Saying goodbye to a pet fish in Loveland
Not every crematory near Loveland accepts fish, and the smallest ones leave little to return. We'll help you find the right option and ask the right questions.
- What to do in the first hour
- What a small-pet minimum really costs
- Options emailed for your area
Loveland, Colorado
Getting help with a fish loss around Loveland
Lake Loveland, Boyd Lake State Park and the foothills west of town are part of daily life, and many people remember a pet by returning to places they shared. Some families keep ashes at home and bring a little to a favorite spot later, respecting local rules. Others choose a backyard garden under a tree. No choice needs to be made in the first week.
Loveland is a Larimer County city of about 81,000, sitting between Fort Collins and the mouth of the Big Thompson Canyon, with Denver roughly 46 miles to the south. Housing ranges from older homes near downtown and Lake Loveland to new subdivisions stretching east toward I-25. If you live up the canyon or on acreage west of town, tell any aftercare provider about road conditions and distances when you ask for a quote.
In a smaller place like Loveland, fish aftercare usually goes through the local vet, who sends small animals to a crematory in a larger city such as Denver. Some vets have a weekly collection, so your fish may wait a few days in their freezer. That's fine: a fish frozen promptly keeps well. Ask the vet whether their crematory accepts fish and what, if anything, comes back for a fish of your size.
About 81,387 people live in Loveland, which makes it the 15th-largest of the 36 Colorado communities we cover. The nearest larger centre is Denver, about 46 miles (74 km) away, which is where some providers serving Loveland are based.
The closest communities we cover are Windsor (10 miles), Johnstown (11 miles) and Fort Collins (13 miles, a larger centre). Providers serving those towns often travel to Loveland too, so it can be worth asking them for a quote.
77.4%[1]
The NFDA projected Colorado's cremation rate at 77.4% for 2024.
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.
The published sources behind those figures are American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 National Pet Owners Survey release and Embrace Pet Insurance.
Cremation in Colorado: a little context
In Colorado, about 77.4%[1] of people are cremated, one of the higher rates around. Where cremation is this normal, pet crematories are usually plentiful and some specialize in small animals. For a fish, that means more choice: private or communal cremation, sometimes water cremation, and keepsakes like glass paperweights or pendants. It also means more providers to compare, which is worth doing, because prices for the smallest weight band vary more than you'd think.
We take the Colorado rate from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). It is a human statistic; there is no equivalent pet figure for Loveland, and we would rather show a real number than invent one.
Season by season: fish losses in Loveland
If you find a fish frozen into the ice in Loveland, don't hammer the surface to get it out; many keepers avoid that because the shock can stress the fish still living below. Pour hot water on a spot or let a de-icer open a hole, and lift the fish out once it's free. If a fish is stuck deep in thick ice, it may be kinder to the others to wait for a thaw.
Some Loveland families choose cremation in winter precisely because the ground is frozen, then scatter or bury the ashes in spring. For a larger koi, that gives you a small urn to keep through the cold months and a chance to plan something by the pond once the ice has gone. For a small fish, the freezer and a spring burial usually make more sense.
Budgeting for a koi or tank fish in Loveland
Cost is a fair worry, even for a small pet. In one US survey of pet owners, 61%[5] said the cost of aftercare was a concern. The good news for fish keepers in Loveland is that there are low-cost options: communal cremation through a vet, a garden or planter burial that costs next to nothing, or a private cremation only for the larger fish where ash is worth keeping.
We keep the detailed Colorado price table on one page so it stays current: see Colorado prices.
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 Colorado
Rules about pets after death are set locally, and fish are usually covered by the same rules as other small pets. Garden burial is often allowed on land you own, with limits near wells and water. Scattering ashes directly into lakes and rivers may need permission. Releasing live fish into the wild is restricted in many places, and some ban releasing goldfish outright.
The official Colorado local government directory lists every county and city office, which is the quickest way to find who to ask in Loveland.
The Colorado page sets out who oversees pet cremation and what the state says about burial and scattering. Loveland's own bylaws can sit on top of that, so ask before you dig.
From the first minute to the last goodbye
- Take a breath. With your fish out of the water, there's no decision that can't wait an hour.
- Wrap your fish in a damp paper towel or cloth, seal it and label it so no one in Loveland gets a shock at the freezer.
- Check on the survivors: run a water test and confirm the filter, heater and air are working. Should several fish seem off-color, ring a vet who treats fish.
- Ask your vet or a local fish store which crematories near Loveland accept fish.
- Choose private, communal or a burial, and ask for a written total before you agree.
- Drop your fish off in a cooler with ice packs, or book collection if it's a heavy koi you can't carry safely.
- Plan a small goodbye, especially if children were involved: a drawing, a stone or a plant for the spot.
Keeping your fish part of the family story
Loveland winters are long by Front Range standards, with freezing nights from November into April and January lows in the teens. Summer afternoons reach the upper 80s. If your pet dies in cold weather, an unheated garage or mudroom keeps them cool without freezing; in summer, a basement floor is better. Canyon roads can close during storms or flooding, so check before planning a drive.
run the numbers with the free planning tools, The services page is the place to compare what is included, or see how other readers answered in our polls, there are guides for the big decisions and articles for the details. You can also browse every city in the United States. Nearby, we also cover Colorado Springs, Lakewood, Thornton and Denver, and every city in Colorado.
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
Which nearby towns can I compare with Loveland?
The closest communities we cover are Windsor (about 10 miles), Johnstown (about 11 miles) and Fort Collins (about 13 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Loveland too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
Will I have to travel to Denver to arrange things?
Not usually. Providers based in Denver (roughly 46 miles from Loveland) collect from here as a matter of routine, and the paperwork is done by email or phone. If you want to be present for a witnessed cremation, that is when the drive matters.
Does the Loveland climate change what I should do first?
Only the timing. In July, with highs near 89°F, cool the body and book collection the same day. In January, February, March, April, November and December, when lows sit below freezing, a home burial may have to wait for a thaw, so cremation with ashes returned keeps your options open.
Is cremation common in Colorado?
For people, yes: about 77.4%[1] of Colorado deaths end in cremation, according to NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). Nobody publishes the same figure for pets, but in our experience pet choices in Loveland follow the human pattern closely, so cremation is the default most families here start from.
Can I bury a fish when the ground is frozen?
Usually not, and there's no need to try. Keep your fish sealed and labeled in the freezer until spring. It won't come to any harm. Many families find it comforting to wait and plant something at the same time. Cremation is also an option if you'd rather not wait.
Can my vet in Loveland arrange a fish's cremation?
Often yes. Many small-town vets send small animals to a regional crematory and can include a fish with their regular collection. Ask whether their crematory accepts fish, whether you'll get ashes back for your fish's size and what the total cost will be.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected Colorado's cremation rate at 77.4% for 2024. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage), 2024.
- [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] 61% of US owners in the Cooney survey rated the cost of after-death body care as a concern (27.9% concerned, 33.1% very concerned). Cooney, Kogan, Brooks, Ellis - Pet Owners' Expectations for Pet End-of-Life Support and After-Death Body Care, Topics in Companion Animal Medicine (2020), 2020.
- [6] The median price multiple of private (ashes returned) over communal cremation across 8 markets is about 2.0x, ranging from 1.25x (Tokyo) to 5.2x (Auckland). Our estimate: median(private_price / communal_price) same weight band: US CareCredit 51-70 lb midpoints (250/75) = 3.33x; Auckland 15-25 kg (445/85) = 5.24x; Norway 1-20 kg (3790/1190) = 3.18x; Singapore 10-20 kg (480/260) = 1.85x; Ontario 25-250 lb (549/279) = 1.97x; Tokyo 20-30 kg (38500/30800) = 1.25x; France 20 kg midpoints (200/95) = 2.11x; Germany range midpoints (270/145) = 1.86x. How we calculate.
Find a Loveland provider that accepts fish
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