Funeral Rituals

[ADMWNDSR83]

Over on YouTube, @KGTropicals asked the poll question, how do you dispose of dead fish?  The comment section was sometimes informative, sometimes absolutely hilarious.  I wanted to pose the same question here.  How do you dispose of fish when they go to the million gallon aquarium in the sky? 

[Daniel]

I feed them to my cats, sort of a pet recycling program.

[ange]

1 hour ago, Daniel said:

I feed them to my cats, sort of a pet recycling program.

That got a laugh from me. I don't know why I find it so funny.

I usually put bodies into the soil around my outdoor plants.

[TheDukeAnumber1]

I haven't kept many "wet pet fish" but the ones I have I've made sure to keep some photos saved and organized.

@Cory

When things are settled at the new place will Hank get his final resting place there?

 

[DaveSamsell]

1 hour ago, Daniel said:

I feed them to my cats, sort of a pet recycling program.

@Daniel, was just curious, ever any problems with the cats picking up internal parasites, or other ailments, from the fish?  

Typically, I just bury mine or use them as plant fertilizer.  

Thanks...

[Daniel]

9 minutes ago, DaveSamsell said:

@Daniel, was just curious, ever any problems with the cats picking up internal parasites, or other ailments, from the fish?  

Not all of my fish are 'pining for the fjords' at the time my cats eat them. I don't run tops on my tanks and was always amazed at how few jumpers I noticed.

But then there was that time that my jungle val turned in a jumper

And it was then I connected the dots.

But to answer your question, no internal parasite transmission from fish to cat that I am aware of.

My cats (all indoor cats) manage to eat skinks, honey bees, crickets, green beans, garlic and plastic wrap. I have been especially concerned about the garlic and the plastic wrap, but it is possible the cats were self medicating against the internal parasites as it seems to have worked.

[Cory]

2 hours ago, TheDukeAnumber1 said:

I haven't kept many "wet pet fish" but the ones I have I've made sure to keep some photos saved and organized.

@Cory

When things are settled at the new place will Hank get his final resting place there?

 

That's the hope. Finally plant the maple tree and Hank. 

[ADMWNDSR83]

Speaking of parasites and illnesses, one topic that came up in this discussion on the other page was the ethics of flushing dead fish.  From my childhood this was always the m.o., and I had never heard anything otherwise, but over there, there were some people getting angry about flushing fish.  I personally can't imagine any diseases or parasites living through the water reclamation process, but I'd love to hear other's thoughts.

 

Side note: the best answer I heard on there was building the dead fish a raft out of toothpicks, floating him in the middle of the tank and giving him a mini viking funeral pyre. 

[gcalberto]

19 minutes ago, ADMWNDSR83 said:

Speaking of parasites and illnesses, one topic that came up in this discussion on the other page was the ethics of flushing dead fish.  From my childhood this was always the m.o., and I had never heard anything otherwise, but over there, there were some people getting angry about flushing fish.  I personally can't imagine any diseases or parasites living through the water reclamation process, but I'd love to hear other's thoughts.

 

Side note: the best answer I heard on there was building the dead fish a raft out of toothpicks, floating him in the middle of the tank and giving him a mini viking funeral pyre. 

That is, assuming the water is treated, which it is most (but not all) of the time

[Pekitivey]

Man, I got slated on that thread for saying I put my smaller fish in the trash or feed them to my dogs/cats. Where my larger more important fish to me get burried. Even some of my more lovable guppies. Some of the replies couldn't get over how I value some fish more than others. "All fish are equal" apparently I have to have the same affection for my Oscar as I do a random neon tetra. 

[Rikostan]

We have a septic tank and leech bed, so i have not flushed any fish. I've always heard there is a chance the fish could harm the bacteria in the tank, so I just didn't chance it.

Instead I have just wrapped them in a piece of tissue paper and threw them away. So far it's only been a few guppies though. I might do something different if I ever get a larger fish.

[ADMWNDSR83]

1 minute ago, Rikostan said:

 

And that's why the co-op is better than YouTube!!

Edited September 24, 2020 by ADMWNDSR83
quoted wrong post

[ADMWNDSR83]

3 minutes ago, Pekitivey said:

Man, I got slated on that thread for saying I put my smaller fish in the trash or feed them to my dogs/cats. Where my larger more important fish to me get burried. Even some of my more lovable guppies. Some of the replies couldn't get over how I value some fish more than others. "All fish are equal" apparently I have to have the same affection for my Oscar as I do a random neon tetra. 

THAT'S why the co-op is better than You Tube

[Pekitivey]

5 minutes ago, ADMWNDSR83 said:

THAT'S why the co-op is better than You Tube

I legit said that in the comment thread over there haha. Also I love neon tetras before someone jumps on me haha

[Antichton]

I just let my shrimp take care of the bodies most of the time. They're pretty efficient, all thats left is a skeleton after a couple days. Otherwise I bury em beneath my strawberry plants on the balcony. 

[Fonske]

My dead fishes get buried inside my turtle. (S)he loves the ritual very much.  

[Ben Ellison]

Mine are fed to the woods. First come first served.

[James Croney]

I put mine under a banana tree, in the soil. I just hope my bananas don't taste like fish...

[Tetra Guy]

I bury mine in the flower box on the terrace where they return to the life cycle as vibrant red and pink geraniums.   

Edited September 28, 2020 by Tetra Guy

[Paul]

Small fish get flushed and the big ones become tomatoes.  

[James Croney]

1 hour ago, Paul said:

Small fish get flushed and the big ones become tomatoes.  

Serious question... do your tomatoes smell/taste like fish? I fear that maybe my garden plants will become fishy.

[Daniel]

As bacteria in the soil decompose our ex-fish, potassium, phosphorus, etc. become ionized and are taken up strongly by the soil. As part of the nutrient uptake process nutrients are depleted by the roots in the zone closest to the roots, a concentration gradient between the soil over to the root zone develops and allows for a diffusion of these ions to the roots of the tomato plant.

Fortunately, during this process the fishy odor, trimethylamine (N(CH₃)₃) is released as a gas and is not available to the tomatoes as part of the nutrient uptake process.

So although your garden may smell fishy, your tomatoes will not taste fishy.

[Ben Ellison]

One thing I really  love about freshwater is I can reuse the nitrate rich water on plants.  Using the dead fish is just another thing to add to the ways it enhances my world 🙂

[Paul]

1 hour ago, James Croney said:

Serious question... do your tomatoes smell/taste like fish? I fear that maybe my garden plants will become fishy.

The long and short answer is no your tomato’s will not smell or taste fishy. 

[JPinAZ]

I buried my Betta I lost recently in my front garden. Miss that guy. He was my first and got me started in this hobby.