Instructions
Select a male betta that looks healthy with no evidence of fin damage. Pet stores house male bettas in small enclosures away from other fish to keep their fins looking perfect and safe from tank mates that may nip their elongated tails. Keep one male per tank with as many females as you wish.
Pick one or more female bettas to go with your male but make sure all the fish are around the same size to lessen bullying of smaller specimens. Females vary greatly in coloration like the males, but their fins are short. Some are quite dull with dark red and blue horizontal banding but others possess colors as vivid as the males.
Monitor your tank for signs of fighting or breeding, such as nipped fins, and remove wounded or bullied fish. Bettas are very territorial for three or four days when a male builds and protects his bubble nest. Isolate your bettas in a separate tank away from other fish if they suddenly exhibit aggressive behavior. Reintroduce isolated fish once the main tank is peaceful again.
How to Keep Male Bettas With Female Bettas
Bettas are suitable tank mates in an aquarium of peaceful community fish. You can also house them in a species tank, singly or in small groups with a ratio of one male to one or more females. Bettas like warm or temperate water conditions, and their versatility makes them a popular choice for aquarists. Multiple male bettas in the same environment fight to the death, and this is why they are also known as Siamese fighting fish.