Betta Fishes

Question
Well i actually have 2 questions, first i really have no knowledge of Beta Fishes and i went to the dentist one day and came back with a mold of my teeth made of plaster i thought it would be cool to stick it inside of my fishtank with my beta at the time once i finished cleaning out my fish tank afterwards i put the tank with the teeth and beta in it on top of the microwave and said i would put him back in my room the next day when i came back my betas right eye was huge and looked inflamed so i took him off the microwave and cleaned his tank and put him in fresh water and threw away the molding and put him in my room i don't know what made his eye inflamed like that was it the microwave, or the molding but the inflaming has yet went down and hes in good condition again and my second question is i have had my beta ever since December 26 of 2005 and i have yet to know when to breed him or bring any friends or any female betas in his tank yet and what kind of friends should be in the tank?

Answer
Hi Ashly,
  The mold probably had a chemical on it so that it wouldn't stick to your gums.  This "mold release" chemical probably irritated your fish's eye.  I don't think the microwave could
have any effect (assuming the microwave is functioning properly).

  Male bettas don't want or need any "friends".  In fact, they don't like other fish.  The only fish a male betta ever wants to see is a female betta and even then, only briefly.  
Male bettas are very territorial.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>