Linda,

I have cleaned them with mild soap (dish soap) and water and even used a soft tooth brush.  This seems to work if you are very careful.  Bleach will eat up the shell.  It will turn white (if it isn't already) and become very brittle.  I had some small Argonauta boettgeri that had been recovered from a fish stomach (skipjack). I cleaned one in bleach - it is now white and brittle (kept as a reminder of my stupidity).  One in soap and water - it is a nice brown.  And I left one natural - it has a partial covering of some sort of growth, but is perhaps the most representative.  This was all done many years ago.  If I had to do it today I would just use my ultrasonic jewelry cleaner and what it couldn't remove in 30 seconds would just have to stay.

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA

-----Original Message-----
From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of
Linda Bush
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2006 2:24 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Cleaning Argonauta


Hi, All!

I am working on this collection I acquired.   I have never had an Argonauta before.
Should it be cleaned with anything other than mild soap and water?

What proportion of an Argonauta is protein?

Thanks,
Linda Bush

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