When a fish you love dies in Bloomington
Not every crematory near Bloomington accepts fish, and the smallest ones leave little to return. We'll help you find the right option and ask the right questions.
- Freezer tips so nothing is rushed
- Private or communal cremation explained
- Help keeping the rest of the pond safe
Bloomington, Minnesota
Koi, goldfish and tank fish: the Bloomington picture
Bloomington winters are long, with January lows around 9F and the freeze hanging on from November to March. In that season a garage or unheated porch keeps a body cool for roughly a day, whereas July highs in the low 80s make wrapped ice packs a must. Lay your companion on a clean towel on a basement floor, usually the coldest spot in a rambler, while arrangements are made.
Many Bloomington families think of Hyland Lake Park Reserve, Normandale Lake or the trails along the Minnesota River valley when remembering an animal. Regional parks and the national wildlife refuge along the river each set their own policies, so get permission before scattering in either. A backyard garden bed, a large pot on the patio or family land are straightforward alternatives.
Families near Bloomington sometimes lose several pond fish at once after a storm, a power cut to the pump or a hot, still night. It's upsetting to find, and the first job is the survivors: remove the dead fish, get air moving in the water and test it. Once that's done, you can freeze the fish you lost and decide calmly whether they'll be buried together, cremated communally or cremated individually.
Bloomington's population is around 89,034, the 4th-largest of the 67 Minnesota communities we cover. Minneapolis, roughly 11 miles off, is the closest larger centre, and a share of the providers who cover Bloomington run from there.
Our pages for Richfield (3 miles), Edina (4 miles) and Burnsville (5 miles) describe the same choices from those towns' point of view, and the providers overlap, so a quote from one often covers Bloomington as well.
68.5%[1]
The NFDA projected Minnesota's cremation rate at 68.5% 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.
Where these figures come from: American Pet Products Association (APPA) 2025 National Pet Owners Survey release and Embrace Pet Insurance.
Cremation, custom and the family fish in Minnesota
About 68.5%[1] of people who die in Minnesota are cremated, and the share has been rising steadily. Pet crematories have grown alongside it, and many now handle small and exotic pets as well as dogs and cats. If you're asking about a fish, you're likely to find at least one provider nearby that will take it. Whether you'll get meaningful ashes back depends on your fish's size, not on where you live.
The Minnesota percentage above is from NFDA 2024 Cremation & Burial Report state projections (via Occasional Sage) (2024) and refers to human funerals. Treat it as context for Bloomington, not as a count of pets.
Heat, ice and your pond in Bloomington
Bloomington winters are cold, with average lows at or below freezing in January, February, March, November 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.
In January, when lows in Bloomington average around 9°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.
Paying for a fish's goodbye in Bloomington
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 Bloomington 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.
The full price table by size is on our Minnesota page, and the services page explains what each option includes.
Free tool
Cremation cost calculator
Estimate a realistic price range for your pet's size, location and the type of cremation.
Rules worth knowing in Minnesota
If you rent, your lease matters more than any law. Most tenancy agreements don't mention pet burials, but a landlord or homeowners' association can still object to a grave in a shared garden. A planter on your own balcony or patio avoids the question, as does cremation. Pond fish in a rented garden raise one more point: ask before draining or filling in a pond when you move out. The notes below cover what Minnesota allows.
To find your county or city office in Minnesota, start with the official Minnesota local government directory.
We keep Minnesota's burial and scattering rules in one place: the Minnesota rules summary. Before a home burial in Bloomington, also ask the city whether local ordinances add anything.
A checklist for Bloomington fish keepers
- Make sure. Watch the gills and fins for a full minute. A fish lying still on the bottom can be chilled, stunned or very weak rather than gone.
- Lift your fish out with a net once you're certain; left in the tank, it will start to spoil the water for the rest.
- Seal it in a bag or tub, press the air out and freeze it. Chill it in the fridge instead if you want a vet to find out why it died.
- Test the water the same day. Check ammonia, nitrite, pH and temperature, then keep a close eye on the fish that are left.
- Decide by size. Private cremation makes sense for a koi or big goldfish; a small tank fish is usually better buried, potted under a plant or cremated communally.
- Call a provider and ask what they'd return for your fish's length and weight, and get the total in writing.
Memorials that suit a fish
Bloomington is a large Hennepin County suburb about 11 miles south of Minneapolis, bounded by the Minnesota River bluffs on the south and the airport on the northeast. Much of the housing is postwar ramblers and split-levels, with apartment and condo buildings clustered near I-494 and the Mall of America. Twin Cities aftercare services routinely serve the city; get a written total that includes the house call.
For a plain comparison of the choices, open services, look through our guides and the blog, or look at how readers voted in our polls, try the free planning tools. If you live between Bloomington and Brooklyn Park, Minneapolis, Duluth and Woodbury, either page applies. Every other community in Minnesota, and all of the United States, is listed too.
Reader polls
What would you choose?
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Before reading about it, what did you think happens to a flushed fish?
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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
Where are the providers that serve Bloomington actually based?
Some are local, and some run from Minneapolis, about 11 miles away. That is normal for a town this size. What matters is the collection time they quote for Bloomington and whether the drive is priced into the total, so ask both up front.
Which nearby towns can I compare with Bloomington?
The closest communities we cover are Richfield (about 3 miles), Edina (about 4 miles) and Burnsville (about 5 miles). Providers based in those places often serve Bloomington too. Ask each one for a written total that includes collection, so the distance is priced in.
Why does the Bloomington 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 68.5%[1] of Minnesota residents are cremated. There is no official pet equivalent, and inventing one would be worse than quoting a real, clearly labelled number.
When is the hardest time of year to arrange a burial in Bloomington?
January, February, March, November and December: average lows are below freezing then, and frozen ground makes a home grave slow or impossible until it thaws. The other pressure point is July, when highs around 83°F mean a body needs cooling and collecting quickly.
Can I bury a fish on a relative's land near Bloomington?
Usually yes, with the owner's permission. Stay clear of wells, streams, field drains and ponds that livestock drink from, above all if an infection killed the fish. A cotton cloth or newspaper makes a better wrapping than plastic. A marker or a plant makes the spot easy to find again, which matters if the land might one day be sold.
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] The NFDA projected Minnesota's cremation rate at 68.5% 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] Private cremation cost per pound falls with size in the US: roughly $9.2/lb for a 15 lb pet, $4.2/lb at 60 lb and about $4.0/lb at 100 lb. Our estimate: band midpoint price / representative weight: 0-30 lb (midpoint $137.50 / 15 lb) = $9.17/lb; 51-70 lb ($250 / 60 lb) = $4.17/lb; over 90 lb ($400 / ~100 lb) = $4.00/lb. How we calculate.
Tell us about your fish
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.