Articulated Bluegill

Bluegill are a common species of freshwater gamefish native to the the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, but they have also been introduced to most of the other western states too. They're easy to catch and will bite on worms, artificial baits, corn, and even bread. For these reasons, bluegill are usually the first fish that young anglers in the US catch. Their exact coloration can vary between genders and seasons, but bluegill can typically be identified by their dark green bodies, black “ear” at the corner of the gill, reddish, orange chest, and their blue chins and gills. They are usually at the bottom of the food chain and are preyed on by bass, pike, catfish, herons, and other aquatic predators. To defend themselves they have sharp spines poking out from their dorsal fins that teach the young anglers who catch them to be careful when unhooking them.    This model has interlocking scale units that allow the model to “swim”. The two halves are printed separately, aligned with the registration pin that fits into the rectangular slot on the bottom of the head segments, and secured together with glue between the head, tail, and perimeter scales. For this model, the pectoral fins are printed separately to maximize strength and then glued into the slots behind the gills. I used bronze silk PLA for most of the body, but a dark olive green PLA might match the real coloration more closely. The full-color model uses 5 colors and requires 2 AMS units, but I've also provided a 4-color version without the dark green on top that can be printed with 1 AMS. Happy printing (and fishing)!