Short-Finned Eel (Anguilla Australis) | Wet Specimen | 120mm Glass Dome

Short finned eel (Anguilla australis) in a large 120mm glass dome with a black base.

Important information-

The short finned eel is native to Australia and each state will have differing laws in regards to fishing, catching and a bag limited.

In tasmania to fish in 99% of rivers and lakes you need a permit. The fisherman of this eel had one and police do regularly patrol these areas, in fact the person who obtained this was a friend and marine policeman on his day off.

Short-Finned eels must be 30cm to be able to keep otherwise they do need to be put back.

There is no permit needed to purchase and own this specimen.

This eel in particular is large but please note the scarring on its head. The eel was caught with noticeable propeller injuries after it was spotted swimming close to the surface unusually. The eel was euthanized and due to the euthanasia method used which was a quick hit to the head there is another tear to the skin.

Due to these fishermen not actually wanting to catch and eat eel, they didn't want to waste it, they offered it to me and thought it would look cool in a dome.

Due to how large and heavy this dome is, postage cost reflects the cubic weight needed to securely and safely ship.

Fixation:

Fixation is achieved using a 10% clear formalin; formalin creates a chemical crosslink between proteins within the tissue structure. This is called fixing, and it prevents decomposition from occurring if done correctly by injection of the internals and soaking for a prolonged period of time to allow each specimen to fully preserve.

Solution:

The specimen is then taken from the formalin and soaked in distilled water for approximately 24 hours. This removes the formalin that has fixed the tissue and leaves the tissue fixed as the formalin is no longer needed. The wet specimen is then transferred into a dome and suspended in a solution of ethanol, pure glycerine, and an antifungal agent known as thymol. Your specimen should last you a lifetime with the proper care. If cared for properly, this specimen will not need a solution change. There are certain environmental factors in your home or surrounding that may occur that may result in needing a solution change and this is okay and sometimes unavoidable. If this does occur dome solution can be replaced with 70-75% rubbing alcohol of choice with no glycerine or 1/4 a cup of pure vegetable glycerine to 3/4 a cup of 99% ethanol. Mix well to homogenize and the solution is clear.

Always wear gloves and a respirator when working with any chemicals to avoid irritation.