Quick Stats
Minimum Tank Size: 20 Gallons (75 Litres)
Care Level: Easy
Water Conditions: 5.5-8.0 pH and Moderately Hard to Very Hard
Temperature: 66-84 °F (18-29 °C)
Maximum Size: 1.8 inches (4.5 cm)
Endler’s livebearers (Poecilia wingei) are a colourful and relatively rare species of guppies. They are found only in Laguna de Patos in Venezuela, which is a large freshwater lake. They are not technically a separate species from the common guppy, and it is believed that they were given the name Poecilia wingei for conservation purposes only.
Laguna de Patos has very warm waters, and contains high level of algae – which gives the lake its distinctive green coloration. Endler’s livebearers are currently threatened in the wild, and their habitat is under severe pressure from development. A garbage dump has been constructed on the shores of the lake, and is believed to have significantly polluted the waters. There are some reports that this species is already extinct in the wild.
Endler’s livebearers remain relatively small in the home aquarium, and males grow to about 1 inch in length, while females grow to about 1.8 inches in length. Most well cared for Endler’s livebearers live for around two to three years in the home aquarium, though occasionally some do live longer. With that being said, you can expect a much shorter lifespan for females. Birth can be very difficult for them, and many will die shortly after bearing fry.
Housing
Endler’s live bearers are a hardy, and easy to care for beginner fish. Because of this, they can be kept quite comfortably in an aquarium as small as 20 gallons, though larger tanks are recommended due to their extremely prolific nature.
It is generally recommended to keep these fish in a species only tank, since their tiny size makes them a poor candidate for community tanks. Also, they should never be kept with other species of guppies, since they will crossbreed and dilute the genes of this species. It is believed that many of the Endler’s livebearers in fish stores are already hybrids mixed with regular guppies.
While the males of this species are mostly peaceful, the females can be quite territorial. It is recommended that you keep at least three to four females per tank, so that no one fish is centered out for bullying.
Any tank containing Endler’s live bearers should also be heavily planted, and they prefer tanks with plentiful hiding places. It seems that floating plants are especially appreciated, and the dangling roots of floating plant provides a perfect sanctuary for their fry. Some excellent plants for their tank are water sprite, water wisteria, Java moss, Java fern, hornwort, hyrgophila polysperma, duckweed and Cambomba.
It is strongly recommended that you cover any tank containing these fish. While at first glance they appear too small to jump out of an aquarium, they are actually known for being notorious jumpers.
Filter
When kept in a species only tank, they don’t seem to produce much in the way of waste. However, it is always in your best interest to provide the best water quality possible, and a high quality filter should always be used.
They are a very active species, and will appreciate the flow that a hang on back filter provides. But care must be taken to cover the filter intake, or most of the fry will be sucked up into the filter – which will kill all but the luckiest of them.
If you decide to use to a hang on back filter, I would strongly recommend using an AquaClear Power Filter
Feeding
Endler’s livebearers are omnivores, and feed on small insects, algae and plant matter in the wild. This diet should be recreated as closely as possible in the home aquarium. This can be accomplished through the feeding of a high quality flake food, and live or frozen foods. One of the best flakes food on the market is Hikari Micro Pellets, and I personally use it for most of my small fish.
They relish live or frozen foods in their diet, and they seem to particularly enjoy frozen bloodworms. It’s not unusual to see an Endler’s livebearer attempting to consume a bloodworm that is nearly as large as itself. They will also accept either live or frozen daphnia, brine shrine, and blackworms.
Even if you are feeding them a high quality flake food, it should always be supplemented with plant matter. While it can be difficult to find vegetables that they will accept, you should find some success offering them blanched and shelled peas, or small, blanched zucchini medallions.
Breeding
Very much like their guppy relatives, breeding Endler’s livebearers is as simple as adding water. In good conditions they will breed regularly, and you can expect new fry every 23-24 days. Any tank being used for breeding purposes should only contain Endler’s livebearers, and should never contain any other species of guppies.
Also, it is best to keep a higher ratio of females to males to prevent any one female from receiving too much attention from the males. Male Endler’s livebearers will attempt to breed with the females continuously, and by having a higher ratio of females, it ensures that no one female is the focus of all of their breeding efforts. A good ratio is approximately one male for every three females.
Though it appears that most Endler’s are less cannibalistic towards their young than regular guppies, it is still a good idea to raise the fry in a separate, breeding only tank. Barring that, the tank should be heavily planted, and floating plants, or dense plants live Java moss will give the fry the best chance at survival.
The fry are large enough that they can accept powdered flake right from birth, though you will usually get better results if you feed them baby brine shrimp or microworms. They can also be fed any of the commercially available fry foods on the market. The fry should be fed several times a day, until they are around 3-4 weeks old.
Endler’s livebearer fry mature extremely fast, and most will reach breeding maturity at approximately two months of age. The males will take on adult coloration at around 4-5 weeks of age, though the females seems to mature slightly slower.
Hey I have some of these ! They are all male though. My tank meets all the requirements you mentioned except I do have other species of guppy with them. If I should find some female Endlers , I would be very happy to breed them since it seems mankind cant help but destroy life around them.
Endler’s are a great little fish, and as long as the guppies are all male, you should be fine. The concern is just cross-breeding with other guppies. And it’s terrible the number of fish that we’re wiping out. It always kills me when I’m researching fish for an article, and I learn that they are extinct or nearly extinct because of our stupidy. There are thousands of places to put a garbage dump, and they decide to put one right on the shores of the only population of Endler’s? You just have to shake your head sometimes.
Hey I have both male and female endlers – they are very happy healthy little fish – If anyone wants to take a pair to breed – I live in Norwich – so East Anglian Aquarians feel free to contact me.
Hi .I have baby endlers, I bought 1 female and so far she has had three litters. I am really concerned because the oldest are now 8 weeks and have very little colour and I cannot sex them. I was going to separate so that I wasn’t overrun. Can you help me decide what to do, will they get colour.
If their colouring is coming in slowly, you can always sex the males by their gonopodium. The males have a flat, narrow anal fin, while the females have a triangular anal fin. It’s one of the easiest ways to sex guppies, and I’ve attached a picture here showing the males anal fin.
As for the colour coming in slowly, could they have crossbred with guppies before you got them? That’s the only thing I can think of, unless there is a problem with the tanks water or something else which is causing them to lose colour.
I know I’m a little late on this thread, but I was wondering if 1 or 2 male endlers would fit in a three gallon tank. No other fish, just the endlers. Any reply would be appreciated. Thanks!
They would fit, but you’d have a problem keeping the water quality up in a tank that small. I would try to go with a larger tank than that and a filter and a heater are a must.
Would they do better if the tank was well planted?
Endlers are such amazing fish, it’s sad how they’re almost/extinct in the wild because of our ignorance. Why couldn’t they put a garbage dump somewhere else, instead of on the doorsteps of a lake where there is the only known wild population of endlers?
“We can put the dump by those trees over there, or where those useless abandoned buildings are, on that field, or right beside that lake with rare fish in it! Great idea!”
the extinct part isn’t true ….. I live in California and in every park I go to there are endless live bearers. I have fancy guppies at home but I love going to the park and catching some endlers just to look at them. there are tons
They’re very unlikely genetically pure. Most of the invasive ones you find will be heavily mixed with other guppies, and are unlikely to be pure blood endler’s.
You’re an idiot. Just wanted to let you know. ????
Hi! Interesting article. I know that guppies can survive well in non heated tanks, but what about these guys? I read the preferred temperatures, but would a minimum temp of 16^C be fatal? They would be in a small tank at home with a filter but no thermostat. Thank you in advance!
That’s definitely below the recommended temperature. While they do alright with lower temperatures than many other tropical fish, it’s generally best to keep them in warmer water (18C +). While colder water won’t be immediately fatal, it will contribute to a weakened immune system, and the fish will be much more like to become ill. So you would most likely be significantly shortening your fish’s lifespan, so it’s generally not recommended.
Is there any reason you don’t want to add a small heater?
None! Just didnt want the extra cost. I might, though. Thanks for answering! Another problem is that my miniaquarium is of only 4,5litres. Would this be too small for maybe 5 individuals? Would this be too small group? How many would fit comfortably?
That is far too small for virtually any fish, and it would be nearly impossible to keep the water quality decent with the fish in there. The very smallest you ever want to go for any fish is about 19 liters, although 37 probably a better bet.
Ah, pity! I was given this mini aquarium as a present and was trying to use it..
While it’s not optimal, you could always use it for a betta, and maybe a few small snails. Or something else interesting like ghost shrimp, which are always a lot of fun to watch.
You shouldn’t own fish if you’re this stupid. Seriously ffs.
I think I have a crossbreed between an Endler’s Livebearer and a feeder guppy. It looks like a mix of the two.
I have some guppies in one tank and some male endlers in another. I want to start breeding the guppies but I’ve never tried it before. I’d like as many fry to survive as possible but I think there odds are slim in the guppies community tank. If I were to put a pregnant female guppy into the endler tank,would they harass her or leave her alone since she’s already pregnant? It would be great if the fry could be born in the endler tank, it would be much safer for them. How long does it take for a female guppy to be ready to breed again after giving birth? If she were in the endler tank and gave birth while I wasn’t there, would the endlers immediately attempt to impregnate her? This is my first attempt at breeding so I’m gathering all the info I can.
Unfortunately, they would harass the female, and depending on how many of them there are and the size of the tank, it could be very bad for the female. Also, after she gave birth, they would continue to attempt to breed with her, and while your endler livebearer’s probably aren’t a pure strain, it’s always a bad idea to continue dilute their genetics.
Is the tank large enough to put a tank divider in it? It would even be preferable if you could use a breeding net – if only to prevent the stress of the female being harassed.
It’s a 10 gallon, but I think I’ll just let her give birth in the community and try and get as many fry as I can into a breeding net.
I’ve run a 20l nanoaquarium for two years now and my original research indicated that only bettas, endlers, ghost shrimp and nerites would be suitable. I opted for a betta, 5 endlers and 1 nerite.
The betta had issues and didnt last long. The snail escaped 4 times but still lives on… its immortal it seems.
As for the endlers, they have done really well but sadly all but one have passed away over the past couple of weeks, disease free and what seems to be just of old age (i.e. the water quality remains perfect as it always has but at upper temp of 28°). The remaining endler, who was always the smallest, now only has the snail for company. I do not intend to restock as I do not believe my original research was correct. I do not believe that nanoaquariums are suitable for ANY fish. As I no longer have room for the larger tanks I used to have, my days of fish keeping must come to an end.
I am unsure as to whether it is fair to keep the last endler on his own and would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks
Nano-aquariums are very difficult to maintain, though there are some fish you can keep in them if you’re very careful about monitoring your water. Bettas are an excellent example of a fish that will thrive in an aquarium your size, as long as it is heated and filtered. There are several other fish that will do well too, but they aren’t generally readily available. However, nano-aquariums are great for shrimp, and you’d be surprised how colourful and interesting a fish tank full of shrimp can be.
As for your endler, I think he will be quite happy on his own, as they’re not really a schooling fish. And if you’re incredibly diligent (which you sound to be), you could probably even add a few more endlers back. 20 litres is right on the edge of what can work for a fish tank, so I would understand if you feel hesitant to stock it again. But if you keep on top of water changers, and keep the filter clean, it will stay pretty stable.
Thanks for that, your advice was very helpful and much appreciated. All the best
Hey Rob I’m currently breeding endlers but I seem to be having no luck, I do have some neon tetras in the tank but I was told they would not affect the breeding process. I also have a snail that has given birth and I was wondering whether I would have to get some shells for them.
Are they getting pregnant at all? Do you see gravid spots on the females?
It may be that they are giving birth, but all of the young are getting eaten.
No they are not getting pregnant. Should I get get some new males or females
I would definitely try to add some more females. It may help, but what are you water parameters like? That can sometimes affect it as well.
Hi,
Your size estimate for Endlers seems to be much larger than other sources I’ve looked at! Is this the standard length for the females? I was led to believe that the male Endlers don’t get above an inch.
At the moment I have 3 P class males in a 19l / 5g tank with 2 amano shrimp, 1 nerite snail and live plants, mossballs and rock caves to hide in / swim through. Do you think this is ok? At the moment I’m doing daily water changes of 10-20% but eventually I want to cut it down to 2x weekly water changes of 10%, 1x monthly water change of ~40%.
Males rarely reach an inch in length, and even the females are usually quite a bit smaller than the maximum size. But some do grow larger, though many of my sources are quite a bit older for this.
As for your tank, the size is on the small side. It’s just really hard to keep the water quality perfect when the tank is that small. But other than that, it sounds like a great setup for them. And unless you’re having problems, I would really dial back the water changes. Large changes like that can eventually put the fish into pH shock and are just difficult for them to adjust to. A good 20% once a week is usually enough, unless of course you get a ammonia or nitrate spike.
Thanks for the info. 🙂
At the moment I’m having to keep up with the water changes a bit because of a plant dying / creating a little more ammonia than my tank can handle in its newly cycled stages. Unfortunately I hadn’t realised how dead inside the plant had gotten before my shrimp ripped it up! Hopefully if my ranges are good tomorrow I’ll cut down to changing 10% every 48 hours and eventually down to weekly changes. I guess I’m just being a little over cautious as I know how sensitive the shrimp in particular can be to ammonia.
Been a while since I had fish, so just worried everything isn’t perfect for them!
You’re actually doing the right thing since you had a problem with the water. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t doing it for new reason. And shrimp are ultra sensitive, so keep it up until you have the water quality perfect. Hopefully it all calms in your tank soon.
I know this was quite some time ago, but I appreciate your thoughtful answers! In my case, due to limited size of my home, I also have the 18 liter “starter” size, with some drifting plants that are sprouting, and others rooting in the substrate. It’s been 5 weeks, I have 3 yellow dwarf shrimp, and 2 male Endler hybrids. Would like to get about 6-8 crystal red neocaridina (as they won’t crossbreed with the yellows). Does this seem realistic for such a small tank?
It might be a little too much for such a small tank, especially with the red cherry shrimp as they’re very sensitive to poor water conditions. However, the endlers generally don’t produce much waste, and if you’re very careful not to overfeed them and keep on top of water changes, it might work. But as I’m sure you’re aware, the red cherry shrimp breed very fast, so you may see your tank overrun in the near future. I’d be prepared to sell some of the shrimp of have another tank setup just in case.
I have a type of endler guppy developed by Lucas Bretz of lrbaquatics called rainbow tiger endlers. I started with 6 almost a year ago and now I have 3 tanks (two 40 breeders and a 60 gallon) filled with endlers. I recently added a female betta to each tank to slow growth. If anyone lives in or near western Maryland, you are welcome to as many of these endler guppies as you want. I am on craigslist in the pets section. I love these fish but my local petstore will only take males and I am not interested in shipping.
See lrbaquatics.com for pic.
Deborah, if you still have fish you’re wanting to sell, please let me know. I’m relatively local.
Can a betta live with endlers as the last post mentioned?
It probably depends on the size of the aquarium. Since endlers don’t have long fins and aren’t aggressive, they should be able to coexist with a betta. But it’s hard to really say for sure, as some bettas do well with fish, while others will relentlessly bully the fish. It’s always a bit of a gamble keeping fish with a betta – especially a male betta. If you do decide to do this, I would have an alternative plan for the endlers in case it doesn’t work out.