Fish Butts

[Mermaasai]

Mermaid Parties: Mermaasai tail

Rated: 4 out of 5

The box it arrived in was built by Stephanie to accommodate the tail. It was wrapped in wax paper, presumably to prevent sticking. It came with a set of instructions for care, an invitation to enter a contest for a mermaid parties calender spot, and a waver for the picture entered. The tail looked lovely upon removing it from the packaging and laying it out on my floor for closer inspection.The latex was soft and supple and there were no major sticking spots.The Spines were pressed down against the tail to allow flat shipping but when I pulled them up i didnt have any sticking problems. The ends of the fluke were a little wobbly from being squished in the box a bit but this didnt bother me at all.I did note however that the ends of the fluke were not painted as the rest of the tail. In all honesty this didn't bother me, I was planning on having to do a little customization to the tail no matter what state I received it in. I'm just that kind of person.. I customize everything. Naturally I HAD to try it on immediately. Everything fit very well and snug. The only discomfort I found was that the inner edge of the material that was encasing my feet for the monofin (around the ankles) was a smidge too tight. I took some scissors to it and snipped a small line in it to allow a little give at the ankle. I managed to pull the spines a little more straight than they were but this is where I ran into some trouble. The cloth that was making the webbing for the spines was pulling too taught. Me and my big butt The foot spine kept pulling itself over because the material wasnt quite stretchy enough for that kind of placement. Which turned into another problem. I dont think the spines were cured quite enough so they had stuck to the edge of themselves on the tail and when my butt and foot went in and stretched the material out, it pulled away from the tail.So everything said and done, it was a wonderful tail with a few small problems. I wrote Stephanie, of Mermaid Parties, and she responded almost immediately. I had written her to thank her for her work, let her know that it had arrived, and point out the few problems and suggest some alternatives for the next time she tried larger spines. She apologized for the problems and explained that there were indeed some issues with the previous spines she had tried but by the time she found out about the problems AND had resolved them, my tail was already on its way to me. Also, she immediately offered to replace my tail, at no cost to me, if I deemed it unusable. I appreciated her offer but of course, I am a crafty gal, and since I had planned on making some personal tweaks and touches after it arrived, I declined ^.^ Ahhhhh the scent of a challenge on the wind. Besides, with such a solid base, and just a few things that needed love, I knew I could handle it. So I got to work and made some of my own alterations etc.. I will write a follow up review once I swim in the tail, of course!


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[Prince Calypso]

My Mer-Fabulous Mermaid Tail Review

Rated: 5 out of 5

My tail arrived exactly the day it was suppose to and looked amazing out the boxthe tail was snug and flexible if not a bit to flexible in my viewonce the tail was i noticed a few small problems that aren't really of any issuewith the tail on and stretched a bit on my legs i could see the neoprene between the scalesthe paint was epic til you got to the fluke, it looked a little rushed but also something that's isn't that big of an issuethe tail is comfortable and looks wonderful.i have yet to try it in the water but i'm sure it will swim wonderfulall in all the tail was great with just a few problems that i'm sure i can fix on my ownStephanie was patient and kind throughout the entire process and did wonderful work.i absolutely love my tail

so finally got my tail in the water and it looked beautiful and i loved every minute of it. when i go home and hung it up in the shower i noticed that some of the glue used to attach my fins was kinda... well it looked like somebody had jizzed allover the fins and where they attach to the tail lol
not a big problem and i'm sure once the tail dries all the way through the white marks will disappear


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[Gem Stone]

My first bought tail

Rated: 5 out of 5

Stephanie was very kind and patient with me even though sometimes i would be emailing her at one in the morning and she always replied as quickly as she could. my tail arrived the day she promised and when the monofin had issues (it was the first one's not the new ones) she sent me a new one promptly for no extra charge. my tail is currently in between the monofin switching because i am a procrastinator but stephanie was helpful the whole time. my tail is exactly what i asked for as far as color choice and design. a few tiny spots where the latex didn't quite hide the neoprene but it's hardly noticable. the fluke did look a tiny bit rushed but Stephanie told me what paint she used in case i wanted to go back and redo it myself. for my first bought tail, i was very impressed and i use her again when i save up the money


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[New York Mermaid]

Happy mermaid here!!

Rated: 5 out of 5

Speaking as a customer, I worked hard on making this tail design. I trusted Stephanie with my tail after looking at her work. I am very happy with the outcome of the tail, I asked so much of her and she accommodated each request I asked of her. She had wonderful communication as well with me. She created the tail in the correct shades of color and even gave my tail the tattered look I was hoping for. Only big issue I had was a small piece of the heel fin was stuck on the tail, which can happen, but the tail all in all I’m so happy with, there is nothing more I can say Just a Happy Mer- Customer here!! I definitely will make another tail with her again!


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[Mahi Mermaid]

NON-Functional

Rated: 1 out of 5

I received my tail, unpainted, as requested.I want to say that the owner, Stephanie, was really nice, quick to reply, and very enthusiastic which is great.When I got the tail, she wrapped it in wax paper, but without having silicone spray or paint on it, the wax paper actually stuck so badly to the latex that there were pieces I tried to pull off that actually pulled off the latex.The tail was easy to paint, but the fluke was difficult. She had painted the fluke white, as a base, but when I painted over it (using Createx paint) it was almost like "water-resistant" like how rain falls on your windshield and you have little drops after the wipers go, that's how the paint went on the fluke. It wasn't allowing me to paint!I was happy with the "small snake-like" scale design though and the colors I used really made them standout.There was fringe on the back, but I requested the kind like Hannah has, and it was FELT. which is a really cheap fabric to use, plus it's heavy and when I painted it, the paint colors were really dark and didn't match the body, plus it seeped through to the other side and really looked tacky.Lastly- when I went for my photoshoot the tail's "foot pockets" didn't quite hold my feet, it was REALLY flimsy (the fluke) and I could barely lift it up because it looked like a wet balloon. Definitely COULD NOT SWIM in tail nor could I hardly move from rock to rock in my pictures without the footpocket coming lose from the plastic she used for the fluke.Lastly- the sharp edge of the fluke by the foot pockets in the back shows through the material and in all the pictures (doesn't give a realistic look) plus the front you can see the entire outline of your toes/feet in pictures and BADLY in person)Oh and after only 20 minutes of being halfway in the water, the fluke came "unglued" and all the paint that I painted on the fringe was coming off.I think her tails look good in pictures, but definitely not a tail for someone who is trying to work professionally for parties or events. There is NO WAY to swim in this tail. It was hardly sturdy enough for a land photoshoot!So in closing I stand by my MERTAILOR tail, although Mermaid Parties has better customer service and tact- because it's definitely a fully functional tail that can withstand more than just one 20 minute photo shoot.


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[Sea Pearl]

My First Mermaid Tail

Rated: 5 out of 5

This was my first tail and overall I am thrilled with it. I sent a coloured sketch of my tail and Stephanie was able to take the colours and design from that and turn it into a lovely tail. Whenever I had a question she would always do the best she could to answer me and always replied back very quickly. My tail arrived in its own well built box through FedEx within a few days of shipment. It was wrapped very carefully in a plastic wrap as not to stick to itself. The measurements were exact and the shades of blue and cream I hoped for matched perfectly. Overall I have no problems with my tail and am a very satisfied mermaid.


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[Bellasea]

I ordered a fabric tail ($50) from MermaidParties. I ordered my tail on April 24 and got it on May 23. It was longer than expected, but her sewing machine was broken and then she had problems with the monofin. So, I understand why it took so long. She sent me a picture, and I had doubts on the color. It was purple, but the picture made it look like this color purple. So, I was worried it wouldn't be the right color. When I finally got it, it was the color purple I wanted, like this. It fits nice, but I may take it in a bit at the knees and waist.

I was able to get it in the water last week (June 6). It was good. I used a belt and folded the top over it, so the tail would stay on. I noticed that the foot pocket in the monofin was a little loose, but not too bad. I swam for about 15 min, when the ankle strap slipped off. After that, I could barely keep the monofin on (I kept having to put the ankle strap back on). So I emailed Steph and she told me that I cold glue the monofin together. I heard that she has a new monofin that works better. So, when I get the money I will be definatly consider getting a coustom tail from MermaidParties.

I am happy with what I got for the priceI paid.

[Raivynn]

Stevi has been amazing at helping me through the experience of my first tail. I ordered from her while awaiting the arrival of my Mertailor latex tail (one of the last few being produced from what I understand). The first trial, when I opened up the tail, it was wrapped up in wax paper. The dorsal stuck to the tail, but not much of a deal there. It was absolutely gorgeous! The fluke was the perfect shape, but we will get to that later. The paint job was just mesmerizing. All the glitter was exactly what I wanted. It took a bunch of lotion to get my feet properly in the footpockets of the Makapuu fins, but once in, I never worried about my feet slipping out. I half wish I ordered a slightly larger fin (the big toe on my left foot is aching after about 30 mins), but I know they fit and don't slip. The first swim, while amazing, had its setbacks. I really didn't get a lot of power from the fins, and I had to fight to keep my head above water. I swam for about 2 hours the first time. Within a few minutes, the paint on the back of knees, heels, and at the waist peeled completely down to the latex, and one of the dorsals came unstitched. I emailed Stevi right away, and I shipped the tail back to her once it dried. She was more than happy to help me with my tail!! It took a little longer to get back to me than we thought at first, but I can honestly say it was worth the wait. She changed how she glued the fluke down, so there are channels for the water to escape and prevent the balloon look and reduce drag. We also completely redesigned my fluke shape. This also reduced drag on the tail. This time, I could easily kick and get some major momentum. She also sewed in a strip of elastic in the waist so the tail would stay in place better. It helped, but didn't eliminate the need for me to pull the tail up occasionally. It was a difference like night and day! I did have more issues with the paint, but I am going to try and fix this at home this time. :) Customer service makes all the difference in the world -- I actually felt BAD having to tell her I had more paint problems ...

[Lyrique]

I could not be more thrilled with my tail made by Stephanie at Mermaid Parties! First off, her customer service was out of this world! She was always extremely prompt to respond to all emails and inquiries I sent! She was a dream to work with, making sure that I received the exact product that I paid for and wanted!

I ordered an Oceanika Merfin and had it shipped directly to her to be used in my fluke.

The tail is beautiful!!! It is exactly what I had designed - coloring and everything!! Two of my most favorite parts are how it tapers inward at the ankles, and how at the waist, the tail comes up higher in the back than in the front!! There are water vents at the tips of the fluke to let water flow through it as you swim, and in actually swimming in it, I experienced no drag whatsoever!! The neoprene is a different neoprene from what the mertailor uses, and I sincerely like what Stephanie uses better! There is more "substance" to it. Stephanie's also doesn't get all stretched out once it becomes wet - it holds tight to you! Getting into the tail, I almost felt like I was putting on one of the silicone tails because it is such a "gloved" fit which is exactly what you want!!!

In terms of swimming in it, I felt like I could move extremely well! I have gone out to various lakes, literally, over 2-dozen times this summer swimming in an Oceanika Merfin just by-itself, and I felt the same freedom of swimming with a whole tail as I did with the merfin alone! I was absolutely able to dive down in deep water and get the fluke to splash up and out :D! That's one of my favorite things to do, which I haven't been able to do in other tails I have worn :D!!

The top that I ordered to match my tail is extremely comfortable!! Just throw on and go! It's made of neoprene so there isn't uncomfortable fish-net or bra-straps. I have swam in both of those kinds of tops, and I most definitely prefer this new one!

From start to finish of this whole process, Stephanie has been amazing!! And even though I have my tail now, she still makes it clear that she is readily available to help and fix any problems that may arise! I sincerely believe that I received so much more than what I paid for, and I honestly could not be more happy!!
10 stars out of 10 stars I give to Mermaid Parties!!

Here is a video review I made of my tail - you can see the tail here in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qeUi3ElDCc

[New York Mermaid]

Stevi totally outdid herself with this tail. The colors are beautiful, she matched them perfectly. She literally brought my tail design to life and with the new technique she's using for the tail, i dont have to worry about any paint issues at all, the monofin inside the fluke is a Finis wave, and im so super happy with the attention to detail which went into this tail. Her customer service is superb and even though i changed my design ever so slightly, she accomodated it to match the new design, the scales are well made and the fringe is just so awesome.

Over all I am super happy with this tail I cant wait for her to come out with her silicone line, i have a few future plans for the future.
Heres the actual video review i made:

[Ariel]

I decided to order a tail from Stephanie because I had looked at a lot of other tail makers and she had the best price for a latex tail that I found. I contacted her and she got back to me right away which was really great!
I ordered my tail on June 13th and told her what type of tail I wanted, but I didn't know what colors I wanted it to be.
I didn't decide on colors until around the middle to end of July, but once I told her what I wanted, she started on it right away.
She finished my tail completely on August 8th and shipped it out the next morning. It got to Reno by that Saturday (the 11th) and it was in the new boxes she got to ship her tails in.
Getting in to the tail is difficult since there's no zippers or anything, but I don't mind that. Swimming in the tail was really easy for me, but I could see how it could be difficult for someone else. The second time I put it on, the flippers inside the fluke separated (I ordered the tail with the Churchill fins) and I actually swam with them like that. I told her about that and she apologized and said she was trying a different kind of bonding adhesive for them and that it would be easy for me to fix. She told me an easy way to fix it, and so far it's good.
Overall I really like Stephanie and her company. She was professional and kind and was patient as well as good at answering any questions I had.
I would definitely order from her again.
:)

[Lyna]

I discovered this tailmaker when it was still being advertised as "Meraid Parties", and completely on accident to be quite honest. I thought tailmaker options were quite limited...until AFTER ordering from another company. While waiting for my other tail to arrive...I was approaching and then passing dates originally set for photoshoots, and was fast approaching all of my summer mermaiding events. Around this time, I discovered the amazing MerNetwork, and all the resources that came along with it, and began browsing the up and coming tailmakers in the industry.
I started looking at fish butts reviews and liked what I saw...but I had never seen or talked to anyone personally who had one. Then randomly one day, the latex scale tops went on sale, and I have never in my life seen a mer-cessory so cheap!! I had to schoop one up...or 2 or 3 at that price. So I talked to Mermaid Parties about making my top. Custom measurements, colors and paint job. No extra cost. Hooray for a business with no hidden fees. I got my top seriously DAYS later, and it was awesome looking! I ran into my room to get it on, and needed help...because I am pretty fiercely allergic to latex. Knowing this, I had assistance getting it on without flipping and touching my skin, because, although a reaction from mermaiding is completely worth it to me...it's still better safe than sorry, and I wasn't sure how I would react to the type used on the top. I walked around the house in it for a good 20 minutes, and evry so often I would feel almost startled and look down to make sure I actually was wearing a top, because this thing is so comfortable it really felt like I was naked.
After buying and loving my top, I saw a tail in person at my pod meetup and was able to touch and feel on the materials, see what kind of neoprene was inside as lining, check out the thickness, and compare it to the quality of the top. I wanted to see if the tail was going to be way thicker...or IDK. I just like doing my research first. So I got back home and contacted the tailmaker again after having thought about possibly getting a matching tail somewhere down there line, and I told her, OK toots that's it. I need one NOW!! I told her about my deadlines and issues with my other tailmaker, and she guaranteed to have my tail to be by the date of my first major event. Perfect. I actually had it 10 days ahead of time after she talked me into ordering the monofin myself and having it shipped directly to me. I wanted the exaggerated look of the Oceanika, so finally aftter some feet dragging, I agreed because she told me she would step by step guide me to sealing the fin into the fluke and promised I couldn't screw it up. (I still think she's probably wrong there.)
Thank god I took her advise, because the fin was too small. Oceanika doesn't make big girl fins for us tall and slightly larger feeted girls...I wear an 8 1/2-9 shoe size. So I had to dash around my friends and internet to acquire some shoe stretchers and a heat gubn, because we decided that would be the most expedited and drastic alteration route. (Thread on this alteration process is posted.) It took me 3 days (because of scheduling conflicts) to get my fin how I wanted, but it did work. Then I decided because of the issues with my fin, that the best idea would be to install velcro along the edge of my fluke instead of sealing it, just in case the rubber decides to at some point revert to its original shape due to water or cold, etc. Once dry...I got to test my tail! (Thread for this also posted.)
Although my Oceanika tore a huge hole in my heel....the tail was AMAZING! It fits so snugly to my body and sits exactly where I want it to, even perfectly framing my dermal anchors along my hip. (Which would not be fun to catch or rub inside the tail's waist.) I would say the tail takes about 10 minutes to get on the first time...but I now have it down to 5. Another thing I have to comment here though, is that my tail is not sealed...so I have a different process for this one than I do for any of the others you have seen me wear. I open the fluke, remove the fin, and then do my best to keep the fluke open. Then I slide the tail all the way on and up and make sure my feet are through. After that, i pull the fluke area back and put the Oceanika on, and then I need my mertender to lift my lower half and tug the fluke back down over the fin and attach the velcro.
The colors are outstanding. I was a bit nervous at first because they seemed so bright. I'm not the brightest kind of mer...so I didn't know it would look right on me. But wow! This is one eye catching tail. It's so complimentary on me. her color matching is really amazing and she has a winderful eye for what will look nice. Since it was such a last minute decision to order this tail, I had no idea what I wanted and no design in mind...or color for that matter. All my designs had been promised out to other tailmakers. So I skimmed through my mermaid tail folder and saw a picture that i remembered my husband had oohed and awed over one night and shot that over to her, because at least I knew the husband would approve (even if he didn't approve this last second 2nd tail purchase....and in latex, which I'm allergic too). I am very picky about paint jobs, and on first inspection I thought hmm...this does not look like my reference...this looks like everyone elses dual color designs. Boy was I wrong. In the sun and in photo's, WHOA. This tail not only pops, but mimics my reference so well...but with enough changed to really make it unique. I love when artists take an idea and run with it. The reason the paint looks different at first and indoors, is because Fish Butts does the most amazing thing ever. THEY PUT THE PAINT UNDER THE LATEX. This means the paint will never ship, peel, scuff, or fade like other latex tails. The color will remain the same through owning the tail just like a siliscone tail would but for a fraction of the cost.
My fish butt does crease some, but that is completely normal for any tail with lining in it. And it's really not noticeable. It seems to prefer to crease in areas that look pretty natural on a mermaid, like where the tail and fluke meets. During a dry shoot, it is fairly warm, but it is latex and lined...so that doesn't really add up to be a breathable outfit. lol The neoprene is nice and breathable, which allows it to dry faster than my other tails, and doesn't add too much weight when wet.
In the water my tail is a dream. Because she leaves ports in the fluke (and I made my velcro match her style) the water doesn't ever flow into the fluke and cause drag like other tails do. When getting into the pool for the first time, the benefit of these holes was instantly obvious. As you let the fluke and then tail submerge, the holes work as a vacuum and push the air from the tail up and it pushes easily out of the waist. Then as water comes in, it helps to suction the entire tail to your body making it a part of your body. And yet still the legs are not visible through the tail. It's amazing! It swims like a dream, completely natural and comfortable. I don't think there is a person alive who couldn't swim in one of her tails. They are weightless and comfortable and graceful. If I could live in this thing I would. I would set up a lounge chair and a mini fridge and float around forever.
Getting the tail off wet takes quite a bit of effort because it sticks to you so perfectly and fits so snugly to begin with. If you're always making sure to have a mertender ready, as you should, this isn't a problem, but your mertender will probably be doing a little more of the effort than you. Especially if you're anything like me and swim to the point of muscle exhaustion, because then I am just no help to anybody. lol
I have photoshoots releasing showing the tail, and albums on here as well. We just started a Mermaid Lyna fan page on Facebook that will have regular events and photoshoots updated where you can see this tail in action. It really is gorgeous. Once the silicone line is released, I'll be first in line to get one. (I've already designed one for this company to make me.) And I also plan to purchase 2-3 more latex tails, and another top or 2 to boot. You guys gotta try these tails!

[Meghara July]

I had a great experience when ordering from Fish-Butts. I had found them when they were still Mermaid Parties and I remember getting so excited. I emailed Stephanie right away, and peppered her with so many questions. She was great. She answered everything I wanted to know, even when I kept coming back with more and more questions. Her customer service deserves ten stars alone. This is my first tail, but after working with her, there is no other tail maker I would rather buy from.

I had described to her what I had wanted, and in the end came up with a sketch. Even though it had changed numerous times, she was always ready and willing to help and make it perfect for me. She took the tail I had dreamed about for ages and made it a reality. It turned out more beautiful than I could ever dream.

The day it arrived, I lit into the package. The delivery man had left it sitting in the sun, so the wax paper was a bit hard to get off. In my excitement, I pulled too hard, too fast, which resulted in some of the scales coming off, but nothing too bad. I followed Stephanie's advice about using a wet cloth to help peel off the wax paper, and it worked very well. There were a few permanent indents from the wax being stuck to it, but nothing too bad. That was something neither of us could have prevented, so it did not upset me. Once even a few feet away, they weren't visible, so I didn't care. Minor problems aren't a big deal.

I tried it on right away. It fit snugly, like a glove, over most of my body. It was perfect, and it felt like an extension of me. I remember just staring at it, trying to decide if that was really happening. I remember running my hands along it, freaking out with joy. It stuck a bit to the carpet, and to itself, so I had to be very careful how I moved in it. Some carpet dust did get stuck to it, but it didn't matter because it came off as soon as it got wet. That's going to happen with rubber of any kind, so I didn't mind. The tail was a bit loose, but I'll get back to that. I found it was a lot easier to get in and out of than I had thought it would be due to the natural stretch of the material. The monofin was a bit tricky, but not too bad, and I didn't have to worry about it coming off. It was actually really comfortable- I haven't been able to find a pair of flippers as comfortable as that tail. I laid it out flat in my living room over night, and when I store it away I do the same.

I took it to my friend's house the next day. I don't have a pool of my own, but she was more than willing to let me come over and try it out. I put it on on the (very smooth, I have to add) concrete around her pool. It stuck a bit to the concrete but that was due to how hot it was outside and the sun being absorbed by the pavement. Any heat will loosen that up. :) I rolled into the water, and the coolness of it sucked it closer to me. Any looseness went away as it molded to my form. It was flawless in the water. Absolutely flawless. It fit perfectly, it was easy to swim in, there was no bubbles or drag what so ever. It fit like a skin. I asked my friend what she thought, and she told me it looked very realistic, and that she was going to save up for one as well. I asked her if she could see the outline of my legs or anything, and she said the only tell-tale signs were that she had seen it off of me and the fact that I had to occasionally pull it up. other than that, she said it looked completely real. It was rather funny- she acted like I had looked like that all along, that I had never been a mere human at all. I loved it. It was better than all my dreams combined. It was me- finally being able to completely become the part of me that had never been allowed to come out. I was fully myself in that moment. It was beautiful.

I did have a few minor issues. The first one was the slight bagginess. I believe that to be my fault. Since it was my first tail, I may not have been so great at the measurements side of things. XD. It fit wonderfully around the feet and ankles, up to my knees. When it reached my hips, and thighs, it was just a bit too loose. nothing awful, but enough to hurt the illusion. Once I had taken it out to dry, the fabric ended up stretching as well. The second was the easy tearing on the heals, but that was also my fault. I accidentally stood up on the bottom of the pool, which you should never ever do in a tail. The third was that the color had faded a lot after one swim. The tail was blue fading to white in the center. At first, it had been very prominent, but after an hour in the water, the blue had lightened considerably. I reluctantly emailed Stephanie about these issues- as someone else said, she is so sweet, it makes it difficult to tell her about any problems you have with the tails. She got back to me very quickly, and gave me the solution to fix the tearing, and offered to take in the tail for me. She was very sweet about the whole thing- it was so hard for me to tell her I had any problems! But she made the whole thing painless and easy.

Stephanie is just wonderful. I highly recommend buying from her. She is affordable, she creates the MOST spectacular tails, and she is a dream to work with. Even with those minor problems, my tail is fantastic. I would absolutely buy from her again, and plan on it in the future. As a film maker as well, I would love to see her tails in a movie one day. I give her a well deserved five out of five. This girl is going places! If you want a tail, Fish-Butts is absolutely the way to go!

[Mermaid Annariea]

I began talking to Stephanie about my design in mid-July, and I paid her for the tail around the same time. I had been researching tails and tailmakers for about three years, and was a bit skeptical because of so many high prices, but then I found Fish Butts (it was still Mermaid Parties at the time), and was extremely shocked at the prices. I watched Stephanie's work get better and better with each tail, and I decided that my first tail would be from her (:
I was NOT disappointed.
I ordered a latex and neoprene tail with the Oceanika merfin, and sent in my design. I was pretty impatient and excited, but Stephanie didn't seem to mind at all. She told me as soon as the merfins got there, and told me when she started the tail. She kept me updated the entire way, and that was wonderful because I have a tendency to freak out sometimes if I don't hear about anything for a while. I changed a few things about my design here and there, and she was totally fine with that. Because of the lighting I had taken the picture of the second design in, it looked pinkish, so it was originally painted pink, but she offered to fix that, and changed it to the PERFECT purple color. She also picked out the prettiest blue, and did the extra fringe fins wonderfully. (I'm going to post pictures in my thread about my tail called "MY FISH BUTT." I'm not sure how to post pictures onto this for some reason.) Her customer service really was phenomenal. That on its own deserved a 5/5.

BUT THEN, she made me an amazing tail. The latex is all even, there aren't any random bubbles or thick spots the scales are all nice and straight and even, and it came in its own box, wrapped carefully in a black plastic trash bag. She sent me tail care instructions and such through e-mail, and has answered any question I have had within the day.

Swimming in this tail is a dream. Getting it on was a bit tough, but hopefully it'll get easier. It fit like a glove. The only problems (EXTREMELY minor, mind you) were that the ankles wrinkle a bit, although it isn't very noticable underwater, and I don't feel it; and the waist gaps a TINY bit (but that's so it could fit over my butt, it doesnt effect swimming or anything, and itll be easy to hide with a cute belt or something). It feels so realistic in the water, and my boyfriend kept telling me I felt like a non-slimy fish xD It was awesome.

I would absolutely recommend Fish Butts to any mer on a budget. If you can spend money on a tail, go with Fish Butts. It's wonderful, especially considering the low price.

[Andy97]

I am so happy with my tail from Stephanie, she did an amazing job of following what I wanted in my design even though I changed the fluke design at the last minute, but she managed to make it look even more awesome
she is a really great and sweet person who even after purchasing and receiving my tail offers advice on how to fix any problems and to make sure it lasts for as long as possible. I believe that i have received more than what I paid for she was that awesome. So great job, would totally recommend them to any mermaid or merman out there. 10 stars out of 5!!!!!
- Andy97 -
- MermanAndy -

[Mermaid Harmony]

Hey guys! I ordered my Partial Silicone Tail from Stevi. It started out as a latex tail, but when I asked her about some issues I'd heard with the latex she asked if I wanted to be her guinea pig for the partial silicone, and I readily agreed, I figured it'd be more durable, last longer, no paint changing color, no fading, and it wouldn't stick to itself. I did a video review below that you can watch, and it goes over everything. I am in love with my tail. the scales are fantastic, NO SIDE SEAMS, and it's just lovely. The waist gapes a little, but that's because I've been doing Zumba and I've lost an inch from my waist, which is good, but means that the water pulls down my tail a little when I swim, no big, when I send it back to her in January to fix some of the silicone spots, I'm sure she can take it in a little bit. She was such a gem to work with, and was always honest with me, which I can't tell you how much I appreciate that. I am highly impressed, and the way it looks in the water is breath taking. I love love it. Well worth to switch to her partial silicone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDrQgxV2FD0

[Blondie]

My tail was inspired by Hannah Fraser's and Aquamarine's. I was having a hard time trying to decide between this or a "thirteenth year" tail. And I am very please with the final decision.

Let me start off by saying, Stevi is superb in keeping contact with her costumers. I know I was a bit annoying with my emails, but she always had a reply for me within a day. She's very kind and understanding in her emails, and she truly cares about what YOU want. She wants you to be happy!
Now moving on from that, I've had a very, very, VERY long wait for my tail. I ordered it back when I graduated at the very beginning of summer in hopes I'd have it a little after the 4th of July. Originally, she had a 3-5 week wait for tails, now it's a 6-8 week wait. Still, I waited a total of 12 weeks. Which was pretty bumming. But Stevi was battling through some rough times. She made it very clear that she was dealing with a lot and even offered to make me a free top. I already have a top so I kindly told her no thanks. In the end, summer's over and I won't be swimming in my tail as much as I had expected to.

Moving on, I told Stevi I needed my tail by the 13th of September because I was going to the Florida Mer Meet up. I told her this around mid August and assumed it would be out waaaay before that date because the tail had been curing for almost a week now. And Stevi told me she would have it to me before that. It was shipped out on the 6th and supposed to come in the 11th. I was pretty nervous about FedEx because my family has had numerous problems with late packages and them in the past. Within the next morning the date was already pushed back to the 12th and I was starting to pull my hair out. I REALLY wanted my tail for the meet up. Thankfully the next few days went by and it was in GA, which meant only a few more days till it was in FL. The 12th comes around and I waited in the morning/afternoon for it. Nothing. Went to class, came home at 5, still nothing. I actually spent 40 minutes just laying by the window hoping the truck would pull up, but it was now past 7:30 and I gave up hope. And within ten minutes my dog was barking at the door and I took off in a bolt! The box was HUGE! Much bigger than I had expected! I waddled in with it and ran to my room to open it up!

The tail wasn't in it's wax paper sheeting that I had been told it would be in. It was in two garbage bags. Odd... But okay? Whatever works right? It came out pretty easily and wasn't sticking to the plastic bags like I had expected it to be because of the Florida heat. When I looked it over I was in total shock! So happy with how beautiful it came out! The picture Stevi showed me didn't even do it justice! And I'm sure my pictures won't either. It looks SO fish like! Just as I wanted it to!
[IMG]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/Sliver_Shine29/0BCEF859-CFA6-4053-B557-9B72B87F3581-24897-0000203E511DC586.jpg[/IMG]

There was good amount of dust/dirt and animal hair on it. Which was okay, I have a dog and cat too so I didn't take offence to it. I know how pet fur is!
The vinyl fringe was never attached to my tail though. I asked Stevi about this when I saw the picture, and she told me she was sorry but she didn't do the fringe anymore. I knew that she had stop doing dorsal fins because they weren't secured enough, but I was not aware of her stopping the fridge at the fluke because she sent me this when I asked her earlier this summer...

From: Stephanie Summers <mermaidparties@gmail.com>

To: Kiersten <iblondie@ymail.com>

Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 9:56 PM
Subject: Re: Mermaid Tail


Hi Kiersten!

First off let me say how sorry I am it's taken me this long to get you an update. With all the new design changes and what not I was putting off tails til I had it fully figured out and it's taken me forever to catch up. But I'm back on track now and here is a picture of the first step of your tail Paint! It's just the front, it started raining on me and now it's pouring. I'll have to get you the back tomorrow. And then next is scales and I'll put it together and ship it out. I did want to tell you I will not use the vinyl for fringe any more for dorsals, I'm not sure if I mentioned this already but the last tail I did it on, it all came completely off. I can still give you a fringed dorsal but it will be like Lanai's new tail that I posted today, painted like you want. It's a lot sturdier and wont stick to the rest of the tail. I can still do the vinyl at the bottom of the fluke though. Any ways, let me know what you think and I'll talk to you soon!


Stephanie

So, I was a little thrown off by that... Also I had asked for a "blended" waist line, where the scales where sort of cut out at the end. And that was not included on my tail.

From: Stephanie Summers <mermaidparties@gmail.com>
To: Kiersten <iblondie@ymail.com>



Sent: Friday, June 8, 2012 9:49 PM
Subject: Re: Mermaid Tail


Yeah, I think I can do that. Like the baby tail I made? I attached a picture.



Stephanie
Mermaid Parties

On Fri, Jun 8, 2012 at 7:44 PM, Kiersten <iblondie@ymail.com> wrote:
Ahh!! Another thing I wanted to ask! I kinda sorta drew it on my plans but just making sure, is there a way you can make the top of the tail look like scales breaking away instead of a straight line of fabric. I think Raina calls it a blended waist line. I don't know if I explained that right. Thanks again!








So that was not added either... Then I had also asked her if she could cut it more like this when she painted it since the fluke wasn't "exactly" what I wanted.

I attached a picture that had lines on it on how I would like the fluke to look. And she replied with...
From: Stephanie Summers <mermaidparties@gmail.com>
To: Kiersten <iblondie@ymail.com>


Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2012 10:21 PM
Subject: Re: Mermaid Tail


Hi Kiersten!

Yes, I can definitely trim the fluke like that for you. I'll do it after I get it all together though so I know the front and back match. And the big iridescent glitter is what I used in Allie's tail. I dont think the fine silver and black I have will look bad on your tail at all actually. I think it'll look really pretty in the scales I have to take tomorrow off for a doctors appointment and a promo shoot for my event in Sept but I'll have another update for you by Friday

And it was not cut in the end.

So now I HAD to try the tail on! When I put my ankles in, I already felt like the tail was REALLY tight. After wiggling a little more I got it up to my thighs with generally no problem. Then, there was my butt... I have um rather *cough*plump*cough* booty, yet my waist is generally small. So getting the waist part over my butt was tough. And I mean tough. Like "Holy CRAP this is tight." tough. It took me almost 20 minutes to get my tail on and I didn't have much space to wiggle without tugging on it. So I couldn't straighten it out completely. I invested in conditioner to lube my legs up a bit and that really helped at the springs and other times I've swam in it. I also hear nylon stockings help out too. I've yet to try that technique though.

After my first swim in it though, the latex turned into a milky color. This is a sign of uncured latex. Which Stevi had to ship my tail out then or I wasn't going to get it in time for the meet up. I messaged her about it and in not time she replied back and gave me instructions to lay it out in the sun. I did so a viola it was gone! So easy fix!


Swimming in this tail is amazing. The first time I swam in it was at the springs. The tail looks even more realistic underwater. It fits like a glove and you feel incredible underwater. It doesn't even feel like you have a tail on. It feels like you. Which is amazing. The tail is not TOO heavy but it has weight to it. Underwater you can't even notice it though. I could float decently with it on in the deep end of the spring. For some reason it felt heavier in the spring than it did when I swam in it in the pool a few weeks later. I could do flips much easier in the pool than in the spring. But that was probably just my body. And I know a lot of people say cement kills tails but I sat on cement steps at the springs and in a pool getting this on. And there's no damage done to the tail at all. So Fish Butt tails are pretty capable of a beating.



I can't get over how REAL it looks in the water.

Overall, I'm pleased with my tail. If the conditioner helps get it on, then we're going to say no real problems with it. The only thing that made me a little upset was the wait, lack of fringe, uncut fluke, and the waistline. Stevi is a wonderfully nice person. She's a pleasure to do business with and it's hard to say anything negative about her. There was a good numerous things that weren't what I asked for in my tail. And I don't really have any intentions on sending it back for her to fix it just because it took so long to get here.

Here are some videos of me swimming in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKtHj4fS_wM&lc=Dyfwv32Hu8mehRUW27i9h0TfpSy-3o1BwwtPLYkZuhI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmogZ...t-VEYuNzLdiTGA

[seagirls626]

So, I absolutely LOVE my tail. I had ordered the latex, and then later upgraded to the partial silicone. It was WAY more than I excepted! Stevi is great to work with and she seems like a wonderful person. She got the color spot on and executed the design perfectly. The reason why I gave only four stars is because I ordered it in October, and got it in January. It was suppost to arrive for Christmas as it was my big Christmas present, but I got it weeks after. We were very worried that it wouldn't arrive at my Grandparent's in the U.S before I left and that I would have to pay extra to have it shipped to where I live (Switzerland). Thankfully, I got it the day before I left, and I couldn't be happier with it. it may have just been that I ordered it at a bad time (during cyber Monday and Christmas) and she had a lot of orders. The other thing is that I was also suppost to get it without side seams, but it came with side seams. I was a bit confused because we had even discussed the no-side-seams thing via e-mail. It's not such a big deal though, because once I put on, you can barley notice them. So overall, I am extremely happy with the product! I would definitely recommend Fish Butts to anyone who is looking for a great quality tail! (Maybe try not to order during a rush like I did though.)

[MermaidKatia]

Review:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA095a_6LLc
First Swim: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtRF81GqPl8

Ordered: Custom Paint, Custom Monofin (+$230), Partial Silicone (+$100)
-Paint job was not done to specifications, even when Fish Butts was contacted to address inconstancies
-Monofin was cut to liking and retained its power/mobility in water
-Silicone of caulking quality

Tail arrived three months late (rush ordered October 8th, received January 25th with rush refunded) in a box with no padding, wax paper or care instructions. Level of neglect to tail (including missing patches of silicone, smeared scales, and imbedded dog hairs) made customer feel very second rate, especially when Fish Butts was contacted, no compensation was given, and customer was instructed to fix issues herself.

No drag in the water, comfortable monofin. Be prepared to wait--myself and other costumers were promised updates/deliveries many times and did not receive either.

Overall: Tail was functional and passed for what it needed to do. However, customer service was neglectful and product condition was shabby.