No, he asked him if he believed because if he didn't baptism would not work. If that were the case, anyone who jumps in a pool would be baptized. Look at Paul's example. Believing did not save him. Fasting did not save him. Praying did not save him. He wasn't saved until he washed away his sins in baptism. Besides, God says baptism saves.
You are reading into the scriptures what you want them to say not reading out of them what they actually say. Water baptism cannot save only God can save by His marvelous grace.
Acts 16:25 ¶ And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Paul told the jailer all he needed to do in response to the question what must I do to be saved was believe. Water baptism always follows and never precedes salvation.
John acknowledge early that his baptism was not a baptism unto salvation but unto repentance and that the baptism that Jesus would baptize with was one of the Holy Spirit demonstrating that it could only be administered by God. This is the baptism that quickens or makes alive that which was dead.
John 1:25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 ¶ The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
If you are going to rely upon your water baptism for salvation then you depending upon something other than the grace of God.
For the cause of Christ
Roger