5 Gallon Tank What are these red dots on my sick Betta?

hello there!
my betta fish has been going through some tough times. My five gallon tank has a heater kept at 78, a low flow filter and a light. Recently I moved back home from college and had to transport him. I also got him some driftwood which I boiled for an hour before adding to the tank. When his new tank was reset up a bacterial bloom clouded the water. A kept testing the water and ammonia was 0. After his condition worsened i quarantined him him in a smaller tank to tend to him.
Due to the look of his fins and color I suspected fin rot was setting in but just today I noticed small red dots on the bottom of his tail (seen in photo above). What are these red dots? Please help this poor guy I want to treat him but I’m not sure what to us yet!

 

Did you only test ammonia? That definitely looks to be finrot. How often are you changing his water?

 

Did you only test ammonia? That definitely looks to be finrot. How often are you changing his water?

I also tested pH but I didn’t test nitrite or nitrates. I also forgot to mention that he is lethargic and stays at the top of the tank, more signs of fin rot or sickness I believe

 

I would test everything. Nitrites are as bad or worse as ammonia. When was the last water change?

 

I would test everything. Nitrites are as bad or worse as ammonia. When was the last water change?

I change about 20% every other week, should I change this?

 

For a 5g tank yes for sure. The smaller the tank the more waste builds up quicker. I would do 20% twice a week on a tank that small. 50% once a week. For finrot I would put him back in his own tank and try 50% water changes every other day and keep the water super clean and see if he improves. Being in the little tank may stress him out too much.

 

For a 5g tank yes for sure. The smaller the tank the more waste builds up quicker. I would do 20% twice a week on a tank that small. 50% once a week. For finrot I would put him back in his own tank and try 50% water changes every other day and keep the water super clean and see if he improves. Being in the little tank may stress him out too much.

Thank you so much for your help! I will definitely start doing more water changes! Should I use any sort of antibacterial treatment in the tank? If so what kind?

 

You could put some Indian Almond leaves in there. It will make the water brown/yellow but he will like the tannins. I wouldnt reach for meds quite yet, try some water changes and see if it helps first. Don't use any of the "fixes" they are not good for bettas.

Maybe someone else will know more about the meds or treatments.