Tanzanite Endler Care Guide
The Tanzanite Endler is a strain of Poecilia wingei, a tiny peaceful Venezuelan livebearer closely related to the guppy, suited to nano tanks.
Overview
The Tanzanite Endler is a colour strain of Poecilia wingei, Endler's livebearer, bred for deep purple-blue colouration in the tail. It is a tiny livebearer native to Venezuela and is closely related to the common guppy. The species was formally described in 2005.
Taxonomy
- Family: Poeciliidae
- Genus: Poecilia
- Scientific name: Poecilia wingei (Tanzanite strain)
- Note: closely related to and interfertile with the guppy, Poecilia reticulata
Habitat
Endler's livebearer is native to the Paria Peninsula in Venezuela, where it inhabits lagoons; it was first collected from Laguna de Patos in 1937, with further populations in the Campoma and Cumana areas (Wikipedia). It occupies warm, still or slow-moving waters.
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
Diet
Endlers are omnivores that naturally graze on algae and microorganisms growing on aquatic plants (Wikipedia). In the aquarium they accept crushed flake food, small dried foods and live or frozen items such as baby brine shrimp.
Compatibility
Endlers are small, peaceful, active fish that suit nano and community aquariums. They mix well with peaceful invertebrates such as cherry shrimp, while larger or aggressive species should be avoided. Because they readily hybridise with guppies, keeping them separate preserves the strain.
Breeding
Poecilia wingei is a prolific livebearer. According to Wikipedia, females give birth approximately every 23 days, with broods of roughly one to thirty young, and males develop their colours within three to four weeks. Breeding occurs readily in the aquarium.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Endangered (assessed 2024), per Wikipedia, reflecting its restricted natural range.