My Three Endlers
Endler's Livebearers
Endlers are extremely active fish and are tons of fun to watch. They were first discovered by Franklyn F. Bond but went unnoticed for 40 years until they were rediscovered by professor John Endler, hence the name "Endler's Livebearers". Now they are popular pets and are sold in pet stores in many places in the world. However, their natural breed in the wild is severely endangered or completely extinct altogether. That is why we must care for our endlers right, so I wrote this post to help you out, read on to find out how to care for them and more!
Class
First off, let's discuss classes. There are three classes: N class, P class, and K class.
N Class: N class are any endlers that have come from their natural habitat in the waters of Venezuela, you must have records kept that they are from Venezuela or they are not considered true N class endlers.
P Class: P class endlers are endlers that are still true endlers, however, they did not come from their natural habitat. This type of class includes black bar endlers, peacock endlers, and more. N class includes the same types, however, they are from their natural habitat in Venezuela.
K Class: K class is any endler that has been crossbred with any other livebearer such as guppies. This includes Japan Blue endlers, Scarlet Red endlers, any Snakeskin endlers, Tiger endlers, and more.
My Black Bar Male Endler Named Green [P class]
My Scarlet Red Male Endler Named Red [K class]
My Japan Blue Male Endler Named Blue [K class]
Tank Conditions
Endlers are tiny fish and are only about 1 inch for a male and about 1.8 inches for a female, however they are social fish so they should be kept in minimally groups of 3. The minimum tank size for three males would be a 5 gallon, if keeping any females or a greater number of males, 10 gallons would be the minimum recommended size. But, as with most fish, the bigger the tank, the better. Ideally, you'll want a temperature that does not fluctuate and is set to about 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The pH levels should ideally be 6.7 to 8.5. Hardness should not be a problem up to 25dGH. Your tank should have a lot of plants and decorations for hiding spaces but remember, don't overload the tank with decor that there is not enough space to swim, because endlers are highly active and energetic. Endlers also enjoy floating plants, so its good to add some of those to your tank, especially if you plan to breed.
Feeding
When buying food it is always important to remember that endlers are very small fish which means they require small food. They are omnivorous and can eat micro pellets and tiny fish flakes; small algae wafers; and bug bites. Live and frozen foods, such as brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms would be a great treat to incorporate into their weekly diet. If they are not eating, try taking a tiny bit of tank water or dechlorinated tap water and put it in a small container. Put a small pinch of pure garlic powder in, then let the food soak inside for about 5 minutes. Then give some food to your fish, this should help entice them to eat. If they begin to accept food with garlic, begin adding less and less garlic powder each time until there is none left and your endlers will just eat the regular food.
Bug Bites, a Nice Size for Endlers
Additional Info
Some other things to keep in mind:
Endlers are a great fish with high energy levels and lots of personality. I hope you have lots of fun with your fish and that this guide will help you along the way!
Endler's Livebearers
Endlers are extremely active fish and are tons of fun to watch. They were first discovered by Franklyn F. Bond but went unnoticed for 40 years until they were rediscovered by professor John Endler, hence the name "Endler's Livebearers". Now they are popular pets and are sold in pet stores in many places in the world. However, their natural breed in the wild is severely endangered or completely extinct altogether. That is why we must care for our endlers right, so I wrote this post to help you out, read on to find out how to care for them and more!
Class
First off, let's discuss classes. There are three classes: N class, P class, and K class.
N Class: N class are any endlers that have come from their natural habitat in the waters of Venezuela, you must have records kept that they are from Venezuela or they are not considered true N class endlers.
P Class: P class endlers are endlers that are still true endlers, however, they did not come from their natural habitat. This type of class includes black bar endlers, peacock endlers, and more. N class includes the same types, however, they are from their natural habitat in Venezuela.
K Class: K class is any endler that has been crossbred with any other livebearer such as guppies. This includes Japan Blue endlers, Scarlet Red endlers, any Snakeskin endlers, Tiger endlers, and more.
My Black Bar Male Endler Named Green [P class]
My Scarlet Red Male Endler Named Red [K class]
My Japan Blue Male Endler Named Blue [K class]
Tank Conditions
Endlers are tiny fish and are only about 1 inch for a male and about 1.8 inches for a female, however they are social fish so they should be kept in minimally groups of 3. The minimum tank size for three males would be a 5 gallon, if keeping any females or a greater number of males, 10 gallons would be the minimum recommended size. But, as with most fish, the bigger the tank, the better. Ideally, you'll want a temperature that does not fluctuate and is set to about 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The pH levels should ideally be 6.7 to 8.5. Hardness should not be a problem up to 25dGH. Your tank should have a lot of plants and decorations for hiding spaces but remember, don't overload the tank with decor that there is not enough space to swim, because endlers are highly active and energetic. Endlers also enjoy floating plants, so its good to add some of those to your tank, especially if you plan to breed.
Feeding
When buying food it is always important to remember that endlers are very small fish which means they require small food. They are omnivorous and can eat micro pellets and tiny fish flakes; small algae wafers; and bug bites. Live and frozen foods, such as brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms would be a great treat to incorporate into their weekly diet. If they are not eating, try taking a tiny bit of tank water or dechlorinated tap water and put it in a small container. Put a small pinch of pure garlic powder in, then let the food soak inside for about 5 minutes. Then give some food to your fish, this should help entice them to eat. If they begin to accept food with garlic, begin adding less and less garlic powder each time until there is none left and your endlers will just eat the regular food.
Bug Bites, a Nice Size for Endlers
Additional Info
Some other things to keep in mind:
- Limit your lighting schedule. Leaving bright lights on in the tank for over 12 hours can make the endler's colours fade.
- If you get both males and females, the ratio of male to female is minimally 1:2. You could also do all males or all females.
- No K class endler breeds are in N class because guppies and endlers live in different places. To tell if your endler is male or or female is quite easy, males have vibrant colours and females have only grey or silver on their body. They can still have colours on their tails.
- Endlers are a livebearing fish. When females are kept with males, expect to see large numbers of live fry on a monthly basis.
Endlers are a great fish with high energy levels and lots of personality. I hope you have lots of fun with your fish and that this guide will help you along the way!
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