How to Clean Tank After Death / Bacterial Infection?

[BioBaby]

I had a 5.5 gallon betta tank. It had a bit of algae but I read online that that was fine so I left it alone unless it got to be affecting the water quality. Yesterday I came home from school, then work, then PetSmart after 13 hours without seeing my betta (with a brand new 10 gallon for him so sad that he didn't get to appreciate it) and noticed that my betta was showing signs of dropsy. I immediately took him out of that tank and set up the 10 gallon to serve as a hospital tank, but this morning he was dead. I've been crying since I found him sick last night and I'm just really upset.
Please don't start any arguments in this thread, because I'm really upset and I just don't want to put up with that, and I've never met a fish forum where it wasn't commonplace to do so. If someone else says something you don't agree with, just ignore it, please.
I don't know how to clean the tanks to make sure nothing bad happens to any future fish I might get. I can't imagine it's safe to use most cleaning agents I'd have around the house?
Also, does anyone have any ideas on how to properly dispose of his body. I want to have a respectable funeral for him, but I don't want to potentially infect other biological entities his body might contact.

 

[mikey11]

describe your tank better....what kind of filter do you have?....substrate?....plants?...etc

PS...I never use ANY cleaning products in my tanks....just water

 

[fluttermoth]

Very hot, very salty water is really good at killing off any 'nasties' that might be lurking in your tank, and it's easily washed away, so you don't have to worry about contaminating the tank with any harsh chemicals.

It will, of course, kill any live plants you might have, and the good bacteria in your filter, so you will have to replace any plants and start a new cycle.

You should try and bury your fish; don't flush him down the the toilet or anything like that. You can even bury him in a plant pot full of soil, if you don't have a garden.

 

[Essjay]

If burying the body makes you worry about pathogens finally ending up in rivers etc, you could always hold a cremation for him. You would just need to place him in a small wooden or cardboard box and set fire to it.

 

[mikey11]

If burying the body makes you worry about pathogens finally ending up in rivers etc, you could always hold a cremation for him. You would just need to place him in a small wooden or cardboard box and set fire to it.

personally i just flush em....

if they are too big to flush, i put them in a zip lock bag and put them in my freezer so they dont stink, then throw them in the garbage on garbage day