Fish aftercare in Montreal, from koi to betta
A pond koi and a tank tetra need very different goodbyes. Here's who in and around Montreal will cremate a fish, what it costs and what to do when there'll be almost no ash.
- Pond and aquarium fish both covered
- Water cremation where it's offered
- Kind ways to explain it to children
Montreal, Quebec
What happens when a pet fish dies in Montreal
Much of Montreal lives in plexes, the duplexes and triplexes with outdoor staircases that make carrying a larger pet or a heavy carrier down a real challenge, especially in winter. Aftercare providers around Montreal will normally come to the apartment or the clinic; tell them about the stairs, the floor and any icy steps when you ask for options. Services commonly operate in French and English, so choose the language you are most comfortable with.
Montreal winters are long and cold, with snowbanks lining the streets for months and frozen ground that rules out garden burial for much of the year. That is one reason many Montreal families choose cremation. The cold can give you a little extra time, but a balcony is not a safe place to wait; temperatures swing, and a spare room with the heat turned down works far better.
Big cities tend to have active koi and aquarium clubs, and their members are often the quickest route to a straight answer about who handles fish locally. Many have lost a prized koi and know which crematory handled it with care, which one returned a sensible amount of ash and which charged extra for collection. Your local fish store is worth asking too; some staff will tell you what they'd do for their own fish.
Montreal is home to about 1,780,000 people, the largest of the 3 Quebec communities we cover.
Nearby, we also have local pages for Laval (10 miles), Ottawa (103 miles) and Quebec City (145 miles), which can help if your vet or the provider you prefer is based there.
81.1%[1]
CANA projects the Canadian cremation rate will reach 81.1% by 2030.
10 million[2]
About 10 million US households keep freshwater fish.
13%[3]
13% of UK households keep an indoor fish tank.
3-5% of body weight[4]
Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight.
We built the this numbers from UK Pet Food (formerly PFMA) Pet Population 2026 and American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 National Pet Owners Survey release, and both are worth a look if you want the detail.
Cremation, custom and the family fish in Canada
With cremation chosen for roughly 81.1%[1] of deaths in Canada, many families have already arranged one for a relative and know the questions to ask. They apply to a fish on a smaller scale. How is my fish tracked at every stage? Is it cremated alone, or alongside other pets with a divider between them? When do the ashes come back, and in what? A provider that answers all three without fuss is usually a safe choice.
For the Canada figure we rely on CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030). Read it as a picture of local custom around death and remembrance in Montreal rather than as pet data.
Season by season: fish losses in Montreal
Outdoor goodbyes for a fish depend on the weather, but they don't have to happen straight away. Many families in Montreal keep a fish frozen, or keep a larger fish's ashes indoors, until a calm, dry day for a small ceremony by the pond or in the garden. Choose a day that suits the people who loved the fish.
Fish cremation quotes in Montreal: what's normal
Some Canadian humane societies bundle euthanasia with communal cremation for cats and dogs; the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA lists CAD 225 to 275 for cats[5]. Few advertise anything for fish, but it's worth asking a local humane society or your vet whether a fish can join their shared cremation. In Montreal, that is often the lowest-cost respectful route when you don't need ashes back.
Prices for Montreal track the wider Quebec market, so use the Quebec price table as your baseline and the services page to see what is included.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Burial, scattering and release rules in Quebec
You don't need a permit to have a fish cremated, but what you do with the body or the ashes can be governed by local rules. The most important one for fish keepers applies to living fish: never release a fish, or empty a pond or tank, into a creek, lake or drain. Many places restrict releasing non-native fish because they can spread disease and crowd out wildlife.
Across Canada, long winters shape fish aftercare. Garden ponds freeze over, fish overwinter under the ice and losses are often found at the spring thaw. Frozen ground means many families keep a fish in the freezer until spring. Most provinces restrict releasing non-native fish, so never empty a pond or tank into local water.
For Quebec's rules on burying a pet at home or scattering ashes, see the Quebec guide. Local rules in Montreal can be stricter than the state's, especially in homeowners' associations and rentals.
Step by step, from tank to goodbye
- Book an aquatic vet if an old or sick fish is clearly suffering. A gentle overdose of anesthetic lets it drift off without distress.
- Settle the aftercare question when you book, so there's no confusion about whether your fish goes on to a crematory from the vet or comes home with you.
- Carry it in a tub of water from its own tank or pond, keep the lid on, and add a battery-powered air pump for a longer trip.
- Decide whether you want to stay. Being present feels right to many people, but saying your goodbye at home beforehand is just as valid.
- Choose private cremation, communal cremation or a home burial and ask for the total in writing before you leave.
- Watch the remaining fish closely for a week or so, above all when infection was part of the story.
Keeping your fish part of the family story
Montreal's July 1 moving day means many residents change apartments often, and a pet may have lived in several neighbourhoods. When the time comes, many families want their pet's ashes rather than a fixed grave, precisely because they may move again. An individual cremation with ashes returned lets you keep your pet with you wherever you live next, and decide on a final resting place later.
try the free planning tools, See what each option includes on our services page, go deeper with the guides or catch up on recent articles, or see how other readers answered in our polls. If you live between Montreal and Quebec City and Laval, either page applies. Every other community in Quebec, and all of Canada, is listed too.
Reader polls
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Free tools to help you plan
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Ashes weight estimator
See roughly how much ash to expect back, by species and body weight.
Aftercare options compared
Compare private, communal and water cremation with burial on cost, timing and what comes home.
Questions people ask
Is cremation common in Canada?
For people, yes: about 81.1%[1] of Canada deaths end in cremation, according to CANA Industry Statistical Information (2030). Nobody publishes the same figure for pets, but in our experience pet choices in Montreal follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Montreal?
The closest communities we cover are Laval (about 10 miles), Ottawa (about 103 miles) and Quebec City (about 145 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Montreal too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
How much ash does a fish leave after cremation?
Cremated remains usually weigh about 3 to 5% of body weight, and fish tend toward the low end because they're mostly water with fine bones. A large koi might return a few ounces, enough for a small urn. A pond goldfish may leave a keepsake vial's worth. A small tank fish may leave nothing you could collect separately.
Where can I bury a fish if I live in an apartment in Montreal?
A large planter on a balcony or windowsill works well for a small fish. Wrap it in paper, bury it in fresh compost and plant something on top. Don't bury pets in public parks or communal gardens without permission. If you'd rather not bury at all, communal cremation through a vet is a simple option.
How do I explain a fish's death to my child?
Use simple, true words: the fish has died, its body stopped working and it won't come back. Avoid swapping in a lookalike. Let your child help with a small goodbye, such as choosing a stone, drawing a picture or picking a plant for the spot. A first pet's death is often a child's first loss, and handling it gently helps.
Can two fish be cremated together?
Yes, if you'd like their ashes mixed. Tank mates or a pair of koi that always swam together are sometimes cremated side by side, and many families find that comforting. Tell the provider clearly, because a private cremation normally means one animal. If you'd rather keep each fish's ashes separate, bag and label them individually before freezing and ask whether separate cremations cost more.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] CANA projects the Canadian cremation rate will reach 81.1% by 2030. CANA Industry Statistical Information, 2030.
- [2] About 10 million US households keep freshwater fish. American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 National Pet Owners Survey release, 2025.
- [3] 13% of UK households keep an indoor fish tank. UK Pet Food (formerly PFMA) Pet Population 2026, 2026.
- [4] Embrace notes cremated remains typically weigh about 3-5% of the pet's original body weight. Embrace Pet Insurance - Bury or Cremate Your Dog? Costs, Pros & Cons, 2025.
- [5] The Hamilton/Burlington SPCA bundles euthanasia plus communal cremation at CAD 225-275 for cats and CAD 240-475 for dogs (plus HST). Florence (Ontario) - How Much Does Pet Euthanasia and Cremation Cost in Ontario? 2026 Guide, 2026.
- [6] Private pet aquamation costs about 2.5 times communal aquamation at the same provider. Our estimate: mean of tier ratios 150/50, 200/75, 250/100, 350/150, 450/225. How we calculate.
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