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Yes, and No. Bettas can be kept with other fish, however, remember that male Bettas are VERY territorial toward any fish that they think is another male Betta invading their territory. Though each Betta is a distinctive individual and will have his own personality, here are some ways to identify potential problem fish: fish with large amounts of red or blue coloring (i.e. Swordtails), fish with long, flowing fins (i.e. Guppies, Angelfish, High-Fin Tetras, Sailfin Mollies), fish with similar shapes (i.e. Gourami, Dwarf Gourami, Female Bettas). Also, watch out for fish that will nip and tear the Bettas fins, as this can result in infection or fighting and will cause stress. I do not recommend you keep your betta with any other fish.

Oftentimes Bettas refuse to eat when exposed to a new environment. Whether you bought your Betta from a breeder or at the pet store, the new fish needs time to adjust. It is normal for Bettas not to eat for up to two weeks after being brought home. Food should be introduced one pellet per day until he begins to eat. Do not be alarmed if your fish ignores the pellet or spits it right out – Bettas can be very picky eaters, especially after stressful situations. If after 5 minutes your fish does not eat the pellet, remove it from his water and try again the next day.

Remember that your Betta is a carnivore (meat eater), so provide him with a varied and high protein diet. Many Betta foods are available on the market today, and most frozen or processed tropical fish foods are also appropriate. Bettas have small appetites, so don’t overfeed them. Your fish should be able to consume all the food within two minutes of feeding. If there is food in the tank after this time has elapsed, this will contribute to poor water quality and make your Betta more susceptible to disease. You will probably only need to feed your Betta once a day, though some people feed twice a day. If you feed twice a day, remember that this will increase the waste your fish is producing and will also increase the risk of overfeeding, so it becomes more important that you are performing your weekly 10-15% water changes and all necessary filter maintenance. Providing a proper diet will increase your Betta’s life expectancy and bolster his immune system.

Nippyfish has an amazing article on detecting stress in your betta which is incredibly insightful. Increased stress reduces a fish’s ability to ward off diseases and heal itself, so it is useful to detect stress early to remedy the situation ASAP. From the article:

Signs of Good Health – Bright coloration – Swimming actively and easily – Flaring – Building a bubble nest – Strong appetite – Greeting human at the glass – Full finnage – Good body shape (no bumps, bloating, missing scales) – Smooth, clean gills – Dark and clear eyes

Signs of Poor Health – Dull coloration or gray color – Sluggishness or Lethargy – Loss of appetite, disinterest in food – Uninterested in surroundings – Clamped finnage, torn, shredded or missing fins – Bloating, weight loss, bumps, missing scales, open wounds, red streaks – Red or swollen gills – Cloudy, protruding or sunken eyes

The Betta Fish should be placed in a jar no smaller than 1/2 gallon. Preferably 1 gallon. Anything smaller than 1/2 gallon does not give them sufficient living space. And their waste and uneaten food will deteriorate the water conditions rapidly in a small container.

Don’t let your Local Pet Store (LPS) tell you that a Betta can live in 3 ounces of water like they keep them in the LPS. The LPS often mentions a Bettas natural habitat the Rice Paddies are small. Which is totally incorrect. Rice Paddies are “huge”, with gallons and gallons of water. Bettas do not live in 3 ounces of water in the wild. See Pic of Rice Paddy. Learn more about how Rice Paddies are built (click here).

Note: Don’t be afraid to put your Betta in a 5 gallon tank. They’ll love it.