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.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
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).
Black Bar Endler Breeding Guide
Overview
The Black Bar Endler is a wild-type form of Poecilia wingei (family Poeciliidae), recognised by a single bold vertical black bar and an orange caudal in the male. Endler's livebearer is a small ovoviviparous fish that gives birth to live young roughly every 23 days and is closely related to the guppy (Poecilia reticulata).
Sexing
Males are small and patterned, developing colour at about 3-4 weeks with full richness over six months, and bear a gonopodium for internal fertilisation. Females are plainer and can grow to roughly twice the size of males.
Conditioning
An omnivore, it conditions well on fine flake, micro live or frozen foods, and grazing on algae and microorganisms on plants. Stable, slightly hard alkaline water supports continuous breeding.
Breeding Setup
Mixed-sex groups breed without special triggers. Because this is a wild-type line, purity matters most: P. wingei readily crosses with guppies (P. reticulata) and the hybrids are fertile, so the two species should never share a tank. Dense planting protects fry and offers grazing.
Mating & Gestation
Males fertilise females internally via the gonopodium, and females give birth to live young approximately every 23 days.
Birth & Fry Care
Broods range from 1 to about 30 fry depending on the mother's age and size. Newborn fry consume their yolk sac on the bottom in the first hours and are most vulnerable to predation then, including from the mother and other females; males are less cannibalistic. Feed powdered fry food, baby brine shrimp, crushed flake, algae and plant microorganisms.
Common Challenges
Large births can stress females, sometimes leading to grey colouration, deterioration and death. For wild-type stock the dominant concern is hybridisation with guppies, which produces fertile crosses that erode the natural genotype.
Tanzanite Endler Breeding Guide
Overview
The Tanzanite Endler is a strain of Poecilia wingei (family Poeciliidae) named for deep purple-blue colour in the tail rays of the male. Endler's livebearer is a small ovoviviparous fish that gives birth to live young roughly every 23 days, closely related to but distinct from the guppy (Poecilia reticulata).
Sexing
Males are small and colourful, developing colour at about 3-4 weeks with full intensity over the first six months, and carry a gonopodium for internal fertilisation. Females are plainer and can reach roughly twice the size of males.
Conditioning
This omnivore conditions on small foods: fine flake, micro live or frozen foods, plus algae and microorganisms grazed from plants. Maintain stable, slightly hard alkaline water for continuous reproduction.
Breeding Setup
Mixed-sex groups breed continuously without intervention. Keeping the strain pure means excluding guppies entirely: P. wingei crosses readily with P. reticulata and the offspring are fertile, diluting the gene pool. A planted tank shelters fry and provides grazing.
Mating & Gestation
Males fertilise females internally through the gonopodium, and females give birth to live young approximately every 23 days.
Birth & Fry Care
Broods range from 1 to about 30 fry depending on the mother's age and size. Newborns spend their first hours absorbing the yolk sac on the bottom and are most at risk of predation then, including from the mother and other females; males are less cannibalistic. Feed powdered fry food, baby brine shrimp, crushed flake, algae and plant microorganisms.
Common Challenges
Large births can stress females, sometimes causing grey colouration, deterioration and death. The greatest risk to a Tanzanite line is hybridisation with guppies, which yields fertile crosses and erodes strain purity.