Lycoptera enhanced?

[ReptileTooth]

Hello,
Could this little fish have been a bit painted or does it seem totally natural preserved?

Thanks for the help!

[gigantoraptor]

I think it's natural. Most of the time paint is used to 'restore' the fins and tail. Part of the tail is missing so they didn't use paint to restore that part, why would they restore the other parts. This specimen looks completely natural to me.

Lycoptera davidi from the Liaoning province in China. Probably from the Yixian fm., Jehol Biota. Lower Cretaceous (probably Aptian) in age.

[Fossildude19]

I agree. 

While this is natural, ...

 

 

 ... they can be found painted once in a while. 

The paint jobs are usually quite noticeable. 

A number of painted specimens from a Google image search:

 

 

Sometimes, the fossil is very faint, so they will enhance the bodies with a light ink. Still noticeable.

 

 

 

Other ones, like the ones below, are flat out painted over the bones, with fins mostly painted on. 

 

           

 

 

 

 

[BMoore]

They are usually very we preserved. This level of detail would be hard to fake. Also they are very common so they can be exported legally from China. Perhaps some are enhanced.

[RJB]

  I prepped out quite a few of these many years ago and this one looks all natural. 

 

RB