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MIStory time...
I had someone reach out to me saying they had ordered a couple eel wet specimen on etsy and they "didn't look right" when they came in.
They had ordered the specimens from overseas, so couldnt return them and wanted to know if I could fix them up for them.
I asked for pictures, and they looked like they were in liquid that was getting murky.
I offered no promises but said I would see what I could do.
It took a few weeks before they were able to ship them to me, and by the time they got here, it was clear what the problem was.
These poor eels were, by that point, in the advanced staged of decomposition. They not only had not been properly preserved, but their bottles had been permanently sealed. The only way to gain access was to break the bottle.
By this point, there was nothing that could be done, the specimens were way too far gone.
This is why I make so many reels on how to be an educated wet specimen buyer and the warning signs to watch out for.
Limp, floppy specimen? Not properly preserved.
Murky, dark, or red liquid? Not properly preserved.
Specimen floating? *probably* not properly preserved.
@mixed_mamas_creations
