Looks like your betta may have a swim bladder issue. I have a boy that is similar to yours (veiltail), and I have to be very, very careful when I feed him, for the slightest overfeeding will cause him to go on his side (mine floats to the surface) for a few days.

My suggestion is to keep his water in pristine condition. And I strongly suggest a heater. I would try putting him in a large 1-gallon vase with a small heater and see if that makes a difference. My boy was showing stress stripes in his 2-1/2 gallon tank. I then put him into a 1-gallon vase and put him upstairs where it is warmer. He has perked up so you might want to try the vase.

Try feeding him a cooked pea, but very little of it. Boil 1 frozen pea for 10 minutes, let cool, peel off the skin and give him a very tiny piece, no larger than his eye.

Overfeeding is a major contributor to swimbladder issues in bettas. Other than that, he looks healthy.

Good luck and let us know how he progresses.

I did try the pea trick. I fasted him firat and tried feeding him the pea but he wouldnt eat it. I did lower he water in his 5 gallon tank to about 6inches so its easier for him to gt to the surface...the temperature in his tank is 74 degrees... For the year hat ive had him hea never had a heater and this is the first time hea showing any ltoblems

How is your betta doing now?

I'd say don't feed him for several days and see if his problem goes away. I don't see any ick or any slime or any discoloration on him, so I think it's the swimbladder.

Ughhhh im so frustrated because i did fast him...got aquarium salt and a heater and he started swimming again and bein active...i went awy for the weekend and come back and it looks like he has fin rot or something...i dont know what to do because he seemed like he was getting better

I hope your betta is not acting strange anymore. If I may...a few things might be taking place with your betta. COnsider these questions-
How long have you had your betta?
How big it the container?
How (be exact here) often do you do a water change?
How do you perform the water change?
How often and how much do you feed?
What do you feed?
Do you have any real plants in the aquatic setting?

If the air bladder is damaged it is due to being overly stressed and some sort of physical trauma to the fish either during transport home, or cleaning of the aquatic environment.

Typically, as I have bred and raised bettas for some time, you would want to keep them in an aquatic environment which has some floating plants which are great for oxygenating the water the betta lives in. It also assists in making sturdy bubble nests.

It is not typically suggested to do major water changes on the environment if the betta has made a bubble nest.
This is a natural instinct of the daddy betta. He is the provider of a nest comprized of bubbles for which his future mate will provide him.
When this bubble nest is disturbed, it causes great stress to the daddy and they tend to go nuts rebuilding a nest till the exhaust themselves and eventually pass into the next life.

I like to keep my male bettas in tank that is at least 5 gallons. I also retro fit it though with a piece of acrylic that has holes drilled all throughout the acrylic piece. If I happen to find the perfect female specimen, I will purchase her, quarantine her, then place her on the opposing side of the 5 gallon tank and then let fate take its course.

You can easily tell if the female is gravid by looking for well pronounced stripes on some of the female species. Or, watch the male betta court the female.

Try using Novaqua and Amquel in the water every time you change it. Do not remove more then 25% of the water and dont wash the gravel in tap water. This will kill off the nifitying bacteria essential for proper level of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate to be in the system.

The Amquel and Novaqua are essentials. One removes ammonias/chloramines from tap water and the other adds protective coatings to the slim coat of the fish.

Make up gallon jugs of tap water and put the recommended dosage of Amquel and Novagua into these containers and put those containers somewhere where they will be safe. Room temperature is best.

Get parrots feather or anacharis and put it in the tank. It will float on the top and oxygenates the water which is needed. It is not recommended to use an air pump in a betta tank because this causes disturbances on the water surface which tend to break up bubble nests and again, causes great stress to the male.

If you do decide to try and give the Prince of the Pond a little enjoyment and purchase that female betta, watch him carefully...the more he courts her, the higher the possibility that she is gravid and ready to give him her eggs.

Make sure there is a bubble nest present. Gently lift the acrylic panel only about 2-3 inches off the gravel bottom. Eventually the female will swim under this barrier and then the fun begins.

You will see him court her hard. It will look as if he is constantly swimming around her and wrapping around her. This is NORMAL! The male betta literally expresses the eggs from his lady. His body wraps around hers starting mid section moving his body to expres the eggs. Once the eggs are expressed, they gently float to the bottom of the tank where daddy will do one of two things.
He will get super aggressive towards the female at this point. Chasing her around. Once you see this happening, it make things go faster and help the male out, gently nudge if you have to...the female to the other side of the tank and close the barrier. Most times she will run to the other side on her own cause she wants to live.

Once the eggs are expressed the male wants nothing more to do with the female (no comments please) If you leave her on that side with the male he will eventually kill her.

His mission now is to get those eggs, his prodigy into that bubble nest. Remember this is instinctual for these types of fish. actually many fish. If they cant breed what else is their purpose. If you can successfully get them to breed, you will have a happy and content little fella.

However-
Once you are successful at getting those eggs to hatch, you need to quickly place those babies ont he other side and start prayin. Cause then that sweet adorable loving daddy betta is going to try and eat his prodigy as quickly as he made em. Such is the cycle of life.