take about three months before you have colony that's gonna do the job I guess ?


Weren't we just talking about this









Gonna have to do my 6" Geryi with some aswell...


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

I understood that I get 750 in the form of beetles, larve and eggs...
If I have to wait 3 freakin' months before I can even do the procedure, then forget it.

I just messaged the distributor again to ask him this very question.
I'll keep y'all posted.


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

As far as I know, these starter kits are meant to grow out a colony first, not use them straight ahead for it's purpose...


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Yeah, that's the story I'm finally starting to get from the supplier.
Said it will take like 3 months to grow out a colony.
f*ck that!









If he can't send me a batch of adult beetles "ready to go," then effin' forget it.

It would be cool, however, if one of us did get a good colony going and could operate as a hub for specimen preservation...
Where other members could mail their corpses to be 'cleaned.'


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

Won't be that easy P-Man.
I'm thinking about getting a colony but sending skeletons by mail will most likely result in damage on arrival. They are very delicate...


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## blueouija (May 25, 2011)

Piranha_man said:


> Yeah, that's the story I'm finally starting to get from the supplier.
> Said it will take like 3 months to grow out a colony.
> f*ck that!
> 
> ...


You could always put the fish on ice in your freezer until the beetles are ready.


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

Piranha_man said:


> Yeah, that's the story I'm finally starting to get from the supplier.
> Said it will take like 3 months to grow out a colony.
> f*ck that!
> 
> ...


Call a taxidermist. They might have a colony.


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## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

Damm p-man good idea


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

memento said:


> Yeah, that's the story I'm finally starting to get from the supplier.
> Said it will take like 3 months to grow out a colony.
> f*ck that!
> 
> ...


Call a taxidermist. They might have a colony.
[/quote]

That's a good idea.
Here in Central Oregon there's certainly no shortage of taxidermists.


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## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Its not simple just tossing in bugs to clean you fish of flesh. Better think twice


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Maggots work fast & free too.


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## mantis (May 16, 2003)

hastatus said:


> Its not simple just tossing in bugs to clean you fish of flesh. Better think twice


Im thinking of cleaning a spilo head. is it not just as easy as tossing some critters to clean it up...?


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

Well, I finally got the straight scoop from the beetle distributor guy...
I guess I'd have to raise the colony for a few months before they'd even be ready to go to 'work.'

Screw that, I just threw the cariba in the trash.
I don't have the time or patience to raise friggin' beetles right now.


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## memento (Jun 3, 2009)

Everything needs it's preparation time









If one ever tries it (as you know I didn't yet) make sure you read about it, For what I've read, best results are gotten by first removing the skin and biggest fleshy parts.
And make sure that once the job is done, you put the result in the freezer for another 24 hours to kill any remaining bugs or larvae hidden in the bony remains.


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## Piranha_man (Jan 29, 2005)

memento said:


> *Everything needs it's preparation time*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Cracker Jacks and Lunchables don't...


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## BRUNER247 (Jun 2, 2010)

Maggots don't either. It coulda been cleaned already. Lol


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## Bawb2u (May 27, 2004)

BRUNER247 said:


> Maggots don't either. It coulda been cleaned already. Lol


By this time, maggots could have done a buffalo.









Just wrapping it in cheesecloth and putting it outside works, I've done that with snake, monitor and various other small animals.


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## Piranha-Freak101 (Dec 8, 2010)

Eww.. i bet the smell was strong and awfull


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