Starfish make interesting and meaningful souvenirs of seacoast vacations. Tourists and beachcombers generally collect starfish for their intriguing shapes and designs. Since starfish are animals, they develop an odor after they die. This odor gradually intensifies until starfish are properly preserved. Simply drying starfish in the sun does not eliminate the odor; they must undergo a soaking process before going on display. Promptly get the smell out of a dried starfish using alchohol.