A good start is to fix the fish with Davidson's fixative that contains
acetic acid.  Many fish technology people over here use this routinely.
Formic acid can be used to finish the job, you can make up in house formic
acid at 10% concentration which should decalcify more rapidly than buffered
formic acid (~4.5%).  You could surface decalcify but it goes through
knives like crazy and tears up soft tissues.     

If you do the whole fish, extend processing to allow for good dehydration,
clearing and infiltration. Filleting the fish might tear up inner fine
bones too much. I would assume the fish would decalcify overnight, rinse
for an hour or so and process.  We prefer to endpoint test and these days
use a weight loss/weight gain method, simple and easy to do and gets rid of
assumption.    

At 01:11 PM 6/2/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>
>   Calling all histotechs....HELP!
>
>   I  am  trying  to decal a small fish.  The size of this fish is 2.5 to
>   3.0cm.   Can  anyone  tell  me  how long to decal the fish and could I
>   surface decal while cutting?
>
>   The  idea  is to get a full represention of the bones. Would filleting
>   the fish firt be better?
>
>   Thanks for the help.
>
>   Carolyn [emsmile.gif] [emrose.gif] Leger
>
>   Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA
>
>     _________________________________________________________________
>
>   [1]Watch  the  online  reality  show  Mixed Messages with a friend and
>   enter to win a trip to NY
>
>References
>
>   1. http://g.msn.com/8HMBENUS/2752??PS=47575
>_______________________________________________
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>
Gayle Callis
MT,HT,HTL(ASCP)
Research Histopathology Supervisor
Veterinary Molecular Biology 
Montana State University - Bozeman
PO Box 173610
Bozeman MT 59717-3610
406 994-6367 (lab with voice mail)
406 994-4303 (FAX)



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