Septicemia infection from river rock gravel treatment?

[BlueStar]

After putting a betta in a newly cycled tank which I was still checking every 2 days for ammonia=0/nitrites=0/nitrates=10ppm at day 6 of my betta not adjusting well to it I put him in quarantine.
He had SBD, popeye and maybe dropsy which I have read now are all signs of a septicemia (Aeromonas Bacterium) infection which can come from high amount of organic decomp in gravel.
The gravel I got was from Home Depot, I washed it in hot tap water until there was no run off and then soaked it in hot salt water 15-30 minutes stirring it before rinsing it again really good. In the tank it still gunked up the filter and I cleaned it and ran the carbon filter about 2 days before I took it out to cycle the tank seeding it from another tank. If this is that infection I guess I didn't do enough to the gravel.

Is this Dropsy?
I need your opinion as to if this is dropsy or not.
I don't want to repost pictures so go to this link and look at thread #7 and picture FD-130.
http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=1125410
My other old blue betta has gray in the same location with no signs of problems so he will need treatment if it is dropsy.
Post also has all the details on this betta's problems with pictures.

As for treatment:
Changing 100% water daily.
I have been using Methylene Blue at 2 drops/gallon but on the 22nd that hit dose 13 so I cut it back to 1 drop/gallon on the 23rd.
On the 23rd he was in his 8th does of Epsom salt at 2 tsp./gallon.
21st I soaked some food in metronidazole & kanaplex and used it for 3 days keeping it frozen after each use and fed him 2 small pellets from it since he wouldn't eat the frozen shrimp in it. Will make up a fresh batch today since I haven't been able to locate any Jungles Anti-Parasite food yet.

Currently his eyes have gone down along with his belly bloat, but he still has SBD & gray under his gill area.

I bought some Maracyn-Two which has come in since it was suppose to treat popeye, dropsy and septicemia. I found my note on septicemia after I had ordered this stuff.

Can you use 1 drop Methylene Blue along with Epsom salt and Maracyn-Two?
Or should I only use Epsom salt and Maracyn-Two since MB has been used so long?
Should I stop using the ES on day 10 or 14?
Should I stop feeding him the medicated food once daily and fast him for SBD after I've started the Maracyn-Two?
I have 8 pkgs of the Maracyn-Two which will dose him 8 days though treatment is stated at 5 days. If he is not better at 5 days should I continue to 8 days with it? How do you use this as a continued treatment? Hopefully I can buy some of it locally, if not will need to order some more asap.

Where can you buy Jungles Anti-Parasite food? I haven't found it locally or online. Can't buy off ebay though. Does that come in pellets?

If no reply by tonight guess he will continue to be a loved lab rat and I'll start the Maracyn-Two tomorrow hoping I don't kill him using MB or ES.

[Oldfishlady]

I responded in your other thread per your PM request.

IMO-the river rock didn't have anything to do with what is going on with your Betta directly....It sounds like he was already compromised and with the change to the new tank-this stressed him and this added stress further compromised his immune response.....

You have to be careful with using too many chemicals/products-Over treatment can often be more harmful than no treatment at all....Not only will these products kill off the good pathogens that control the bad pathogens-the fish can become toxic...then things can snowball.....

Sometimes we have to make hard choices and do what is right by the fish.....Allowing a fish to suffer too long when all treatments have been tried and failed isn't fair to the fish....no matter how much we love them....sometimes we have to think of what is best for them....

If you can't bring yourself to euthanize him.......what I would recommend-stop all medications-Place in a small QT that is heavy tannin stained water, Epsom salt 2tsp/gal at 76-77F, cover the top with veggie wrap to retain heat/humidity-place him in a dim lit quiet location-even covering the bowl with a towel-this will at least de-tox him and give his system a chance to recover if it can or he will die a peaceful death......
If he survives the night-make 50% water change using premixed tannin/Epsom salt water....No 100%.....offer food-mosquito larva if you have it.

I think you are dealing with Mycobacteriosis and you risk all your fish and even yourself-especially if you have a compromised immune system and/or have open wounds on your hands......Be sure to wash hands/arms well after working with the water.

You asked for my opinion and I know this isn't what you wanted to hear because you care deeply for your Betta and don't want to give up on him....but sometimes we have to make selfless choices and do what is best for them......