1. the reason for Apple or Mystery snails and NOT nerite snails is not so much to do with the snails but the bettas. I have seen them interact with both types and believe me there is a difference. For the most part it has to do with size. The Apple or Mystery snail does not brook any nonsense from the betta and is not one that can be bullied. Even if you have a betta that is ornery it can stand up to the betta purely by being big enough to do it. The bettas can and will knock the nerite off its perch and give if quite a hard time. Also I am of the opinion that most people do not want snails with the capability of production of many snails in their tanks. The Apple or Mystery snail unless given a mate will not produce any more snails, period. You put one snail in your tank and you have one snail. I have had them in my tanks and have never had a plant eaten. They eat algae and things off the substate and glass but maybe I am not putting the types of plants in that they do eat. I just never had a problem with them. And my bettas seemed to love them. I had one betta that liked to "ride" on the shell of the snail and nearly rode it right up out of the surface of the water while I watched one day. I should have grabbed my camera but was frankly too engrossed to do it.

2. I would never have suggested that platies were a threat to bettas but rather the other way around. You see, platies resemble female bettas and as such are in danger of being harmed by the male bettas. He sees the resemblance and can think that there is a female in his tank. Some strange injuries and deaths have occurred this way.

3. Thanks for the link to the explanatory "Betta Puddle" . I have shown pictures of what the actual habitat of wild bettas looks like and we have to remember that none of the bettas that we are getting from the petstores even bears a resemblance to the bettas that live in those habitats either. None of the wonderful fish we now own have even been close to areas where they live in anything but clean water. (until they go to the petstores and are forced to live in those filthy cups) they are born in fish nurseries which if you ever have a chance to see a large one can compete with any hospital nursery easily, they go into clean filtered tanks and until they are grown they have daily water changes. Do you want to know how I know? Nitrites are fin killers. If the nitrites were allowed to build up in those tanks at all, the fins, those beautiful fins on our babies would be deformed and mangled. Wild bettas do not have these lovely flowing and billowing fins and do not need this care but these fish do. Breeders never know which fish is going to be their prize from the spawning so they care for every one of them until it is noticible which fish are going to be profitable and then they do what they call "culling". They kill those fish that are malformed or considered unsalable and continue with the best of care for any they consider to be profitable and any that are considered show quality receive the royal treatment. You may not find this happening in amateur breeders but when you deal with the pros it is the way they are .... it is their business and the way they make their living and they treat the fish they are making it off of well. It is after those fish leave the care of those people that their lives may change. Generally the ones who are show quality will go into the care of dealers who will sell them privately or who have purchased them for their own breeding business. Those who are sold to pet stores and chains will find they have come down a long way in the world and will enter the world of the "dirty cup" and hopefully have either a fast purchase or an early death and not too long to suffer.

4. Bettas can and do get along in SOME community tanks but this has been an exception rather than a rule in my experience. The betta is unfortunately going to be the one who decides the issue. (depending on what other species is in the tank) Also unfortunately, I have found that many beginners try to make fish that just are not going to get along do it because they want those fish in their tanks. Bettas and Gouramis are never going to get along in any tank, it is like the Hatfields and McCoys there is a blood feud in this instance. We can say and do what we want but eventually nature takes over and there is going to be a fight and only one winner. In nature where the fish have an infinite amount of space to fight and get away to safety this may be okay but in my book when you knowingly put two creatures that are incompatible in a limited space, no matter how big and say "this is my will" and then they kill each other or maim each other, you are wrong. I am not able to keep anyone from doing it but at least they will know they are doing it because the information will be there. Sometimes the combination is because of the bettas temperment and sometimes it is because the bettas fins are fair game for the smaller or other fish. Sometimes it is a freak of nature like the platy resembling the female betta. There have been reasons for every clash I have ever had reported to me at any time from any owner in my history of counseling betta owners and I have had to console many owners after the fact. I am simply passing along information and hoping the number of consolation and sympathy posts I have to make in the future will be less.

I will only add this one statement that I consider to be probably the most important thing I have ever said about bettas and community tanks:

IF YOU ARE PUTTING ANY FISH IN A COMMUNITY TANK AND THIS INCLUDES BETTAS, ALWAYS HAVE A BACK UP TANK AVAILABLE IF ANY OF THEM ARE SEMI-AGGRESSIVES. THIS WAY IF THERE IS A DISASTER OR IF YOUR FISH BECOMES AGGESSIVE TOWARDS THE OTHERS YOU CAN REMOVE THE ONE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. You can lose a whole tank of fish if you are not prepared and that would be a shame and unnecessary.
Rose