Betta has been sitting at the bottom of the tank for 2 weeks.

[Liquidsky]

Hello all. About 2 weeks ago my betta refused food for a couple days. He was in a newly cycled planted 3 gallon tank and the ammona spiked to 1 ppm (no nitrites and about 5ppm nitrates) for about 3 days in a row. I added prime and did partial water changes on those days. I offered him frozen bloodworms which he ate and I moved him to a well established tank with stable parameters. I noticed after the bloodworms he became a little bloated. In the new aquarium he found a betta leaf near the top of the tank and sat on it for increasing durations until it became all of the time. I mean he laid fins motionless with the leaf fully supporting him. He did eat a few Hikari betta pellets during the 2 days he was in that tank. I moved him to a fully cycled quarintine tank with only about one and a half gallons to keep the water level low to just above the sponge filter. At this point he was bloated and could not swim to the surface without a struggle. He sinks to the bottom of the tank. It looks like his back side is weighing him down when he swims. He can dart when he is startled. He only swims when he needs to get air at the surface, eat, or change position at the bottom of the tank. He often looks out of breath. He still likes to eat. I treated the water with erythromycin it looked like it bothered him so I changed the water after a day and did not dose again. I put a dose of Blackwater to add some tannins. I fasted him for 3 days then fed him part of a pea. I give him epsom salt baths every day 1 tsp per 4 cups for 15 mins. The last epsom salt bath seemed to stress him so I took him out early. I have fed him sparingly every other day and only freeze dried daphnia and frozen brine shrimp. I got Kanaplex and focus and put it I some frozen brine shrimp. Today is his third dose. He still just sits motionless like a little lump at the bottom of the tank. He has been repositioning himself more in the last 2 days. Sorry for the long explanation. I don't know what else I can do? Please let me know if you have any suggestions of anything else that I could try.  Thank you. 

Water Parameters

pH 7.8

Nitrates about 5ppm

Hardness about 200ppm

Nitrite 0ppm

Ammonia 0ppm

KH/Buffer about 150ppm

Water Temperature 80 f

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

My first thought when you said bloating was Epsom salt, but seeing as how you already did that, I wonder if it could be dropsy.  @Colu what do you think?

Also, flow is one reason that bettas will sit.  Here's a helpful video, if this applies to your tank(s).

 

[Colu]

I don't see any pineconing what you describe could be an injured swim bladder in that case it can take some time before you see any improvement or you can bacteria infection of the swim bladder what I would do is finish 7 day course of kanaplex in food  and add a some aquarium salt 1 table for 3 gallons the salt will aid Gill function and add essential electrolytes to give him more energy  update after the week of kanaplex or he gets worse

[Liquidsky]

Thank you for the replies. I will continue the kanaplex. He would not eat today. He looks slightly more bloated. I will put salt in the water and try to feed him the medicine again tonight. The sponge creates very low flow in that little of water. I don't see any pineconing on him today. Thanks again. I will update if anything changes.

[Liquidsky]

Sad to say that the little guy started pineconing today. The antibiotics were not making a difference so I started him on metroplex along with the kanaplex 4 days ago. Maybe that was a mistake. Idk. I don't think there is anything else that I can do for him.

[Colu]

If your noticing pineconing it's more than likely dropsy the most effective treatment I have found is kanaplex in food to treat any possible internal bacteria infection metroplex to treat the tank as it treats aeromonas bacteria a common cause of dropsy and aquarium salt 1 table for 2 gallons the salt will help reduce any possible fluid buildup @Liquidsky