pics

Smooth butterfly ray (Gymnura micrura)
Image: Adam Summers

One of the fishes done for his art exhibit called “Cleared,” featuring cleared and stained fish. More from the exhibit here!

"Cleared" fish are fish rendered translucent by a combination treatment: hydrogen peroxide to dissolve dark pigments, a digestive enzyme called trypsin to dissolve the flesh apart from collagen in the fish's skin and skeleton and glycerin to make skin and connective issue appear invisible. The technique Summers uses to clear and stain fish has been common practice of researchers for decades and relies on two dies: Alcian blue, which gives cartilage a blue hue, and Alizarin Red S, a red dye that acts on bone. Quote source