Tarpon fish buckle in Silver

Tarpon fish buckle in Silver. Fits up to 1 1/4 belts

This buckle was carved using pictures of Florida tarpon.  The silver buckles naturally change and develop a dark patina on the top and in the recesses and stay silver on the sides giving them a natural fish coloration. 
Silver is the perfect metal for a Tarpon belt buckle since the Tarpon is often known as the "Silver King". Like all the fish buckles I have carved, the tarpon are all individuals. This carving was done mainly from pictures of the large fish over 100 lb .
  Tarpon have one single dorsal fin (the fin on the top) that extends into long filament. A tarpon's back is dark blue to green or greenish black, shading into bright silver on the side. Perfect for casting the buckles in sterling silver.  Their color may vary and be brownish gold in estuarine waters. Tarpon have huge scales that are often kept as trophies by anglers and a large mouth that points upward.  Sometimes they are made into jewelry. Primarily, Tarpon are INSHORE fish, although adult fish spawn OFFSHORE where the ribbon-like larval stage of the fish can be found. We find our larger tarpon off the beaches in the summer. They are often found rolling on the surface and gulping air in while lurking for food or taking it easy between feeding sessions.
Tarpon can often be found in brackish or freshwater near mangroves or in residential canals. Look for tarpon to show up almost anywhere on the lagoons and beaches in Florida, but don't count on them to show up anywhere except extreme south Florida . They like the warm water.
        Tarpon are slow growers and mature between 7 to 13 years of age. Spawning occurs between May and September when females may lay more than 12 million eggs each. Tarpon can tolerate wide range of salinity from fresh to very salty estuary waters. Juvenile tarpon are commonly found in fresh water and can breathe air at surface. Tarpon feed mainly on fish and large crustaceans
Florida Record Tarpon: 243 lbs.