Tiger Endler Care Guide
Tiger Endler is an aquarium strain of Poecilia wingei, a small Venezuelan livebearer closely related to the guppy.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
The Tiger Endler is an aquarium colour strain of Poecilia wingei, a small livebearer of the family Poeciliidae. According to FishBase and Wikipedia, the wild species is native to Venezuela and is closely related to the common guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Males are small and polychromatic, while females are larger and plainly coloured. The Tiger designation refers to the bold vertical bars selected for in the aquarium strain.
Taxonomy
- Family: Poeciliidae
- Genus: Poecilia
- Scientific name (species): Poecilia wingei Poeser, Kempkes & Isbrücker, 2005
- Note: "Tiger" is an aquarium strain, not a separate taxon
Habitat
Wikipedia reports that wild Poecilia wingei occurs on the Paria Peninsula in Venezuela, in lagoon systems such as Laguna de Patos, Laguna Campoma and connected streams. FishBase lists it as a tropical freshwater, benthopelagic species.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L (about 11 gal)
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 7.0-8.5
- GH: 10-25 °dGH
- Adult size: about 2-3 cm
- Lifespan: 1-3 years
Diet
The species is an omnivore (FishBase trophic level 2.9). Wikipedia notes it grazes on algae and microorganisms growing on aquatic plants; in the aquarium it accepts crushed flake food and small live or frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp.
Compatibility
Endlers are peaceful and active mid-water swimmers. They suit calm tanks with small invertebrates such as cherry shrimp and small bottom dwellers, and aggressive species should be avoided. A noted concern is that Poecilia wingei readily hybridises with the guppy, so the two should not be mixed if pure strains are to be maintained.
Breeding
Endlers are livebearers. Wikipedia reports that females give birth to live young roughly every 23 days, with broods ranging from a few to over 30 fry. Breeding is straightforward and occurs readily in a planted aquarium.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Endangered (FishBase, assessed 2021) for the wild Poecilia wingei. The aquarium strains are not assessed separately.
Tiger Endler Breeding Guide
Overview
The Tiger Endler is a strain of Poecilia wingei (family Poeciliidae) named for bold tiger-like vertical bars on the male. Endler's livebearer is a small ovoviviparous fish that gives birth to live young roughly every 23 days. It is closely related to the guppy (Poecilia reticulata) but is smaller and kept as a distinct line.
Sexing
Males are small and brightly marked, developing colour at roughly 3-4 weeks of age, with full richness building over the first six months. Females are plainer and can reach about twice the size of males. Mature males carry a gonopodium for internal fertilisation.
Conditioning
As an omnivore the Tiger Endler conditions well on small foods: fine flake, micro live or frozen foods, and grazing on algae and microorganisms found on plants. Keep stable, slightly hard alkaline water for steady reproduction.
Breeding Setup
Endlers breed continuously in mixed-sex groups, so no special setup is needed. To preserve strain purity it is critical to keep them away from guppies: Endlers (P. wingei) cross readily with guppies (P. reticulata) and the hybrids are fertile, which dilutes the gene pool. A densely planted tank both shelters fry and supplies grazing food.
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 spend their first hours consuming their yolk sac on the bottom and are most vulnerable to predation then, including from the mother and other females; males show less cannibalism. Suitable foods include powdered fry food, baby brine shrimp, crushed flake, algae and microorganisms on plants.
Common Challenges
Large births can stress females, sometimes leading to grey colouration, deterioration and death. The main threat to a strain is accidental hybridisation with guppies, which produces fertile crosses and erodes Endler purity, so dedicated species-only tanks are recommended.