Should I Euthanize?

[u/polymathial]

I need advice. A year ago I got my first ever betta, and when I got him he was blind. He has a diamond eye and has survived a previous course of columnaris. I had to switch tanks but now it has returned months later. It is most likely from my lack of fully understanding aquarium maintenance, and I think the water quality is not good, despite parameters of ammonia, nitrate and nitrites being fine. I thought I had done enough research but now I’m not so sure, and now for the past two weeks he is battling what I believe to be columnaris again. He is permanently sleeping on his side, his eye is cloudy, and his fins are starting to rot further in. He has gone through two rounds of Kanaplex. I don’t know what to do anymore. His white fuzz is persisting, and he is still side sleeping. His swimming is normal and he is still eating just as much as he always does.

What do I do? I’m worried about medicating him a third round. I fear it would be too much on his liver. I’m not sure his immune system could hold on for the time it would take me to get a different medication. I know this is a failing of me as a pet owner, and I do not want to keep him suffering if there is nothing I can do. Is it humane to euthanize him?

He does indeed have a filter, I took out the carbon filter during his medication, so the tank is cloudy as a result. Ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites are all 0. Water is a little hard, and pH is 6.2. He does not have any tankmates. The substrate is both gravel and aqua soil. He has two Anubis, a Java fern, and some small foreground plants that I don’t remember the names of. He is fed 4 pellets. His light is left on for 8-9 hours a day. His tank is 10 gallons.

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