Getting dead fish out of artificial driftwood

[jjohnwm]

Boiling it will likely destroy the ornament. The anthill idea will work, but...you need to have an anthill handy, and a lot of patience.

I think your best bet will be to try a technique that many taxidermists use to clean out all soft tissue from animal skulls, to create bleached trophies that are referred to as "Euro" mounts. Essentially, it involves submerging the object in a bucket of water and then keeping the water warm and allowing the meat to rot away. Changing the water periodically helps, but make no mistake: this is going to stink. If you live in a rural area, or have a large yard, you can make it work. Apartment dwellers need not apply. A few weeks should be sufficient to break down the soft tissue enough for a hose to rinse it out. It's possible that the skeleton may become a permanent addition to the ornament; a piece of "hidden" decor.

 

[DwarfCichlidLvr]

I once rearranged my tank and pulled out a huge bunch of java fern and put it in a bag.
About a week later I replanted it in the tank anda very annoyed looking upside down catfish swam out of it. Never new he was in there and don't know how he survived out of water for that long ,he still lasted a few more years after that adventure!

THAT IS AMAZING!!!

 

[Ruturaj]

I did not expect you to have a pressure washer to be honest

lol, I don't, I have to find a car wash.

 

[DwarfCichlidLvr]

lol, I don't, I have to find a car wash.

We have one you can borrow. Oh wait. Your in Seattle. lol

 

[Ruturaj]

Boiling it will likely destroy the ornament. The anthill idea will work, but...you need to have an anthill handy, and a lot of patience.

I think your best bet will be to try a technique that many taxidermists use to clean out all soft tissue from animal skulls, to create bleached trophies that are referred to as "Euro" mounts. Essentially, it involves submerging the object in a bucket of water and then keeping the water warm and allowing the meat to rot away. Changing the water periodically helps, but make no mistake: this is going to stink. If you live in a rural area, or have a large yard, you can make it work. Apartment dwellers need not apply. A few weeks should be sufficient to break down the soft tissue enough for a hose to rinse it out. It's possible that the skeleton may become a permanent addition to the ornament; a piece of "hidden" decor.

Nice idea but I live in a small apartment. I would get kicked out. Lol.

I will try pressure water with a hose.

 

[Ruturaj]

Thank you guys. Update, I tried dog wash today, used the hose and some washing liquid, shook the driftwood to see if I can get pleco out, I saw a glimpse and used Tweezer to get him out. Put the wood in bathtub to soak/wash off residual liquid and dead parts.

 

[DwarfCichlidLvr]

?

 

[jeaninel]

I finally got mine out too. Used the garden hose to blast him loose. He came out in one piece. Needless to say, that ornament is not going back into the tank as the Raphael's liked it way too much lol. They have another ornament to hide under but cannot go inside of. That way I get to see them more often.

 

[Ruturaj]

I finally got mine out too. Used the garden hose to blast him loose. He came out in one piece. Needless to say, that ornament is not going back into the tank as the Raphael's liked it way too much lol. They have another ornament to hide under but cannot go inside of. That way I get to see them more often.
View attachment 1416056View attachment 1416057

Glad to see it worked out for you too.