Male betta w/other fish

Question
Hi.  I've had a male betta  in the past and successfully added him to a community tank with no problems.  I've just recently purchased a 5 gallon tank for my young daughter and a male betta (crowntail).  He was in the tank for a few days by himself.  I had read that platys are good with male bettas, so I bought 3 to give him some company.  Apparently he thinks he doesn't need company.  Started flaring at them shortly after they were added.  I didn't allow much time before I removed him, so I don't know if they could have worked it out.  I did do some research about female bettas and saw that they can coexist together, but if one has been in the tank and you add the others, it's best to take the one that's been in there out, rearrange the tank and then add them all at the same time - give them a chance to work out their territory and pecking order in a "new" environment.  I am wondering if that might work with the male betta.  Could I rearrange the tank, leave the platys in there and add back the male betta?  That way, he might not feel like he owns the whole tank.  Is it worth a try?  I bought a small 1 gallon tank for him, but I really don't want to separate him.  My daughter especially loves looking at him with his vibrant colors and beautiful fins.

Thanks,
Kim

Answer
Hi Kim,
The problem may be that because most platies are brightly colored with oranges, reds and yellows, that the male betta thinks they could be rivals. It doesn't help that a platy might even look like a female betta to a male. Oftentimes, if a betta has been in a tank for a length of time,he claims that tank as his territory and will not really accept intruders. And then some bettas just a bad temperament. But I would try like you explained, of taking the betta out and re-arranging the tank around and then putting him back in (making sure the water is the same between his holding area and his 5gal) if he still has aggression issues then give him a little time. It may just be an impulsive reaction. He may not be sure what to think about them yet (and whether they are a threat or not) so wait it out for about an hour. If he starts chasing and biting then it probably isn't going to work out longterm. You may have to remove him or the platies. Some flaring is normal though, just watch for the biting and chasing that bettas are capable of.

I really hope it works out!
Best of luck!
Karen~