Fish aftercare in Chicago, from koi to betta
Lift your fish out, wrap it and put it in the freezer: that gives you time. Then use this page to weigh cremation, burial and keepsakes for a fish in Chicago.
- What to do in the first hour
- What a small-pet minimum really costs
- Options emailed for your area
Chicago, Illinois
Who will cremate a fish in Chicago?
Many Chicago families picture their pet somewhere specific: a sunny window in a two-flat, the back porch in summer, or a favorite spot along the lakefront or in one of the city's big parks. Scattering ashes on Chicago Park District land or along the lake generally needs permission, so families often keep the ashes indoors or bring them to a family property downstate or in Wisconsin or Michigan.
Chicago winters are long and hard, with the ground usually frozen from December into March, which rules out backyard burial for months at a time even where it's allowed. In summer, July highs in the mid-80s and humid spells mean a pet's body needs cooling within hours: place them on a blanket with frozen bottles alongside and keep them out of the sun in a cool room. Cremation works in every season, which is one reason it's so common here.
Getting a fish to a provider in a busy city takes a little planning. A frozen koi is heavy and awkward, so put the bag inside a small cooler with ice packs, and take a car or cab rather than public transport. If you're dropping a small tank fish at a vet, a lidded tub inside a paper bag is enough. Call ahead so someone at the front desk expects you and you don't have to explain at the counter.
About 2,731,585 people live in Chicago, which makes it the largest of the 151 Illinois communities we cover.
Chicago sits within easy reach of Cicero (7 miles), Oak Park (8 miles) and Berwyn (9 miles). A provider based in any of them will usually collect from Chicago; ask what the mileage adds to the bill.
60.2%[1]
The NFDA projected Illinois's cremation rate at 60.2% 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.
To check the figures yourself, see Embrace Pet Insurance and American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 National Pet Owners Survey release.
How Illinois thinks about cremation
Cremation is now the majority choice for people in Illinois, at about 60.2%[1], but burial traditions still run deep. You'll see both among fish keepers. A small garden grave with a stone is a perfectly good goodbye for a tank fish, and many families choose it. Cremation tends to come up for larger pond fish, or when you rent, have no garden or expect to move house.
That Illinois rate is a human one, published by NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024). We quote it for Chicago only as a pointer to how families here already think about cremation.
Heat, ice and your pond in Chicago
In January, when lows in Chicago average around 20°F, a fish that dies can wait in an unheated garage or shed inside a lidded tub, as long as it stays frozen solid. That helps if your kitchen freezer is small. Watch for mild spells, and for animals: a tub with clip-on catches keeps raccoons, foxes and the family cat out. Move it to a freezer indoors if a thaw is forecast.
Chicago winters are cold, with average lows at or below freezing in January, February, March and December. Pond fish slow right down in winter and live under the ice, but they still need a small opening for gases to escape. Many keepers use a floating de-icer or keep an air pump running near the surface. Losses under the ice, sometimes called winterkill, are usually only discovered when the pond thaws.
Why a small fish still has a minimum price
Where a Chicago provider offers water cremation, ask for both of its versions. By our estimate, private aquamation runs about two and a half times the price of communal aquamation at the same provider[5]. The process uses roughly the water of 1–3 pet baths[6], according to the Veterinary Sustainability Alliance, which appeals to many people saying goodbye to a water animal. What comes back is a soft white powder instead of grey ash, and the national price bands appear in the table below.
The Illinois price table breaks costs down by size; our services page explains what sits behind each line.
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 Illinois
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.
Chicago's own guidance is published by City of Chicago Open311; it covers public collection, which is separate from arranging a private cremation. To find your county or city office in Illinois, start with the official Illinois local government directory.
For Illinois's rules on burying a pet at home or scattering ashes, see the Illinois guide. Local rules in Chicago can be stricter than the state's, especially in homeowners' associations and rentals.
A checklist for Chicago fish keepers
- Net your fish out gently and rest it on a soft cloth while you think.
- Freeze it the same day, sealed and wrapped. A frozen fish keeps for weeks, so the clock stops here.
- Work out its size: a provider will want the length from nose to tail fork and an approximate weight, so take both now.
- Tell the family, including children, in simple honest words. Avoid a quiet swap for a lookalike.
- Compare two options, for example a private cremation with a small urn and a garden burial under a new plant.
- Book your choice and ask how your fish will be identified from drop-off to return.
Small memorials for a small life in Chicago
Chicago pets live in bungalows with small backyards, two-flats and three-flats, and high-rise apartments along the lakefront. The city's Streets and Sanitation service handles dead animal pickup requests through 311, but that's a disposal service, not a cremation, and nothing comes back to you. If you want your pet's ashes, you'll need a private cremation. Share your neighborhood and any access details, like alley parking or a building elevator, when you ask for options.
go deeper with the guides or catch up on recent articles, or look at how readers voted in our polls, run the numbers with the free planning tools, Our services overview lays out every option side by side. You can also browse every city in the United States. Nearby, we also cover Rockford, Joliet, Springfield and Elgin, and every city in Illinois.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
Vote anonymously and see how other readers answered. The results are live counts from people who visit this site, so they show real opinions, not a scientific sample.
Which memorial feels right for a fish?
Tap an answer to vote and see how others answered. Anonymous.
How long had you kept the fish you lost, or your oldest fish now?
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If you had to decide today, which aftercare would you choose for your pet?
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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 Chicago?
The closest communities we cover are Cicero (about 7 miles), Oak Park (about 8 miles) and Berwyn (about 9 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Chicago too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
Does the Chicago climate change what I should do first?
Only the timing. In July, with highs near 85°F, cool the body and book collection the same day. In January, February, March 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.
Why does the Chicago page quote a human cremation rate?
Because it is the best local signal we have. NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) reports about 60.2%[1] of Illinois residents are cremated. There is no official pet equivalent, and inventing one would be worse than quoting a real, clearly labelled number.
Does Illinois regulate pet crematories?
Only nine US states have laws written specifically for pet crematories, and only two require written documentation for consumers. Elsewhere, it's up to you to ask. For a fish, ask in writing whether the cremation is private, communal or partitioned, how your fish is identified and what will be returned for its size.
How do I find someone who will cremate a fish near Chicago?
Start with your vet, who will know which crematory handles their small animals. Then call that crematory directly and ask whether it accepts fish. A local fish store or koi club may know who other keepers use. You can also send us your location and we'll email options that serve Chicago.
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.
Sources and our estimates
- [1] The NFDA projected Illinois's cremation rate at 60.2% 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] 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.
- [6] Aquamation uses about the same water per pet as 1–3 pet baths. Veterinary Sustainability Alliance — Aquamation, 2024.
- [7] Engraved pet garden stones start at about $39 at the median of three US sellers. Our estimate: median of starting prices [$38 Adirondack, $38.95 Memorials.com, $89.99 Comfort Co.]. How we calculate.
Ask us who cremates fish near Chicago
Tell us what you need and where you are. We'll reply by email with clear options and prices so you can decide in your own time.