2007-02-11 12:47:45 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
(the fish)
2007-02-11 12:50:18 · update #1
Without question it is betta from the scientific name of the fish Betta splendens. The word betta is neither latin nor greek ( as most genus names are) hence the confusion in spellings. It is derived from a local native name for the fish. To futher add to the confusion, the specific name, splendens is latin for bright or glittering. There is no records of how long the natives have called the fish betta, but they have used them for sport for hundreds of years. The name has been in use scientifically since the naming of B. bellica by Mr. Sauvage in 1884 B. splendens was named in 1909 as B. pugnax and renamed in 1910 by Regan when in became obvious that the fish from Thailand (B. splendens) was not the same as the fish from Pinang Island when remains B. pugnax today.
This is why in part, that printed fish identification guide are important. I just looked in 27 fish books and all of them from one published in 1926 to one published in 2005 refer to this fish as Betta splendens. Websites can often be wrong and don't have to pass the same proofreading that books do.
MM
EDIT. The correct pronunciation is with a short e sound as in beg or web NOT a long e sounds like in beef.
2007-02-11 13:15:57 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Betta. The scientific name has "betta" so spell it "betta".
Kinda simple right?
Beta: Video cassette format that was destroyed by VHS in the Video Wars of the 1980s.
http://static.flickr.com/92/244990622_ae9ea88612.jpg
Maybe it is actually "Better" but the first person who discovered it was a really bad speller.
2007-02-11 18:12:14 · answer #2 · answered by Stealthy Ninja 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You can spell it betta or beta it really doesn't matter.I spell it betta because beta is like the new BETA version of yahoo music!
2007-02-15 12:20:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Betta
2007-02-15 06:47:37 · answer #4 · answered by chkn_fur 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Siamese Fighting Fish (Betta Splendens),
2007-02-11 12:52:16 · answer #5 · answered by ambernpeach 4 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Betta.
2007-02-11 13:35:58 · answer #6 · answered by purple_lily76 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's double T. Betta fish. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betta
beta is totally different; check out the disambiguation page at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta
2007-02-11 12:50:49 · answer #7 · answered by WeenusLies 2 · 6⤊ 0⤋
i have a Betta fish and on its food its with two T's
2007-02-11 14:01:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anna, 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
either way. you decide!
it can be spelled Beta or Betta
it's kind of like color or also spelled colour in Europe
or favorite and favourite
http://www.ask-the-vet.com/betta-fish-care.htm
2007-02-11 14:03:35 · answer #9 · answered by me : ] 5 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Wow! I bet you're confused by so many different responses. I can't believe that this has become a hotly debated topic. How silly! As far as I can tell, the name can be spelled either way but cannot be found in Webster's Dictionary under the "b...e...t...a" spelling. Under "b...e...t...t...a", there is the fish definition and the pronunciation, and that is: "bed-a". In fact, I've seen big-name pet stores spell it, "b...e...t...a" But technically and correctly, it's spelled with a double "T". Check out the web site below:
P.S. - If you think about it, our English language is constantly evolving. We frequently alter words and then accept the new word. Take the word "through", for example. Many people shorten it to "thru".
2007-02-11 12:56:04 · answer #10 · answered by HoneyBunny 7 · 3⤊ 4⤋