How did I first get interested in Endlers’ Livebearers?

I became interested in Endlers’ livebearers by going to shows and seeing what types of fish are available to buy and swap.

I went to one show on the mainland and, while I was having a look around, I noticed this colourful little fish on display. While I was looking at it, I was approached by a man who asked me if I was interested in keeping these fish which, he said, were called Endlers’ Livebearers. I said yes and, lo and behold, there I was with a pair of Endlers. What did I do next!

How long have I been keeping them?

I have been keeping Endlers for about a year now and, in that time, I have had several lots of fry which have grown to be full size. In nearly all the broods that I have had, there have been some youngsters which were deformed. I have used these deformities as live food for some angel fish which we keep.

Why do I keep Endlers’?

I keep them for several simple reasons. They are they are easy to breed; colourful (which attracts other fish keepers to keep them); they usually seem to do quite well in shows and they are not difficult to look after.

Breeding them?

Breeding Endlers’ is easy. I have them in a 2 ft 6 inch tank with some sand and a filter box. I started off with my pair in a 12 inch tank, again with some sand, filter box and some java moss. I was feeding them just dry food with the occasional treat of frozen brine shrimp. A couple of weeks later I had about 10 babies which soon grew and I had more fry at frequent intervals. I finally decided to move them into a bigger tank (2 ft 6 inch), where they had more and more broods sometimes up to 20 in one brood. I have noticed that even when I didn’t put any Java moss in their tank, the parents did not seem to be over interested in eating the fry.

Showing them?

I have been told by some members of my club that Endlers don’t do very well in shows and are not worth entering, but I like to think to myself that I have proved them wrong. I have been to a number of shows and entered a number of different varieties of fish including Barbus schuberti, Gouramies, Julichromis transcriptus and Guppies. Every time I have entered a show I have entered an Endlers Livebearer. There have often been 10 or more other different guppies on the bench with them. So far I have won three fourth places, one third, one second and a first place, which I am very proud of. Especially when I consider that some members of IOWAS told me that they are not worth entering. I firmly believe that if you get the shape and proportion of the fins right, achieve a good size for the fish and get everything like that right, then you have a good chance of getting at least a third place and maybe even first. But, at the end of the day, the placing doesn’t really matter - it is how good your fish is!