Endler's Livebearers - Aquarium Advice

tracygh · 08-10-2005, 05:42 AM

I have been hearing a fair bit about these guys lately and would love to hear any opinions and/or knowledge/experience anyone has about them.

Are they costly? Are they good fish in a community? Do they get large? Do they breed easily? Do they bite when you take them out to play? Just kidding on the last one there

I have noticed a few people with stuff in their signatures about them.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Toirtis · 08-10-2005, 06:17 AM

[quote="tracygh"]Are they costly?

Quote:

No, but it could coat a bit to get a specific locale/strain.

Quote:

Are they good fish in a community?

Yes and no...they will not trouble anything, but because they are so small, they are easily targeted by larger fish.

Quote:

Do they get large?

No, about the size of feeder guppies.

Quote:

Do they breed easily?

Very....just like a guppy (although, despite some people's misinformation, they are not guppies).

This chap is generally considered to be the best source for endlers strains, and knows a fair bit about locales, etc: http://swampriveraquatics.com/

ripvanrina · 08-10-2005, 02:52 PM

I just bought 2 Endler's for $4.99 a piece, so they're not like getting guppies but the price isn't too bad. They're really adorable and stick together most of the time. Everyone in my tank leaves them alone, sometimes they socialize with the tetras. They're great fish!

Jchillin · 08-10-2005, 02:58 PM

I would also suggest contacting TankGirl...she is a wealth of info on them.

Puriti · 08-10-2005, 03:02 PM

O____O those things...are freakin awesome......lol

Lepomis · 08-10-2005, 03:10 PM

Males stay about 3/4 of an inch long. The females are much bigger, more along the size of a female guppy. They are very prolific and have a high survival rate. They typically don't eat the fry so in no time you will be tossing, flushing, using as feeders, or selling them. I started with one adult female and within four months she has had in the neigborhood of 140. I am sure some got sucked up in the filter and others died off, but non the less you end up with a tankfull in a hurry. A male only tank can really be beautiful and you can pack a lot of fish in a tank at 3/4 of an inch. Color and pattern variation is amazing. Oranges, reds, yellow, green, blues, purple on all the same fish. Along with black bars and snakeskins you can get some really striking fish.

Toirtis · 08-10-2005, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lepomis

Color and pattern variation is amazing. Oranges, reds, yellow, green, blues, purple on all the same fish. Along with black bars and snakeskins you can get some really striking fish.

Do be careful, though...many advertised as pure endlers, like the snakeskins, are endlers x guppy hybrids.

Elmware · 08-10-2005, 07:14 PM

Livebearers are usually friendly with most community fish. They breed worse than rabbits if the water condition is right.

As for taking them out to play, not recommended. I once learned the hard way how easy it is for them to get a heart attack just by handling one to inspect the spots. I never did that again.

My female is about 3 inches, and the males are about 2 inches. I've read that they can grow up to 4 inches somewhere.

They also don't live very long. Usually a couple years.

Lepomis · 08-10-2005, 07:31 PM

Good point Toirtis. Many do sell hybrids so buy from reputable sources if you are wanting pure strain endlers.

jrp1588 · 08-10-2005, 09:25 PM

they just look like feeder guppies to me...Very colorful feeder guppies mind you...but still, what's the real difference?

08-10-2005, 05:42 AM	#1
tracygh Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Alliston, Ontario, Canada Posts: 444 Images: 4	Endler's Livebearers I have been hearing a fair bit about these guys lately and would love to hear any opinions and/or knowledge/experience anyone has about them. Are they costly? Are they good fish in a community? Do they get large? Do they breed easily? Do they bite when you take them out to play? Just kidding on the last one there I have noticed a few people with stuff in their signatures about them. Thanks in advance for your help. __________________ Tracy of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most

08-10-2005, 02:52 PM	#3
ripvanrina Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 78	I just bought 2 Endler's for $4.99 a piece, so they're not like getting guppies but the price isn't too bad. They're really adorable and stick together most of the time. Everyone in my tank leaves them alone, sometimes they socialize with the tetras. They're great fish! __________________ 25gal 1 Gold Gourami 4 Cardinal Tetras 2 Endler's Livebearers 2 Botia Sidthimunki 1 Kribensis 1 Dwarf Checkered Cichlid 1 Pitbull Pleco 1 Amano Shrimp

08-10-2005, 02:58 PM	#4
Jchillin Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York, NY (The Big Apple) Posts: 12,976 Images: 47	I would also suggest contacting TankGirl...she is a wealth of info on them. __________________ _________________________________

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08-10-2005, 03:02 PM	#5
Puriti Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,596	O____O those things...are freakin awesome......lol

08-10-2005, 03:10 PM	#6
Lepomis Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 335	Males stay about 3/4 of an inch long. The females are much bigger, more along the size of a female guppy. They are very prolific and have a high survival rate. They typically don't eat the fry so in no time you will be tossing, flushing, using as feeders, or selling them. I started with one adult female and within four months she has had in the neigborhood of 140. I am sure some got sucked up in the filter and others died off, but non the less you end up with a tankfull in a hurry. A male only tank can really be beautiful and you can pack a lot of fish in a tank at 3/4 of an inch. Color and pattern variation is amazing. Oranges, reds, yellow, green, blues, purple on all the same fish. Along with black bars and snakeskins you can get some really striking fish.

08-10-2005, 07:14 PM	#8
Elmware Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 146	Livebearers are usually friendly with most community fish. They breed worse than rabbits if the water condition is right. As for taking them out to play, not recommended. I once learned the hard way how easy it is for them to get a heart attack just by handling one to inspect the spots. I never did that again. My female is about 3 inches, and the males are about 2 inches. I've read that they can grow up to 4 inches somewhere. They also don't live very long. Usually a couple years.

08-10-2005, 07:31 PM	#9
Lepomis Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 335	Good point Toirtis. Many do sell hybrids so buy from reputable sources if you are wanting pure strain endlers.