Sick 23-Year-Old Goldfish Able to Swim Thanks to Custom Mini Life Jacket

A video about a 23-year-old goldfish struggling to swim has gone viral on TikTok, where it had received 5.5 million views at the time of writing.

In a clip shared by TikToker Aidan Cramer (@aidancramer), the co-founder and CEO of the recruitment tech startup Stride, the goldfish named Sally was seen flapping around at the bottom of a hospital tank, "where we put sick fish, so we can treat them and try and get them better," Cramer explained in a later post.

According to the poster, one morning his girlfriend's goldfish "couldn't get off the bottom of her tank." The user said he then built "a little life jacket" using a cork and an old bikini string to "give her some buoyancy."

Cramer said: "Eventually we got her swimming again," as the clip showed the goldfish floating around the tank while wearing the makeshift life jacket.

According to a follow-up video post, Sally had a swim bladder issue.

The swim bladder holds oxygen and gasses to help maintain "neutral buoyancy at the fish's desired depth," Jessie M. Sanders, an aquatic veterinarian, explained in a December 2017 article for PetMD.

The swim bladder is "very significant in the overall health of fish," said Sanders. In addition to helping with posture and swimming, the organ is also used for sound production and detection in some fish.

As other TikTokers also suggested, the poster gave Sally some peas, as they "clear out their digestive tract," a few times, which previously did the trick. But the peas stopped working for Sally in her "old age," so he resorted to the latest measure of making a life jacket, Cramer explained.

Sanders warned: "It is always recommended that owners discuss their options with a veterinarian before attempting any buoyancy compensation devices, such as floats or weights.

"Tying foreign structures to a fish's body can have catastrophic effects to its skin and mucus production. Any sort of external device will not provide a long-term cure," the veterinarian advised.

What Causes Swim Bladder Issues?

Swim bladder disorders are common in goldfish due to their round body shape and "a very curved spine" in some varieties, Sanders said.

Poor water quality can lead to sudden and chronic stress in fish. "Stress causes disruption in regular homeostasis," Sanders said.

This can cause negative buoyancy (spending too much time at the bottom of the fish tank) or positive buoyancy (spending too much time at the top) disorders.

Swim bladder problems can also sometimes be a dietary issue, with excess air entering the gastrointestinal tract during feeding time.

How to Treat Swim Bladder Disorders

If your fish appears to have a buoyancy disorder, "the water quality should be checked immediately and corrected if necessary," Sanders noted.

For a dietary issue, the veterinarian said giving your fish "a sinking or neutrally buoyant diet may help correct mild disorders" by preventing excess air from entering the duct to the swim bladder.

Swim bladder issues can be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause of the problem.

Fish with a permanent condition "can still live a full and happy life with some lifestyle modifications," Sanders said.

For example, you'll need to hand-feed fish with a buoyancy disorder whose swimming ability has been compromised. "When hand feeding, do not grab your fish! Bring the food to them in whatever position works best for them," the veterinarian said.

If the swimming issue persists, speak to your local aquatic veterinarian to arrange X-rays to evaluate the swim bladder, Sanders advised.

'Prosthetic Swim Bladder'

The latest video has delighted users on TikTok.

SandyLion1979 said: "It's like a walker or wheelchair for fish omg [oh my god] that's so cute."

Meech Batt said the life jacket is like a "prosthetic swim bladder," while cackalackyrob said: "It's like crutches but underwater !!."

User rey said: "the fish looks so excited," while Sarah Kimball said: "She looks so happy with her life jacket!"

Karen wrote: "Oh great now I'm crying over a goldfish [teary-eyed sad face emoji]."

User kaitlyn_swisher said: "i'm sobbing," while Tiffany Lynn Hebert also noted "She's so happyyyy [multiple teary-eyed sad face emojis]."

Newsweek has contacted the original poster via TikTok. This video hasn't been independently verified.

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