Black Bar Endler (Poecilia wingei) Care Guide
The Black Bar Endler is a colour form of Poecilia wingei, a tiny livebearer from Venezuelan lagoons, kept in hard, alkaline planted tanks.
Overview
The Black Bar Endler is a colour form of Poecilia wingei, a small livebearer of the family Poeciliidae formally described by Poeser, Kempkes and Isbrücker in 2005. According to Wikipedia it is native to the Paria Peninsula in northeastern Venezuela. Females grow notably larger than males.
Taxonomy
- Family: Poeciliidae
- Genus: Poecilia
- Scientific name: Poecilia wingei var. Black Bar
- Described: Poeser, Kempkes & Isbrücker, 2005
Habitat
According to Wikipedia and Seriously Fish, Poecilia wingei occurs in lagoons and their connected streams and canals in northeastern Venezuela, including Laguna de Patos and the Campoma and Buena Vista lagoons, in warm, hard water with dense algae growth.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 7.0-8.5
- GH: 10-25 °dGH
- Lifespan: 1-3 years
- Water flow: low; dense planting recommended
Diet
Poecilia wingei is omnivorous. Seriously Fish reports it feeds on zoobenthos and detritus in the wild and will eat most aquarium foods, but the diet should include some vegetable matter; the fish also graze on algae and microorganisms on plants.
Compatibility
A small mid-water species. Seriously Fish notes males display peacefully toward each other while females can be territorial; the fish are active and not recommended for general community tanks due to their small size, faring better in dedicated or nano setups with peaceful tankmates.
Breeding
Poecilia wingei is a prolific livebearer. According to Wikipedia and Seriously Fish, females produce live young roughly every 23 to 24 days, with broods ranging from a few up to around 25-30 fry.
Conservation status
Wikipedia reports Poecilia wingei as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, threatened by habitat destruction and hybridisation with introduced Poecilia reticulata (guppy).