Preserving my Linkia?

[Manofathousandpolyps]

Well despite my carefull aclimation my new Linkia is a goner. All 5 legs now have small spots starting to desentigrate at the tips. Instead of watchin it go through a slow meltdown I decided to put it in the freezer.

When I was young my uncle got me a very large preserved (dried out) star from a trip he took.

I dont want to sound to morbid but how can I do this to my Linkia?

Before I possibly get flamed I would like to state that I do not agree with the sale of such items at tourist traps and whatnot. I highly doubt those creatures were in the process of dieing

 

[Len]

Dip them in isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) overnight, dry them off, then simply spread them out and place under the sun or heat lamp. The legs tend to curl up when drying so you may want to tie them down. Monofilament line works well.

 

[Manofathousandpolyps]

What about all the insides?

 

[Len]

The two times I did it (and this was long ago as a school project) I didn't gut them at all.

 

[Anonymous]

It's mostly water, so the insides will just sort of mummify. We preserve all sorts of hard bodied stuff like this--horeshoe crabs, lobsters, urchins, scorpions, etc.--basically exactly how Len described. We use some sort of oven to dry them out though.