Burying my old deceased Betta Fish (inside the tank?)

[Huscarl86]

I wasn't really sure which forum to post this in, this or the 'Planted tanks' section. It deals with the rather odd question of what to do with the remains of a former pet fish, something I'm sure many of us here have had to do at some point.

So rather shamefully I still have my first Betta Fish, Wihtgar, interred in a block of ice in the freezer, as it has been since the day he passed away back in June. Originally I had planned to bury his little body out in the forest, as I did a different pet years ago. But then I decided against that idea and wanted to bury him in a plant pot, with a nice plant, as a mausoleum I could keep next to my tank. This is probably what I will do, I just haven't got round to it yet.

But then I had an even stranger idea, and I'm ready to be told that it isn't a good one. How about a little grave for him at the bottom of the tank, complete with a little monument, or a little stone pile, or plant something nice there. He was quite small, even for a Betta, so perhaps it could work?

Could I risk him decomposing into the water? Would the aquarium sand I use be a bad substrate for a burial? I'm guessing it's not a good idea, but I do quite like it. Anyone have any opinions? I probably wont do it, and go with the plant pot idea.

 

[Colin_T]

If you leave his body to rot in the tank you will have ammonia problems for the next month or two and everything in the tank will probably die.

Bury it in your garden.

 

[Huscarl86]

If you leave his body to rot in the tank you will have ammonia problems for the next month or two and everything in the tank will probably die.

Bury it in your garden.

Ok, thanks Colin. I don't have a garden and I'm going to go with the plant/pot burial if that's what you say.

Anyone have any ideas on the plant pot burial? Should I bury him with an already established plant, or plant something from seed?

 

[kwi]

Ok, thanks Colin. I don't have a garden and I'm going to go with the plant/pot burial if that's what you say.

Anyone have any ideas on the plant pot burial? Should I bury him with an already established plant, or plant something from seed?

Not seed but a seedling, that way you know something will grow. Seeds don't always take.

 

[Huscarl86]

Not seed but a seedling, that way you know something will grow. Seeds don't always take.

Ok, thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I've kept a few houseplants in my time, but know very little about them.

Anyone have any suggestions on types of plants to use and how to do it right?

 

[CassCats]

Lucky bamboo grow nice and easy in pots indoors, could opt for one of those?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I would burry it outside, sorry for your loss...

 

[Huscarl86]

I would burry it outside, sorry for your loss...

That's alright, he died quite some time ago, back in June. I've had him in the freezer ever since, and recently got a new Betta I called Witta.

 

[Naughts]

A Peace Lily would be apt. They have white flowers.

 

[Huscarl86]

Lucky bamboo grow nice and easy in pots indoors, could opt for one of those?

A Peace Lily would be apt. They have white flowers.

Thanks for the suggestions. I was looking at Lucky Bamboo when a Money Tree and a Ficus Genseng Bonsai caught my eye, and I decided it would be one of those instead, but now I have changed my mind with this latest suggestion and I plan to use a Peace Lily for the mausoleum. The little white leaves remind me of Wihtgar (he is the fish in my avatar), so it does seem very apt. I'll probably get it done in the New Year, so may change my mind on the plant, but I think it will be the Peace Lily.

Need to find a pot with some little white fish on it in the meantime.