Genuine 1975 Original Pure Cumana Endlers

Description

Genuine 1975 Original Endler's Livebearers directly descended from wild fish collected in Venezuela by John Endler, that have never been out-crossed with any other livebearers. Not only are un-hybridized endlers difficult to find in the hobby, but many varieties are rare or extinct in the wild due to habitat destruction. These are rare and special fish! So if you have any interest in establishing your own colony, I'd love to help!
I am registered with the Endler Breeder Association and all of my fish are documented, healthy and strong! The adult males are beautifully colored and the females are usually gravid. There is quite a bit of natural variation, so if you are looking for particular traits, let me know and I'll see what I can do to get you what you're after. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have at any point before or after purchase, so don't hesitate to ask! More information below.
Single adult male for
Single adult female for
Breeding trio (one male and two females) for
School of six juveniles (you select the genders) for
Ten fry (gender not yet identifiable) for
Endlers are like mini guppies, with females usually topping out around 1.5 inches and males at 0.75 inches. They are easy to care for, hearty, and awesome little fish to watch! Great for nano tanks and larger setups alike. They are very peaceful and adaptable fish, which makes them great candidates for community setups. They are small enough that adult and even juvenile shrimp are perfectly safe around them. Unlike most guppies, which some betta fish will see as a threat, endlers don't trigger their aggression and won't nip their fins, making them perfect betta companions. Also unlike guppies, they rarely eat their fry and need not be separated. Ideally there should be more females than males in a tank, so that the females don't get too harried. They will breed readily when kept together in a well-planted tank, so if you don't want more than you started with, get a school of males! If you do want more, get yourself some plants! Amazon frogbit, water lettuce, and guppy grass are ideal for sheltering and feeding fry. See the my other listings if you'd like some plants to ship with your fish.
Optimal Aquarium Setup:
pH: 5.5 – 8.0
KH: 10 – 30
Temperature: 64 – 82F
Stocking: A group comprised of about 6–8 is enough for your endlers to be comfortable and exhibit their awesome natural behaviors. However, they are not schooling fish that will become severely stressed without the presence of a bunch of identical buddies. Endlers make a great addition to a community tank with other small, peaceful, tropical fish, but are also great in a single-species tank because of their constant curiosity and endlessly active nature. They will swim through all levels exploring and looking for tidbits. Ten individuals or more is recommended if you want to start your own colony.
Tank size: The usual rule of thumb of having one gallon of water for each inch of fish in a freshwater tropical tank is sufficient. A higher density of fish is possible if the tank is heavily planted and/or if filtration capacity is ramped up.
Decor: Endlers are not overly adverse to open space, but they have little need for it and prefer to have objects to investigate, swim through, and hide in. Females in particular appreciate being able to seclude themselves from time to time to get a break from the males or give birth. As with many fish, they benefit a great deal from live plants, driftwood, and natural stone. Fry and adults will graze on the biofilms and algae that naturally grow on these objects, which is great for their health and nutrition. Plants and driftwood also help a great deal with providing healthy and stable water chemistry.
Water flow: Endlers are not very strong swimmers and should not be subjected to strong water currents. Moderate to low flow is best.
Salt: In their native Venezuelan coastal lagoons, endlers are often exposed to salt water from the nearby sea, so evolved to tolerate and even thrive in salt water environments. If you decide to keep them in brackish water, a good baseline is 5ppt. My fish are bred and kept in freshwater, so be sure to acclimate them slowly! Also make sure that your plants and other tank inhabitants can thrive in brackish water as well.
Tank lid: Endlers are good jumpers, so be sure to cover your tank to avoid any fatal escapes!
Fish are shipped out Mondays and Tuesdays to help avoid transit delays. All of my fish are shipped in breather bags with a small plant to ensure their safe arrival even if they are delayed in the mail! Boxes are carefully packed and insulated with heat packs etc. as needed. If tragedy does somehow befall them, notify me ASAP after delivery and take pictures so that I can refund or replace your fish. I want to know what exactly went wrong so that any future mistakes can be avoided. (I also appreciate knowing that they arrived without incident!) I take the utmost care in shipping my endlers and rarely lose any in transit!
PLEASE NOTE:
The free shipping option is USPS Priority. If you live outside the Northeast and there are adverse weather conditions in your area, I highly recommend upgrading to a faster service. If temperatures are above 80ºF or below 40
ºF, I will have
to delay or cancel your order unless you choose overnight shipping.