Collectors and Collecting

_{-- C o l l e c t o r s a n d C o l l e c t i n g --} _{click on the question number for the answer}
Q 1.
	Can you tell me how to make a life-like model of fish that I catch and wish to mount on the wall?
Q 2.
	Will you please give me some information on the cleaning of sea corals?
Q 3.
	What is rotenone and is it poisonous to humans?
Q 4.
	Where can I collect small seahorses?
Q 5.
	How can I collect and preserve specimens of Florida corals?
Q 6.
	How can fishes be preserved permanently? Are seahorses preserved the same way?
Q 7.
	In the Natural History museum in Vienna, Austria, I saw a group of tropical fishes cast into plastic which were absolutely lifelike. The colors were just as if one were looking through the glass of a clean aquarium window. Are these actual fishes, or are they cleverly made and painted casts? Is it possible to embalm a fish, enclose it in plastic, and save all the color?
Q 8.
	I would like to collect a few specimens in eel, grass, such as small cowfish, seahorses, crabs, etc. Can you describe a suitable dragnet and its use?
Q 9.
	I read somewhere that the Danes have been injecting urethane into trout to lower their metabolisms and freezing them in solid blocks of ice, from which they swim alive on thawing. Is this true?
Q 10.
	I saved the flag, off the dorsal fin of a tarpon which I hooked off Big Pine Key, by putting it in alcohol. Can you recommend a method of drying and preserving it? Also, is there any truth in the statement that pearl-like beads are formed in the eye of the tarpon? Incidentally, although we were informed that tarpon is not edible, we were not convinced and dressed it out and five of us ate it. All of us felt that it is tasty, rich, and entirely satisfactory although it is somewhat difficult to dress out.
Q 11.
	Can you tell me how to cure starfish and shells? I have had much advice and have lost many good shells and I would really appreciate some expert advice.
Q 12.
	I am interested in preserving some marine forms. Could you suggest the proper solutions?
Q 13.
	Is it true that acetic acid will dissolve coral growth, but will not damage objects to which the growth is attached?
Q 14.
	What is the method used in mounting small marine invertebrates on slides?
Q 15.
	Could you suggest a way to preserve octopus?
Q 16.
	Is there any way sea fans can be preserved, especially as to color and pliability?
Q 17.
	How may the living animal be removed and the starfish exterior preserved?
Q 18.
	I have some metallic objects that are coral encrusted and would like very much to know what solutions of acid would be best to dissolve the coral without hurting the metal.
Q 19.
	We ship tropical fish in large plastic bags and occasionally experience difficulty in cold weather. In a Tampa-to-Newark shipment left at New York's Idlewild Airport early last spring just one bag survived, although the air temperature was only 60° F. on arrival. Live oxygen is pumped into the bags at the shipping point and we believe the oxygen sometimes deteriorates at a low temperature. Strangely enough, the next day we immediately opened a large shipment in perfect condition at Newark, yet the temperature again was 60°!
Q 20.
	We procure dogfishes and starfishes for school trade, injecting and preserving them in drums for future sales. We have a problem of storage space. Is there any suggestion for keeping the 10% formaldehyde from freezing, as they must be stored outdoors?
Q 21.
	In Anthony Phair's “In Search of Inca Gold” he describes the huge stones that were fitted together at Cuzco and other places. His information is that the natives then knew of a substance that would soften rock so it could be easily cut. Do you have any information on this?
Q 22.
	Can you please tell me the best way to preserve the freshwater sponge, Spongilla fragilis?
Q 23.
	I found a large shark jaw on the beach, with a small amount of flesh still adhering to it. What is the best way to remove the flesh and preserve the jaw?
Q 24.
	My biology group is planning to collect marine samples for an aquarium. Can you give us information that might be helpful in collecting, preserving, and transporting live specimens?
Q 25.
	Would you tell me the best way to cure and mount a lobster?
Q 26.
	What is the best way to get the flesh off the bones of a fish, in order to preserve the entire skeleton? We tried boiling one, but the whole thing fell apart. We placed a dead fish in the sun to decompose, but the combination of odor and cats got the best of us.
Q 27.
	As a diver, I often bring up various types of sea animals, but some of them spoil because I am unable to preserve them properly. What is the best preservative?
Q 28.
	I am currently involved in procuring display fish for a number of American institutions. I have experimented with electrical fish capture, but would like some specialized information on this technique. I understand that the Institute of Marine Science at Miami has done some work of this nature on shrimp. Having run into many problems with this method so far, I would appreciate learning about any success you have had.
Q 29.
	Our diving group is planning to attempt to recover an old anchor which we discovered in the Gulf of California. The center shaft is approximately 10 feet long and is of wood, while the end is of metal and apparently iron. Can you tell us how the wood and metal components can best be preserved?
Q 30.
	I am a rock and fossil collector, and recently found marine fossils in a gravel pit about 5 miles west of LaBelle, Florida, on Route 80. Can you tell me how long ago this area was covered by Gulf waters, and how old these marine fossils are?
Q 31.
	What is the best way to ship marine tropical fish?
Q 32.
	Will you please advise as to whether there is a chemical solution available to treat coral in order to preserve the fresh natural color, especially the shades of pink and red?
Q 33.
	Our museum is in the process of preparing an undersea diorama. Part of this diorama will show a coral reef. To complete this area of our exhibit, we shall need to collect relatively large coral specimens. Could you tell us where to collect such coral?
Q 34.
	I understand that there is a chemical called MS-222, which is a soporific for fish. Can you tell me the formula for it?
Q 35.
	How can I dry tropical fish so that the skin does not shrink?
Q 36.
	What precautions should be taken for bringing tropical fishes caught at depths of 40 to 140 feet up to the surface? Also, is a diet of brine shrimp the best one for tropicals?
Q 37.
	I have been using denatured ethyl alcohol (95 percent) for preserving marine fishes, but notice that some of them acquire a whitish film, which detracts from their appearance. Is there a better method for preserving fishes?
Q 38.
	Can you suggest a good book covering taxidermy as applied to fish?
Q 39.
	I plan to collect seawater samples in Florida and take them home where I can run tests for dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrates, phosphates, salinity, etc. If I freeze the water in dry ice immediately after collecting it, will that change the parameters that I want to measure later on?
Q 40.
	We have found some delicate and attractive white coral off the east coast of Honduras. Unfortunately, after keeping it a few months, it began to crack and turn black. What is the procedure for preserving coral?
Q 41.
	I am making a collection of marine grasses found in the Indian River on the east coast of Florida. What are the best methods to use in preserving these samples?
Q 42.
	I intend to study intracellular digestion in sea anemones. Could you possibly give me any information for making slides for microscopic studies?
Q 43.
	Is there any way to preserve a sea anemone with its tentacles expanded?
Q 44.
	I have heard that fishes brought to the surface from great depths explode. What causes this to happen?
Q 45.
	I have never heard of cases in which formalin actually accumulates in the body. Were you correct in stating in Sea Secrets, Vol. 19, No. 3 that formalin is a cumulative poison?
Q 46.
	A friend of mine has a jawbone of a walrus skull that was dredged up by a clam dragger off the New Jersey coast. It is starting to flake. Is there some material that can be applied to stop this?
Q 47.
	Where can I obtain further details about the decompression chamber for fishes that was mentioned in Sea Frontiers, Vol. 22, No. 4?
Q 48.
	I am interested in using a slurp gun to collect fishes for my aquarium. Can you tell me how to operate such a device?
Q 49.
	We have several large shells intact in our freezer. We have been told that the best way to remove the whole animal is to thaw the shell and then strike it on the grass, thereby dislodging the animal. Is this correct?
Q 50.
	I would like to ship a lobster specimen. Could you please provide instructions?
Q 51.
	I have been collecting and preserving fishes for several years, keeping them in alcohol, but have always been disappointed because their colors faded so quickly. Is there any way to preserve the colors of such specimens?
Q 52.
	Can you recommend a method of preserving whole horseshoe crabs, decapod crabs, and lobsters?
Q 53.
	What is the effect of fish collecting chemicals on the fishes and the environment?
Q 54.
	What is the best way to preserve starfish? Also, is there any way to retain their beautiful colors?
Q 55.
	The popularity of marine aquariums seems to be growing, and the demand for animals is increasing. Does the harvest of tropical fishes present a threat to the future offish populations and/or the coral reefs they inhabit?
Q 56.
	What is the proper procedure for transporting marine tropical fishes collected in the Florida Keys to a home aquarium in another state?


_{-- a n s w e r s a b o u t C o l l e c t o r s a n d C o l l e c t i n g --}
	Q&A 1.	Can you tell me how to make a life-like model of fish that I catch and wish to mount on the wall? Miami, Florida
	There are several large taxidermy studios in the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale area, and if you wish a professional job, I would suggest that you turn over the fish to them for mounting. However, if you are artistically inclined, it is possible to do the job at home. Detailed descriptions of how to make a model of your fish or to mount it are given in articles by Gustaf Sundstrom of the F1sh and Wildlife Service in the July-August and the September-October issues of Popular Homecraft. The process and the materials used is outlined in detail there. Space does not permit reproduction of the article in this column.
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	Q&A 2.	Will you please give me some information on the cleaning of sea corals? Coral Gables, Florida
	Corals are colonies of individual animals which grow on the outside of a stony skeleton composed of calcium carbonate. In cleaning corals, it is necessary to remove the external animal tissue before it dries. Complete immersion for 2-3 days in fresh water will kill all animal matter and loosen it from the skeleton. The specimen can then be flushed free of animal tissue by playing a strong jet from a garden hose on it. In order to obtain an attractive white appearance, the coral should be soaked for an additional day or two in a strong solution of liquid bleach. The concentration of the bleach should be about one cup to two gallons of water.
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	Q&A 3.	What is rotenone and is it poisonous to humans? Miami, Florida
	Rotenone is a substance found in the roots of certain tropical and subtropical plants which are related to peas and beans. Rotenone constricts the tiny capillaries in the gills of fish thus restricting the passage of blood and suffocating the fish. It is apparently harmless to man and other terrestrial animals in amounts which are fatal to fish. It has been taken internally by humans, cattle drink rotenoned water, and fish-eating birds consume rotenoned fish, all without ill effects. Rotenone also has the advantage of not killing insects and other fish food and of losing its toxicity in about four to six weeks.
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	Q&A 4.	Where can I collect small seahorses? Miami, Florida
	Both large and small seahorses may be collected on the Gulf Coast and also along the Atlantic Coast of Florida. Recommended areas are the shallow waters where good growths of grass occur. Many collectors work the Indian River area and on the west coast the sounds between Fort Myers and Tampa provide good collecting areas. Being weak swimmers the seahorses are usually found with their tails wrapped around the grasses among which they live. Some have also been collected from among the floating sargassum weed. Just dip up the seaweed and shake it out; upon close examination, you will find not only seahorses but a host of other tiny marine animals.
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	Q&A 5.	How can I collect and preserve specimens of Florida corals? Norfolk, Virginia
	A book by the Director of The Marine Laboratory. Dr. F. G. Walton Smith, entitled “Atlantic Coral Reefs” has a chapter on this subject. The book can be obtained in many libraries or from the University of Miami Press. Dr. Smith points out that many coral specimens can be collected from shallow water with a glass bottomed bucket or a face plate, although the outer reef species require a boat and must be dived for. A lever or crowbar of some kind is useful in prying and breaking off specimens. Usually only the skeleton of the coral is preserved. The polyps die and leave a thin layer of flesh on the skeleton surface. This can be removed by alternate drying in the sun and washing in water. Sun bleaching will whiten the coral, or immersion in strong domestic bleach will serve the same purpose. Rarely is it desired to preserve the polyp animals, but this can be done by keeping the living coral in the dark in seawater for a few hours, to allow the polyps to expand. Then a cotton bag containing magnesium sulfate is put in the water to anesthetize the polyps. They will then not contract when 70% alcohol is used to preserve the coral.
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	Q&A 6.	How can fishes be preserved permanently? Are seahorses preserved the same way? Toledo, Ohio
	At The Marine Laboratory, University of Miami, specimens are “fixed” in 10% formalin for a week. They are then put through changes of water for several days or weeks and finally stored in alcohol, which is the permanent preservative. Fishes are generally kept in either 70% ethyl or 40% isopropyl alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is a mixture of isopropyl and butyl alcohol and is not as suitable. Fishes may be kept indefinitely in formalin also. If this is done, the formalin should be weakened after a week to 5% and neutralized with a tablespoon of borax. Seahorses, which are hard-bodied and do not change their shape appreciably, can be preserved as above or they can be dried. If they are dried as curios, they should be coated with some suitable lacquer to prevent attack by insects.
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	Q&A 7.	In the Natural History museum in Vienna, Austria, I saw a group of tropical fishes cast into plastic which were absolutely lifelike. The colors were just as if one were looking through the glass of a clean aquarium window. Are these actual fishes, or are they cleverly made and painted casts? Is it possible to embalm a fish, enclose it in plastic, and save all the color? New Smyrna Beach, Florida
	The fishes which you saw were the skins of real coral fishes which had been stuffed with cotton-wool and dyed with natural colors and then preserved in bottles containing a 75% alcohol solution. The Fish Department at the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna has three types of exhibit: fresh specimens preserved in alcohol; dried skins of fishes, mounted on skeletons of wood, iron, or plaster and dyed in natural colors; and, painted plaster casts. It is possible to enclose preserved fishes in plastic, but no method is known which will retain the life colors.
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	Q&A 8.	I would like to collect a few specimens in eel, grass, such as small cowfish, seahorses, crabs, etc. Can you describe a suitable dragnet and its use? Tavernier, Florida
	There are many different types of drag nets which can be used for collecting in grass areas, and most of them are changed according to the desires of the user. After talking your problem over with your local marine supply store, you probably should do some experimenting. Incidentally, the local grass is turtle grass, not eel grass. Eel grass does not occur south of about middle Florida, perhaps Indian River.
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	Q&A 9.	I read somewhere that the Danes have been injecting urethane into trout to lower their metabolisms and freezing them in solid blocks of ice, from which they swim alive on thawing. Is this true? Damariscotta, Maine
	Urethane has been used for a number of years to anesthetize fishes, especially when they are being transported or or handled at fish hatcheries have also adopted the practice of carrying fishes at a reduced temperature, usually a little higher than freezing. By this means, the activity is reduced and thus the oxygen consumption, and there is less danger that the fishes will die by asphyxiation during a long journey. Fishes are apparently able to survive freezing temperatures for considerable lengths of time. It has been shown that they do not actually become frozen so long as they are not in contact with ice. The blood and body fluid remain supercool under these conditions. However, as soon as the fishes come in actual contact with crystals of ice, freezing occurs, and the fishes no longer survive.
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	Q&A 10.	I saved the flag, off the dorsal fin of a tarpon which I hooked off Big Pine Key, by putting it in alcohol. Can you recommend a method of drying and preserving it? Also, is there any truth in the statement that pearl-like beads are formed in the eye of the tarpon? Incidentally, although we were informed that tarpon is not edible, we were not convinced and dressed it out and five of us ate it. All of us felt that it is tasty, rich, and entirely satisfactory although it is somewhat difficult to dress out. Holland, Michigan
	The best way to preserve the flag from the dorsal fin is to leave it in alcohol, as you have done. If dried, it would be subject to attack by insects and might also curl up. It may be possible to have it cast in clear plastic. Pearl beads are not formed in the eye of tarpon but the hard lens which is clear in life becomes cloudy after death and may appear pearl-like. A substance called guanine is obtained from the silver coating on the scale. This material is often used to coat buttons to give them a pearl-like appearance. Tarpon are eaten in certain areas of the Caribbean and Central America. While they have good flavor, they are rather bony and require considerable preparation. As they are of great importance as a sport fish, their use for the table has been frowned upon, partly as a conservation measure.
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	Q&A 11.	Can you tell me how to cure starfish and shells? I have had much advice and have lost many good shells and I would really appreciate some expert advice. Marathon, Florida
	Starfish may best be preserved by soaking for about four or five days in 10% formalin. This is made by using nine parts of commercial formaldehyde and one part of water. After removing from the solution, dry them in partial shade until they are thoroughly dry. They will have a little odor, which will disappear entirely in a few days. Bivalve shells should be placed in fresh water for a few hours until the shells gape. Then the soft parts should be removed, and the shell washed with a detergent, rinsed, and dried. Some people prefer 10 tie them shut until the hinge has hardened. Gastropods or single shells may be cleansed in several ways. Place them in tap water, bring to a slow boil for about fifteen minutes, remove from the heat and let them cool before removing from the water to prevent fine cracking of the shell. The animal may then be pulled out with a twist. Wash the shells in a detergent, rinse, and dry. The operculum or lid attached to the soft part should be saved, glued to a piece of cotton, and mounted naturally in the mouth of the shell. Shells can also be cleaned by leaving near ant nests, but some good shells are always lost in this method. Some prefer to rot the animal out in a jar of water, but the smell is strong, and the opercula are usually lost. If the shell is covered with marine growth, it may be soaked in chlorox for a day or so. This will not damage any but delicate shells. Afterward scrub them well, rinse and dry. If there is coral growth in the shells, it may be removed by swabbing the material with muriatic acid and immediately rinsing under the tap with fresh water. Wonderful results can be achieved in this fashion by an experienced person, but you should experiment with old shells first because the acid will quickly eat off the outer layer of shell if care is not used. After the shells have been cleaned, they should be rubbed with baby oil to restore the color and protect the shell. Wipe off the excess oil, polish the shell with a soft cloth, and it is ready for display. A treatment with oil about once a year will greatly enhance your shells. Do not use varnish, shellac, furniture polish, or wax on the shells. Eventually any of these will ruin your specimens.
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	Q&A 12.	I am interested in preserving some marine forms. Could you suggest the proper solutions? Lake Worth, Florida
	Screw top jars containing a formalin solution should be at hand when collecting. Also, jars should be labeled immediately after collecting. A 10% formalin solution (10 parts formalin + 90 parts water) will take care of most forms. Although for more fragile forms a 5% solution (5 parts formalin + 95 parts water) should be used. Borax should also be added. If the animal is to be dried, first preserve in 70% alcohol (70 parts alcohol + 30 parts water) with some small amount of conosive sublimate (mercuric chloride) which will permeate the animal and prevent insects from touching him. Also, if the specimen has dried out and you wish to restore the original form, place it in a solution containing one gram of tri-sodium phosphate in one liter of water. If it had been preserved in alcohol, the original shape will be restored. After the original shape returns, transfer it to 70% alcohol. In the September 6th issue of Sea Secrets, a question concerning the best method of preserving marine specimens was answered, stating that formalin was usually satisfactory, and that alcohol was also frequently used. Dr. J. L. McHugh, Director of the Virginia Fisheries Laboratory at Cloucester Point, Virginia, has pointed out that under certain circumstances formalin is not the best preservation. Accordingly, the following amplification is made of the previous statement. Specimens with calcareous structures, such as shells of molluscs, fin rays of fishes, sponge spicules, etc., are dissolved by the acid contained in commercial formalin. Borax or some other weak alkaline compound should be used to combat this, or alcohol should be used. For permanent preservation fish are frequently put first in formalin and later transferred to 70% alcohol. For certain soft forms (e.g. jelly fish) 50% alcohol is used first and after 6 hours or more a transfer can be made to 70% alcohol. Formalin has the advantage over alcohol in that smaller volumes of liquid need be carried, an important advantage in the field. It is also cheaper. Specimens stored 2 to 3 years or more in formalin may begin to disintegrate and valuable specimens should be transferred to alcohol.
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	Q&A 13.	Is it true that acetic acid will dissolve coral growth, but will not damage objects to which the growth is attached? McKeesport, Pennsylvania
	We have had no experience in the use of acetic acid for cleaning off calcium carbonate deposits. The usual treatment for cleaning shells is the judicious use of muriatic (hydrochloric) acid applied with a swabber or cotton cue tip. The action of the acid is quickly stopped by rinsing the shell with fresh water. With experience and care the shell will not be harmed.
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	Q&A 14.	What is the method used in mounting small marine invertebrates on slides? Buffalo, New York
	Mounting small marine invertebrates on slides is often quite complicated. In almost every group a somewhat different technique in stains and mounting media may be necessary. There is an excellent book by Wagstaff and Fidler, The Preservation of Natural History Specimens, Philosophical Library, Inc., 15 East 40th St., New York, which should answer your invertebrate problems.
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	Q&A 15.	Could you suggest a way to preserve octopus? Marathon, Florida
	It is always a problem to preserve octopus without excessive contraction. If they are killed first in fresh water, or in the air, they may turn soft or flaccid and never preserve properly. They should be allowed to die and, just when muscular and nerve reaction cease, placed in about a ten percent formalin solution long enough to harden the muscles. A ten percent formalin solution is made by using one part of commercial formaldehyde to nine parts of water. After hardening, wash the octopus in fresh water and then permanently preserve in 70 percent ethyl alcohol. If alcohol is unobtainable, change to a fresh ten percent formalin solution for permanent preservation.
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	Q&A 16.	Is there any way sea fans can be preserved, especially as to color and pliability? Fort Lauderdale, Florida
	Immediately after bringing them ashore, sea fans should be washed for a few minutes in fresh water to remove the salt. They then should be dried in the shade. Despite everything one can do, the natural color will fade out and there is no way to keep them pliable. Brightly colored sea fans offered at souvenir stands have been dyed.
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	Q&A 17.	How may the living animal be removed and the starfish exterior preserved? Coral Gables, Florida
	The starfish is best preserved intact, with no effort made to take it apart. Simply soak the starfish in formaldehyde for a few days and then let it dry in the sun.
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	Q&A 18.	I have some metallic objects that are coral encrusted and would like very much to know what solutions of acid would be best to dissolve the coral without hurting the metal. St. Petersburg, Florida
	The restoration of sunken treasures is a study in itself and each article should be studied individually for the best means of restoration. However, these general hints may be helpful to you. First, if the object is badly encrusted, it would be well to chip away carefully as much coral as possible. Next, depending upon the metal, it is possible to dissolve the remaining coral. If the object is made of iron, do not use hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), as it will dissolve the iron. Use nitric acid instead, as this will dissolve away the calcium carbonate, leaving the oxidized iron behind. Hydrochloric acid may be used for the removal of encrustations from objects of gold, silver and bronze. All acid treatments should be followed by washing with water to stop the action. After the coral has been removed, many times it is found that the object has deteriorated through the action of the sea water, and the problem now is to restore the original metal. This deterioration is the result of chemical action and usually results in the oxidation of the metal. Therefore, to restore the object, a reduction must take place. A successful method for this has been electrolytic reduction. In this process, the metal is made the cathode in a bath consisting of dilute sodium hydroxide (lye). Using either platinum or nickel for the anode, a small current is passed through the solution. Slowly the metallic oxides are reduced back to metal, and any dirt or organic matter adhering to the object, falls to the bottom. Ceramics and “noble” metals do not require this treatment. After restoration, the art object should then be preserved. Those made of iron can be given a bath in dilute phosphoric acid to “bonderize” the surface. All metallic objects should be coated with waxes or clear acrylics. Further protection can be provided by glass cases containing drying agent and/or inert gasses. This precaution is especially required in humid climates.
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	Q&A 19.	We ship tropical fish in large plastic bags and occasionally experience difficulty in cold weather. In a Tampa-to-Newark shipment left at New York's Idlewild Airport early last spring just one bag survived, although the air temperature was only 60° F. on arrival. Live oxygen is pumped into the bags at the shipping point and we believe the oxygen sometimes deteriorates at a low temperature. Strangely enough, the next day we immediately opened a large shipment in perfect condition at Newark, yet the temperature again was 60°! Rutherford, New Jersey
	Oxygen, whether pure or mixed (as in air), does not “deteriorate” - for example, it can be frozen without change. However, when pure oxygen is used in shipping tropical fish there is a tendency for the shipper to overcrowd the boxes. This has no harmful effects as such, but when the fish use up the oxygen or create a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide rapid death of all fish in the box results. This was undoubtedly the trouble in your first shipment. The second shipment was all right because you opened the bags immediately and let in a fresh supply of air. Even if the fish are not crowded it is best to open the bags up on receipt. To protect the fish - especially black angelfish - against harmful temperature changes, a small amount of sulfathiozole sodium solution can be added to the water. This solution can be purchased in powder form from a drug store and dissolved in water. As it is nontoxic, concentration does not matter.
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	Q&A 20.	We procure dogfishes and starfishes for school trade, injecting and preserving them in drums for future sales. We have a problem of storage space. Is there any suggestion for keeping the 10% formaldehyde from freezing, as they must be stored outdoors? Point Pleasant, New Jersey
	It is the 90% water that causes the trouble. You might consider a mixture of 10% formaldehyde, 70 or 80% water and 10 or 20% isopropanol. Formaldehyde isomerizes in part to paraldehyde below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and weakens the solution no matter what you do. It is known that fishes may be stored in 40% isopropanol, without formaldehyde, but the alcohol is not good for fixing specimens. Why not try fixing specimens in formalin and then store in isopropanol.
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	Q&A 21.	In Anthony Phair's “In Search of Inca Gold” he describes the huge stones that were fitted together at Cuzco and other places. His information is that the natives then knew of a substance that would soften rock so it could be easily cut. Do you have any information on this? Miami, Florida
	The Inca method for softening rock is apparently still a mystery, since we are unable to obtain further details. But the ability of quite a number of marine animals to make holes in rocks is well known and has been attributed to an acid secretion in some cases. In other ways it may be a physicochemical phenomenon akin to electrolysis, due to formation of a concentration cell, in which the liquid film between the animal and the rock has a different gaseous tension to the water outside.
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	Q&A 22.	Can you please tell me the best way to preserve the freshwater sponge, Spongilla fragilis? Morton Grove, Illinois
	The purpose to which such specimens are to be put is usually important in deciding what preservatives to use. However, the best technique for general purposes is to immerse them in 70% ethyl alcohol. It is necessary to change them into a new solution of 70% ethyl alcohol after about one day, as sponges contain a quantity of water, which dilutes the alcohol. Care should be taken to keep preserved specimens in tightly closed jars, or the fluid may evaporate, spoiling the specimens.
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	Q&A 23.	I found a large shark jaw on the beach, with a small amount of flesh still adhering to it. What is the best way to remove the flesh and preserve the jaw? Riviera Beach, Florida
	If the jaw is still moist, use a stick to open it to the point at which you want it to remain. Then with a knife or other scraping device, remove the remaining flesh. The jaw should be sun-dried, and if you wish to bleach it, use hydrogen peroxide or Clorox. If the teeth are loose, remove them and place a strong glue in the bottom of each socket. Then replace the teeth and they will look natural.
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	Q&A 24.	My biology group is planning to collect marine samples for an aquarium. Can you give us information that might be helpful in collecting, preserving, and transporting live specimens? Bowling Green, Ohio
	Although many specimens of marine life can be collected along the shore with a dipnet, a more comprehensive collection can be obtained from shore waters by diving. A short-handled, fiberglass-screen hand net and gloves to protect against stinging organisms would be useful in this. Other methods such as seining or poisoning could be used with even greater effect, but usually require a permit from the state involved. Fishes should be preserved immediately in 10 percent fresh-water formalin (not sea-water formalin). After a week in this solution, the specimens can be soaked in water to remove the formalin and then placed in 40 percent isopropanol (or 70 percent ethanol). Invertebrates should be killed or deeply anaesthetized by placing them in fresh water for at least several hours; otherwise, crabs may throw off their legs and brittlestars break up. Invertebrates and algae can be put directly into 70 percent ethanol after collection. The preserved specimens can be transported in five-gallon or smaller glass jars. Place in each jar, on good rag paper with India ink (or pencil), a label noting the collection location, date collected and collector(s). Live specimens can be collected by hand or caught in the hand net if they are mobile. They must, be transported in plastic containers, since metal containers will poison the water. The large plastic bags used in shipping tropical fish can be obtained at a pet shop. Pour only enough water in the plastic bag to cover the specimens and tie the bag closed, leaving a large air space inside. Sea water can also be transported in the bags; however, no specimens should be put in this water until it is placed in the aquarium.
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	Q&A 25.	Would you tell me the best way to cure and mount a lobster? Woburn, Massachusetts
	Lobsters and other large crustaceans intended for mounting should be fixed for several days in ten percent formalin solution and then dried. The legs should be arranged in approximately the desired positions prior to soaking in the formalin solution, as the joints become stiffened and difficult to manipulate. Minor adjustments can be made when the specimen is set up to dry. While drying, the appendages should be held in place by pins, tacks and whatever supports seem necessary. After the specimen is thoroughly dry, it should be coated with transparent liquid plastic and allowed to cure until completely hardened. Color is preserved moderately well after formalin fixation and drying, but will fade quickly in strong light. Artists' transparent colors can be used to restore natural appearance to mounted specimens; but this, of course, requires considerable skill to apply correctly.
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	Q&A 26.	What is the best way to get the flesh off the bones of a fish, in order to preserve the entire skeleton? We tried boiling one, but the whole thing fell apart. We placed a dead fish in the sun to decompose, but the combination of odor and cats got the best of us. Clearwater, Florida
	There are several methods of preparing ash skeletons. The best way to obtain a complete skeleton involves the use of dermestid beetles. The fish should be placed in a shallow container and covered by a box to keep cats and birds from getting at it. Place the container on a roof or other elevated place so that rats can't attack it. The adult beetles will have no trouble finding it and cleaning the meat from the bones. Another method is to place the fish inside a container made of fine-mesh screening and suspend it in a stream or pond. Small organisms in the water will eat the flesh. Regardless of the method used, it is essential to examine the specimen from time to time to make sure it is removed before the skeleton becomes completely disarticulated. After removal from the container, the skeleton should be mounted on a board. Clear airplane cement can be used to strengthen any joints where the connective tissue may have been eaten away.
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	Q&A 27.	As a diver, I often bring up various types of sea animals, but some of them spoil because I am unable to preserve them properly. What is the best preservative? Charleston, South Carolina
	Formaldehyde is one of the best general preservatives for marine animals, unless they have calcareous plates, in which case the formaldehyde may eat away the calcareous structures. Ten percent formalin is the best general preservative. It is made by using 9 parts of water to 1 part of commercial formaldehyde, which can be purchased in any drugstore. Do not mix on the basis of the percentages given on the bottle since this is a saturated solution and therefore is 100 percent formalin. For small, soft-bodied animals a 5 percent solution is often satisfactory (19 parts water to 1 part formaldehyde). The acidic action of this solution can be buffered by the addition of a small amount of borax to the mixture (about half a teaspoonful per quart).
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	Q&A 28.	I am currently involved in procuring display fish for a number of American institutions. I have experimented with electrical fish capture, but would like some specialized information on this technique. I understand that the Institute of Marine Science at Miami has done some work of this nature on shrimp. Having run into many problems with this method so far, I would appreciate learning about any success you have had. Grenada, West Indies
	The technique to which you refer has not been found practical for the capture of display fish on a small scale. Sea water is an excellent conductor of electricity, so much so that power requirements needed to stun and hold fish are very large. Experiments are in progress in this country by private industry and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries to develop electrical fishing methods, but such methods have usually been related to shrimp trawling; the electric charge is used to force the shrimps from the bottom so that the net can scoop them up. The Russians are using electrodes to channel fish towards a flexible pipe, through which they are sucked into the hold of the fishing vessel. You can write to Mr. Harvey R. Bullis, Base Director, Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Exploratory Fishing and Gear Research Base Headquarters, Pascagoula, Mississippi, for specific information on electrified trawling. The collecting of live specimens at this laboratory has not involved the use of electricity.
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	Q&A 29.	Our diving group is planning to attempt to recover an old anchor which we discovered in the Gulf of California. The center shaft is approximately 10 feet long and is of wood, while the end is of metal and apparently iron. Can you tell us how the wood and metal components can best be preserved? Tuscon, Arizona
	After recovery, the anchor should be thoroughly rinsed, dried, and sprayed with a clear acrylic lacquer. If there is evidence of living fungus (dry rot) or borers, the wood should be soaked with "Wood Life" or other solution containing pentachlorophenol before lacquering.
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	Q&A 30.	I am a rock and fossil collector, and recently found marine fossils in a gravel pit about 5 miles west of LaBelle, Florida, on Route 80. Can you tell me how long ago this area was covered by Gulf waters, and how old these marine fossils are? Round Lake Heights, Illinois
	It is difficult to provide definite information about your fossils without seeing them. It can be said, however, that your fossils probably came from the Tamiami Formation, which is generally considered Miocene in age (about 10,000,000 years old). The area was last covered by the sea during the Pleistocene (Ice Age), 100,000 to 200,000 years ago.
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	Q&A 31.	What is the best way to ship marine tropical fish? Belize, British Honduras
	Marine and freshwater tropicals are best shipped by placing them in a plastic bag with clean water and sufficient air space. The bag is tied off by gathering the top together, twisting it and folding the end and wrapping it firmly with rubber bands. Just before closing the top, some shippers fill the bag with compressed air or, better still, pure oxygen. The plastic bag is placed in an insulated cardboard container and taken directly to the airplane for shipment to its destination. The recipient should arrange to meet the package at the airport. Failures of such shipments usually result from overcrowding of fishes or letting the package stand too long at the terminal.
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	Q&A 32.	Will you please advise as to whether there is a chemical solution available to treat coral in order to preserve the fresh natural color, especially the shades of pink and red? Virginia Beach, Virginia
	There is no known preservative that will retain the natural colors of fresh tissue. This is as true of corals as it is of any other animal. Some chemicals will delay the fading of various colors, but none will do so permanently. The only corals with red or pink colors in life are deep-water species and certain non-reef-forming kinds that live in caverns and under ledges in the Caribbean and tropical Pacific. The colors of the red and pink precious corals, of the blue coral, and of the red, orange, or purple hydrocorals are incorporated in the skeleton and will not fade.
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	Q&A 33.	Our museum is in the process of preparing an undersea diorama. Part of this diorama will show a coral reef. To complete this area of our exhibit, we shall need to collect relatively large coral specimens. Could you tell us where to collect such coral? Milwaukee, Wisconsin
	There is good reef development at many areas in the Florida Keys, but most of the reef tract between lower Biscayne Bay and Key Largo is now under state and national park protection and collecting of the kind you intend is now forbidden. The lower keys offer some possibilities; you might want to correspond with a commercial collector there, Mr. Stanley Becker, P.O. Box 62, Big Pine Key, Florida. The Florida State Board of Conservation controls the collection of aquatic organisms, and you should consult with them before planning your expedition.
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	Q&A 34.	I understand that there is a chemical called MS-222, which is a soporific for fish. Can you tell me the formula for it? Far Hills, New Jersey
	MS-222 is a trade name for tricaine. Another name for the chemical is metacaine. The chemical name is ethyl m-aminobenzoate methanesulfonate. It is used primarily as an anesthetic for fish and, as such, is used in 1:2000 dilution. MS-222 can be obtained from a chemical or medical supply house. You should be able to obtain MS-222 from Eastman Organic Chemicals at Rochester, New York 14650. When ordering it, request #9671 - ethyl m-aminobenzoate methanesulfonate. The cost is $7.20 for 5 grams; $24.20 for 25 grams. MS-222 is used in 1:2000 dilution, but this sometimes varies according to what species of fish is being put under the anesthetic.
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	Q&A 35.	How can I dry tropical fish so that the skin does not shrink? St. Petersburg, Florida
	Tropical fishes can be made into display pieces by placing the specimens in a solution of pure glycerine to dehydrate the tissues. The fishes have to be left in the glycerine for several weeks or longer depending upon their size. Some shrinkage of the tissue may occur, but this is usually not significant. Please keep in mind that care should be used when handling glycerine.
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	Q&A 36.	What precautions should be taken for bringing tropical fishes caught at depths of 40 to 140 feet up to the surface? Also, is a diet of brine shrimp the best one for tropicals? Deerfield Beach, Florida
	Most tropical fishes can probably survive a small degree of overinflation of their gas bladders when brought to the surface and eventually reabsorb the excess gas. Tolerance varies with the size of the fishes and the species. Some aquarists place their fishes in containers to which a line is attached and bring them to the surface slowly. Others use a fine needle to puncture the swim bladder to let out the oxygen and avoid physical damage and death that usually result from greatly expanded or ruptured swim bladder. The fishes usually recover rapidly from this puncture. Changes in temperature and water quality can be just as dangerous as sudden changes in pressure, and care should be taken to avoid these also. Many tropicals have been kept alive and in good condition for long periods of time on frozen brine shrimp; however, a more nutritious diet would be one in which the fishes also received live plankton occasionally.
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	Q&A 37.	I have been using denatured ethyl alcohol (95 percent) for preserving marine fishes, but notice that some of them acquire a whitish film, which detracts from their appearance. Is there a better method for preserving fishes? Wernersville, Pennsylvania
	At the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, the standard method of preserving fishes involves the use of a 10 percent solution of buffered formaldehyde. The specimens are left in this solution for several weeks, and then washed in water for several days and transferred to a solution of 45 percent isopropanol. If ethanol is used, the concentration should be 70 percent. Care should be used when handling formaldehyde, since it is a cumulative poison that can lead to severe dermatitis.
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	Q&A 38.	Can you suggest a good book covering taxidermy as applied to fish? Marathon, Florida
	A book on taxidermy that covers a wide range of animals, from birds and fishes to bobcats and deer, is Taxidermy by Leon Pray (Macmillan Company, N.Y., $3.95). The Netcraft Company, 3101 Sylvania Avenue, Toledo, Ohio 43613, sells a mounting kit that may also be useful to you. For fishes up to 5 pounds, the kit costs $4.95; for fishes up to 10 pounds, the cost is $6.95.
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	Q&A 39.	I plan to collect seawater samples in Florida and take them home where I can run tests for dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrates, phosphates, salinity, etc. If I freeze the water in dry ice immediately after collecting it, will that change the parameters that I want to measure later on? Hartsville, South Carolina
	Freezing and subsequently defrosting the seawater samples will probably not affect the salinity nor the dissolved nitrate and phosphate contents, and will prevent further biological activity by microorganisms. It will, however, change the dissolved oxygen and carbon-dioxide contents. An oxygen sample can be fixed by carefully drawing it into a glass-stoppered bottle immediately upon collection of the seawater and adding manganous sulfate and potassium- hydroxide/potassium-iodide solutions; however, the Winkler test for dissolved oxygen must be run within several hours. Measurements for pH should be made immediately and, actually, for an accurate analysis of seawater, it is recommended that all the tests be carried out as soon as the samples are collected. Testing procedures are described in Apparatus and Methods of Oceanography-Chemical by H. Barnes (Interscience, New York, 1959); Marine Chemistry, Volume 1: Analytical Methods by D. F. Martin (Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1968); and A Practical Handbook of Seawater Analysis by J. D. Strickland and T. R. Parsons (Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Bulletin 167, Ottawa, 1968).
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	Q&A 40.	We have found some delicate and attractive white coral off the east coast of Honduras. Unfortunately, after keeping it a few months, it began to crack and turn black. What is the procedure for preserving coral? Tucson, Arizona
	To clean true corals all animal tissue must be removed first. This can be done by placing the specimen in freshwater for two to three days to kill the polyps, and then hosing the coral with a stiff water jet until the animal tissue is washed free. For an attractive white appearance, the coral should be soaked for a day or two in a solution of liquid bleach, that is, 1 cup (0.24 liter) of bleach to 2 gallons (7.5 liters) of water. The fact that your specimens cracked indicates that you possibly collected delicate, coral-like bryozoan colonies or even naturally bleached specimens of a coralline alga. If, however, the white portions sloughed off leaving an inner core of black, you undoubtedly collected stinging coral, Millepora, growing over the long-dead axes of gorgonians. Clear acrylic sprays are sometimes used to prevent delicate Millepora encrustations from cracking.
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	Q&A 41.	I am making a collection of marine grasses found in the Indian River on the east coast of Florida. What are the best methods to use in preserving these samples? Melbourne, Florida
	The best way to preserve macroscopic seaweeds is to mount them on herbarium sheets. Place the correct-sized herbarium sheet (or other paper with a high rag content) flat in the bottom of a shallow tray filled with seawater, and arrange the seaweed as desired on the sheet. Then, lift the sheet slowly by one edge so that water will drain and the seaweed will adhere to it. The mounted seaweed can be dried by covering it with waxed paper and surrounding it (top and bottom) with newspaper. The entire package should be put in a plant press or a stack of books to be kept flat and under gentle pressure for two to eight days. Changing the newspapers will facilitate drying. Another method of preservation is to store the seaweed in 10 percent formalin. First, pack the seaweed loosely in a jar nine-tenths full of seawater. Then fill the remainder of the jar with standard full-strength formalin (contains 40 percent formaldehyde gas in solution). Dark jars or tins are preferable to clear jars because sunlight plus the formalin solution will bleach the seaweed. Further details on these and other methods are given in Marine Botany by E. Yale Dawson (Holt. Rinehart and Winston, New York, 1966). Care should be used when working with formalin, since it is a cumulative poison that can lead to severe dermatitis.
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	Q&A 42.	I intend to study intracellular digestion in sea anemones. Could you possibly give me any information for making slides for microscopic studies? Brooklyn, New York
	A good basic reference that will assist you in the preparation of slides for your project on sea anemones is Animal Tissue Techniques by Gretchen L. Humason (W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, 1972, third edition). This text includes descriptions of staining techniques, including the basic hematoxylin-eosin stain.
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	Q&A 43.	Is there any way to preserve a sea anemone with its tentacles expanded? Seattle, Washington
	In order to relax live marine invertebrates before preserving them, a 3.5-percent solution of magnesium chloride or magnesium sulfate may be administered in small amounts, until the animal no longer responds to stimuli that would ordinarily cause it to contract. The cheapest solution uses Epsom salts instead of the more expensive, pure magnesium salts. A 3.5- percent solution has the same salinity as seawater (35 parts per thousand), and its addition to the water surrounding the animal causes no osmotic problems. The amount of solution required to relax an anemone depends on the species and size just as it does among other groups of invertebrates. Some animals will relax in a few minutes after the addition of a small amount of solution, while others may take hours. If the addition of the solution causes the anemone to contract, no more should be added until it expands again (sometimes a period of hours). Considerable experimentation may be required before desirable results are attained. Sometimes other chemicals, such as propylene phenoxetol or chloral hydrate (available only by prescription), are used for relaxing invertebrates, but the first is the most commonly used and safest method.
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	Q&A 44.	I have heard that fishes brought to the surface from great depths explode. What causes this to happen? Daytona Beach, Florida
	A combination of pressure and temperature changes kills fishes brought to the surface from great depths. In many deep-water fishes, the reduced pressure at the surface causes gas in the swim bladder to expand so much that it protrudes from the mouth, but it rarely, if ever, ruptures. Some deep-water fishes with swim bladders undertake daily vertical migrations of hundreds of feet and can tolerate considerable changes in both temperature and pressure. These fishes do not live much below 1,000 meters and are often collected alive. When collected in tropical or temperate seas, deep-water fishes without swim bladders usually die because of the great temperature difference between the surface and the sea bottom. In polar waters, these fishes may be brought to the surface alive. Some live much nearer the surface than those in warmer climates, since the bottom and surface temperatures may be about the same.
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	Q&A 45.	I have never heard of cases in which formalin actually accumulates in the body. Were you correct in stating in Sea Secrets, Vol. 19, No. 3 that formalin is a cumulative poison? Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii
	In the usual sense of the word, we were indeed incorrect in stating that formalin is a "cumulative" poison. In the article, however, the original intent was to imply that, in some cases, the sensitivity to formalin can be cumulative; that is, the more frequent the exposure, the more severe the reaction. In other words, it is just a matter of progressively increasing allergic sensitivity. This is not to be misconstrued, however, that only certain allergic individuals react to formalin, for it is a primary irritant to all persons.
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	Q&A 46.	A friend of mine has a jawbone of a walrus skull that was dredged up by a clam dragger off the New Jersey coast. It is starting to flake. Is there some material that can be applied to stop this? Point Pleasant, New Jersey
	Dr. Daniel Odell, marine mammalogist at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science (University of Miami), uses the following procedure. First, remove the larger flakes. Then, to prevent further flaking, thoroughly soak the bone with catalyzed clear casting resin, which is available in hardware, art-supply, or marine-supply stores.
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	Q&A 47.	Where can I obtain further details about the decompression chamber for fishes that was mentioned in Sea Frontiers, Vol. 22, No. 4? New York City, New York
	Technical information concerning construction of the decompression chamber for fishes is available from Mr. Edwin Baughman, 46-454 Haiku Plantations Drive, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744. The decom tank costs about $800 to build and requires a large boat with a winch to handle its 250-pound full weight (100 pounds empty).
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	Q&A 48.	I am interested in using a slurp gun to collect fishes for my aquarium. Can you tell me how to operate such a device? Wallridge, Ohio
	The slurp gun, which capitalizes on fishes’ tendencies to swim into currents, can be a very effective collecting device once the use of it is mastered. First, the user should approach a fish with the slurp gun full of water and slowly push the plunger in order to supply a current into which the fish can swim. Then, a sharp pull on the plunger should catch any but the quickest of fishes. In The Complete Book of Saltwater Aquariums (Funk and Wagnalls, New York, 1974), Robert A. Stevenson recommends that the diameter of the barrel of the slurp gun be no more than about 3 inches due to the difficulty of drawing a large volume of water through it. In The Marine Collector's Guide, the late Robert P.L. Straughan suggested using hand-operated slurp guns in preference to mechanically operated types, because the former tend to be more dependable.
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	Q&A 49.	We have several large shells intact in our freezer. We have been told that the best way to remove the whole animal is to thaw the shell and then strike it on the grass, thereby dislodging the animal. Is this correct? Menards, New York
	Freezing and thawing is the technique used by most collectors to remove the fleshy animal from its shell without harming the latter. In most cases, after the thawing has loosened the flesh, it can be carefully worked out with tweezers and a strong jet of water. Striking the shell to dislodge the animal may crack or otherwise damage more fragile shells. For some very delicate ones, and especially those with a high gloss surface glaze (such as cowries), even rapid freezing and thawing may be damaging. For these, gradual changes in temperature are best. This caution should also be considered by members who place shells in a microwave oven in order to facilitate removing the animal.
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	Q&A 50.	I would like to ship a lobster specimen. Could you please provide instructions?
	The following procedure should be followed for the shipment of the lobster specimen to us. The lobster should be killed by immersing it in alcohol, either 70% ethanol or 40% isopropyl alcohol. Do not use formalin. Soak the specimen for one week to ensure complete penetration of the preservative. After soaking, remove the specimen from the alcohol and wrap it in a cheesecloth or rag fiber cloth which itself has been thoroughly soaked in the alcohol. Next, place the cloth with specimen inside a sealable plastic bag, preferably a heat-sealed bag or a “Ziploc” bag, and seal the bag tightly. The bag should be packed tightly in a sturdy cardboard box, using either paper or styrofoam pieces as packing. Avoid using glass in the shipment of any preserved specimen. The box should be labeled "Use No Hooks" so that it will not be punctured. It must be shipped by Surface Mail (by ship) due to the alcohol content (this would apply to formalin as well). If you write clearly on the box "SCIENTIFIC SPECIMEN ENCLOSED--OF NO COMMERCIAL VALUE," you should have no trouble with the U.S. Customs Service. Please do not forget to include some good color photographs of the growth on the lobster along with a preserved specimen.
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	Q&A 51.	I have been collecting and preserving fishes for several years, keeping them in alcohol, but have always been disappointed because their colors faded so quickly. Is there any way to preserve the colors of such specimens? Jenkentown, Pennsylvania
	While there is no way, except by photography, to faithfully preserve the full colors of fishes, the addition of small quantities of Ionol to alcohol helps retain some colors for longer periods than would be possible with alcohol alone. Eventually, however, the colors will still fade. Ionol is available from most biological and chemical scientific supply houses.
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	Q&A 52.	Can you recommend a method of preserving whole horseshoe crabs, decapod crabs, and lobsters? Cedar Falls, Iowa
	Horseshoe crabs can be preserved by injecting a 100-percent formalin solution into the legs and body parts, and then thoroughly drying the specimen in a shady, well-ventilated spot. The collector must be careful to work slowly and inject formalin into all tissues and soft areas. Total immersion of the animal in a formalin bath ensures that the preservative reaches all tissues; this method, however, will bleach out the external coloration of the specimen and is, therefore, not recommended by commercial collectors. The true crabs and lobsters can also be preserved by the injection method. Problems may be encountered, however, since these animals contain sizable amounts of internal tissue which the preservative may not reach. It is suggested that, if possible, the collector obtain a molt (the cast-off exoskeleton), which represents an exact duplicate of the living animal without any of the inner tissues. The molt should be cleaned of any adhering flesh, arranged in the final desired position, and allowed to dry thoroughly in the shade. It can then be coated with a fine shellac or clear acrylic spray. This final step can also be applied when the collector has chosen to preserve the whole animal. Care should be used when handling formaldehyde, as it is a primary irritant and may lead to severe dermatitis.
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	Q&A 53.	What is the effect of fish collecting chemicals on the fishes and the environment? Allendale, Michigan
	Two chemicals are commonly used to collect fishes. Rotenone (Chem-fish) kills all fishes. Quinaldine can kill if used improperly but, in the hands of an experienced collector, the fish collected appear to be largely unharmed. There are, however, collectors who suspect that some fishes suffer delayed effects from quinaldine. These drugs are both respiratory inhibitors, and quinaldine is carcinogenic; thus they should be used only with great care and by experts. Quinaldine will affect animals other than fishes. Few invertebrates are insensitive to it; most motile species will flee. If trapped in it, they can also be killed by it. The use of such drugs is regulated in most states, and it would be wise to check with local officials before using them. This is especially important, for used improperly, either could do irrevocable damage to the environment.
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	Q&A 54.	What is the best way to preserve starfish? Also, is there any way to retain their beautiful colors? Miami, Florida
	Starfish should be preserved in either 70% ethyl alcohol or in a 10% formalin solution (one part full-strength formalin to nine parts freshwater). The colors will be preserved better in the alcohol; however, no technique can perfectly preserve the brilliant colors of many starfish. In either case, after 24 hours, the specimen should be dried in the shade with its arms pinned out to prevent distortion during drying. Large starfish can be preserved by pouring full-strength fo