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| ARTICLE INFORMATION: Author: Howard Norfolk Title: What to do with your "Failures" Summary: Dead fish can be dried out and mounted in a "shadow box" picture frame. Contact for editing purposes: email: howardnorfolk@aquarticles.com Date first published: May 2000 Publication: Newsletter, Vancouver Aquatic Hobbyist Club Reprinted from Aquarticles: June 2001: Aqua Babble, Aquarium Club of Edmonton. Spring 2003: Newsletter, Dunstable Aquarium Society, England. Spring 2003: Fishkeepers and Water Gardeners Bulletin, England. March 2003: The Calquarium, Calgary Aquarium Society
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ARTICLE USE: Internet publication (club or non-profit web site): 1. Credit author, original publication, and Aquarticles. 2. Link to http://www.aquarticles.com and original website if applicable. 3. Advise Aquarticles Printed publication: Mail one printed copy to: Jim Norfolk 4131 Bonavista Crescent Burlington, Ontario L7M 4 J3 And one copy to: Aquarticles.com #205 - 5525 West Boulevard Vancouver, British Columbia V6M 3W6 Canada |
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR “FAILURES”
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| It started with a ‘dragon fish’ and a small sturgeon –
when they died I thought their bodies were so unusual that I put them aside to dry out
instead of flushing them. Then I found a little frog, which had escaped from a tank ,
perfectly preserved in the dust of my furnace room. So I started putting other small sized
"failures" aside to dry out and found that they retain their eyes, body shape
and some colour quite nicely, if simply left to dry on a non-absorbent surface. What to do with them? …. I decided to mount them in a ‘shadow box’ (a deep picture frame for three dimensional objects) and display them on the wall of my fish room. 
Some years ago I once saw some ready made shadow boxes for sale. Not too thorough inquiries in local picture frame stores failed to turn up any suitable ready made ones however, so I decided to have one custom made. I went to a framing store and selected a frame style and matting material. I took a piece of matting home, placed the fish in the positions required, and then carefully stuck them to the matte using a clear adhesive (Elmer’s Fix-All). Back at the framing store they had never seen anything like it, so they took extra care (or so they said). They certainly did a good job, fitting the matting material around the edges of the ‘box’ and sealing everything off air tight. I didn’t use it, but a friend suggested that I might have added a little pack of silica gel to absorb any moisture. I now have a unique conversation piece as well as concrete memories of fish long gone. It cost a little over $100. Cost depends on size and frame style. |