[Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish

[Callomon,Paul]

Dear Joseph,

My experience in such preparations is limited, but I think your main choice is between a form of preservation that maintains flexibility in the specimen, such as oiling, and full drying followed by painting. The latter probably works best if drying is preceded by immersion in some kind of surface stabilizer, such as an aqueous solution of PVA, which will “plasticize” the surface and create a better substrate for paint. I’m sure other folks here know of more suitable stabilizers. There is relatively little “meat” in most crustaceans, so depending on the size of the specimen and your drying technique you may not have to remove it first.
Retaining flexibility by immersing the specimen in e. g. mineral oil (or painting/spraying it on) will preserve more natural shapes, particularly with things like antenna and tail fans, but you won’t then get the predictable, stable color of paint. On the other hand, many crustaceans are iridescent, so an oiled specimen with proper lighting (such as an LED array that constantly changes hue and/or position, with a UV filter) might be more attractive to look at than an obviously painted one.
One thing to think about with paint is gloss. Although it seems logical to use gloss paint, animals in water are not shiny (though they may be iridescent), so to give a “natural” impression it might be best to use matte paint. Folks who do this a lot use airbrushes and can get very realistic results.

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170


From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 7:14 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish


External.
"Hi everyone,

I'm seeking advice on preparing crayfish (like Astacus astacus) for a museum display. My goal is to produce dried, painted exhibits.

Do you follow a process similar to pinning insects, or does the meat need to be removed beforehand? I'd appreciate any tips on the best techniques for achieving a beautiful final specimen."

Sincerely,
Joosep Sarapuu
Estonian Museum of Natural History
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