How to Make a Reproduction Fish - Taxidermy

Show pride in your catch by preserving it forever.

Taxidermy is a way to preserve a special animal, such as a big fish that was caught with pride. Prove that you are not telling tall tales about the size of your catch by proudly displaying the fish. Taxidermy proves you are worthy of your words. Basic materials and a bit of dedication combined with giving the task enough time can produce positive, beautiful results.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Borax
• Formaldehyde
• Needle and syringe
• Spoon
• Fiberglass wool
• Glass fish eye
• Super glue
• Clear nylon thread
• Sewing needle
• Sawdust
• Wooden board
• Shellac
• Wooden plaque
• Natural decorations

Instructions

1. Wash the fish thoroughly. Cut an incision along the center on the side of the fish. Remove the organs as you would if you were preparing the fish for cooking.

2. Cut the layer of skin from the flesh of the fish with a sharp knife. Avoid breaking the skin so it remains atheistically pleasing. Cut around the fish's eye socket with a small, sharp knife. Remove the eye with a spoon.

3. Coat the inside of the skin and head of the fish with borax. Create a solution of formaldehyde. Follow the instructions and charts on your formaldehyde package to determine how much to use. Inject the tail and brain areas with formaldehyde using a needle and syringe to preserve the body of the fish.

4. Insert fiberglass wool into the head of the fish to give it dimension and strength.

5. Install a glass eye in the eye socket. Adhere the eye in place with super glue. Shellac and seal the eye to give it shine and strengthen it.

6. Fill the fish body with sawdust. Sew up the skin flaps with clear nylon thread and a sewing a needle.

7. Position the fish on a wooden board. Work the fins and body parts to manipulate the fish into a desired display position. Brace with pieces of wood, paper or cardboard until the fish is completely dry. Remove the bracing material. Shellac the entire fish to give it a wet, natural look.

8. Mount on a wooden plaque. Decorate with sticks, leaves and grass to make it appear more natural.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the incision for removing the organs and inserting the sawdust along the side of the fish that will not be visible when the fish is mounted. Do not cut along the bottom of the fish as you would when cleaning a fish.

References

• Taxidermy: Fish Taxidermy