New tank for Mr. B

[Penelope .R]

Mr BRIGHTSIDE got a new home today.
He has been struggling with swim bladder issues for over a year on and off. Every time I've gotten close to euthanasia he's improved before starting to float on his side a week or two later.
I convinced myself there was still a chance for him, so I kept him in a 1 gallon tank for 4 months, I did daily water changes and fed him the most varied diet I could. All this time he still swam after food eagerly and dove down to hide under his java fern, he just bobbed back up as soon as he stopped swimming.
I'd begun to consider euthanasia again more seriously during this time as he remained unable to leave the surface.

But over the last two months he has started to recover once more, but not suddenly like before. He has slowly begun to swim downward with less trouble and stay there without struggling. His swim bladder (which has been swollen this entire time) is finally unnoticeable and his body is smooth.
It may be a fluke but I took my opportunity to get him set up in a more appropriately sized tank.
I bought a Hygger arc kit and set it up in my room with my other bettas. It's very basic, some white sand, river rocks and lava rocks. I'll be adding some moss eventually and a couple more plants, but I wanted to keep it empty to give Mr B more room to swim.
I know a lot of people will disagree with me for letting him live so long with his issues but it's just what I did. And I'm hoping this most recent improvement will stick.

I am wondering, has anyone else heard of a betta living this long with swim bladder issues, and improving on and off?

Here is a video of how he is doing now-

 

[Rocky998]

Mr BRIGHTSIDE got a new home today.
He has been struggling with swim bladder issues for over a year on and off. Every time I've gotten close to euthanasia he's improved before starting to float on his side a week or two later.
I convinced myself there was still a chance for him, so I kept him in a 1 gallon tank for 4 months, I did daily water changes and fed him the most varied diet I could. All this time he still swam after food eagerly and dove down to hide under his java fern, he just bobbed back up as soon as he stopped swimming.
I'd begun to consider euthanasia again more seriously during this time as he remained unable to leave the surface.

But over the last two months he has started to recover once more, but not suddenly like before. He has slowly begun to swim downward with less trouble and stay there without struggling. His swim bladder (which has been swollen this entire time) is finally unnoticeable and his body is smooth.
It may be a fluke but I took my opportunity to get him set up in a more appropriately sized tank.
I bought a Hygger arc kit and set it up in my room with my other bettas. It's very basic, some white sand, river rocks and lava rocks. I'll be adding some moss eventually and a couple more plants, but I wanted to keep it empty to give Mr B more room to swim.
I know a lot of people will disagree with me for letting him live so long with his issues but it's just what I did. And I'm hoping this most recent improvement will stick.

I am wondering, has anyone else heard of a betta living this long with swim bladder issues, and improving on and off?

Here is a video of how he is doing now-

Has he always been in a 1 gallon or was that just a medical tank? Its good to see you keep giving him another chance but sometimes it can be a bit cruel to keep letting an animal suffer... Some will disagree with me on that. I am not promoting that you should euthanize it, I'm just saying to think about the fish's condition

 

[Sgooosh]

Has he always been in a 1 gallon or was that just a medical tank? Its good to see you keep giving him another chance but sometimes it can be a bit cruel to keep letting an animal suffer... Some will disagree with me on that. I am not promoting that you should euthanize it, I'm just saying to think about the fish's condition

I think he can live perfectly fine just by the video, at least he has balance… maybe you could give him a betta hammock so he can lay down

 

[Penelope .R]

Has he always been in a 1 gallon or was that just a medical tank? Its good to see you keep giving him another chance but sometimes it can be a bit cruel to keep letting an animal suffer... Some will disagree with me on that. I am not promoting that you should euthanize it, I'm just saying to think about the fish's condition

Just a medical tank to make water changes easier, he lived in a 20 gallon before.
Yes well I thought about it many times, but he never acted ready, if that makes sense. It would come and go but even when he was at his worst he still swam over when I came over to feed him and chased his food to the bottom. I don't know that he was ever suffering, of course I can't know how much pain he was in, but his colors stayed bright and he never looked too stressed.
Anyway, I'm very glad I didn't euthize now that he's doing so well.

I think he can live perfectly fine just by the video, at least he has balance… maybe you could give him a betta hammock so he can lay down

Definitely. I also have those suction cup pots to stick to the back wall, I'll probably put a crypt in each of those for him to rest on. I just need to dig them out of storage.
He still drifts over onto his side occasionally, but he's getting better every day.

 

[betta4ever!]

He seems to be doing so great!! Thanks for takink such amazing care of him, he's beautifull!