🐠 What to Do if Your Beloved Pet Fish Dies

1. 💙 Say Goodbye

🙏 Take a moment to honor your fish.
🖍️ Let kids draw a picture or say a few words.
🕯️ Light a candle or create a small memory ritual.

---

2. 🧼 Remove the Fish

🪣 Use a net to gently lift your fish.
📦 Place on a clean paper towel or container.
❌ Don’t leave it in the tank—decomposition pollutes water fast.

---

3. 🔍 Check for Illness

👀 Inspect the body for clues:
⚪ White spots → Ich (parasite)
🩸 Red streaks → Bacterial infection
🐡 Swollen belly → Dropsy/bloat
🥀 Faded colors → Age or stress

---

4. 💧 Care for the Tank

🧪 Test water (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, Temperature).
💦 Do a 20–30% water change.
🌀 Rinse filter media in tank water (not tap water).
🪵 Vacuum substrate to remove waste.

---

5. ⚰️ Handling the Body

Choose the option that feels right:

🌱 Burial – Wrap in biodegradable paper & bury outdoors or in a pot.
🔥 Cremation – Some pet services can handle small pets.
🗑️ Sealed Disposal – Bag securely if local rules require.
❄️ Freezing for Mounting/Taxidermy –

• 🧻 Wrap in damp paper towel
• 🛍️ Seal in airtight freezer bag
• ❄️ Freeze promptly
• 🎣 Later, a taxidermist can create a mount to remember your fish forever.
  🚫 Never Flush! – Risks spreading disease to waterways.

---

6. 🩺 Protect Remaining Fish

👓 Watch tankmates for unusual behavior.
🏥 Quarantine sick or stressed fish if needed.
🧂 Add aquarium salt (if species safe).
⏳ Delay adding new fish until tank is stable.

---

7. 🌸 Honor Their Memory

🌼 Plant a flower, tree, or aquatic plant in remembrance.
📖 Keep a memory journal with photos.
🖼️ Frame a picture of your fish or their tank.
🎣 Mount (if frozen & preserved) as a permanent tribute.

---

✅ Quick Checklist with Icons
💙 Say Goodbye → 🧼 Remove Fish → 🔍 Inspect → 💧 Clean Tank → ⚰️ Dispose or ❄️ Freeze → 🩺 Protect Others → 🌸 Memorialize