El Tigre Endler Guppy (Poecilia endler)

Choose a small social livebearer with an active character

The El Tigre Endler Guppy (Poecilia endler) is a small freshwater livebearer in the Poeciliidae family from Venezuela’s Campoma and Buena Vista lagoon systems. It reaches 2 cm standard length according to FishBase. It suits a prepared beginner who can provide mature filtration, medium-hard water, swimming length and a deliberate social plan rather than treating its small body as permission to use a bowl.

FishBase now lists it as Poecilia wingei. Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes also treats that as the current valid name. Endler’s livebearer and Endler Guppy are established common names for the species, while El Tigre describes the striped orange-and-black appearance associated with this aquarium form.

Appearance is useful for choosing a display fish, but it is not a pedigree test. A morphological and molecular comparison supports P. wingei as a distinct species while showing overlap in appearance with related guppies. Keep documented Endler lines separate from common guppies when ancestry matters.

Who this fish suits

Choose it if you want an active, social fish and are prepared to test the water, watch courtship or competition, and plan for fry before adding mixed sexes. The store’s easy-care assessment means suitable for a prepared beginner, not maintenance-free or suitable for an uncycled aquarium.

Understand the fish supplied and plan beyond its dispatch size

One purchase supplies one El Tigre Endler Guppy. The recorded dispatch grade is 2–3 cm; that figure describes the fish at dispatch and is not a separate adult-size promise. Plan the mature aquarium around the species, the intended group and every other occupant rather than using the supplied size to calculate capacity.

Use 2 cm standard length as the consistent adult-size figure for this product. Standard length ends at the base of the tail. For context, Seriously Fish gives 2.5 cm standard length, while the original species description includes a separate stream sample with females measured up to 30.4 mm standard length. Individual growth varies, so aquarium length, filtration and population growth remain more important than a few millimetres of body length.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This El Tigre Endler Guppy listing has no sex-guaranteed option. Do not use colour, body size or the gallery animal to predict the sex supplied. If a particular sex is essential to a breeding or population plan, use a product whose offer explicitly names that sex.

The gallery images are representative of this type of animal rather than photographs of the exact animal supplied, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal. The visible orange bands, dark tiger-like markings and patterned fins illustrate the El Tigre appearance, but pattern placement and intensity can differ between individual fish.

You can browse the Endler Guppy collection when comparing explicitly named sexes or other Endler forms. Keep identity, sex and population decisions separate: a colour label alone does not settle ancestry or reproductive risk.

Check the essential fit before making space for a group

Start with a mature filtered aquarium at least 60 cm long under our conservative house screen. Seriously Fish gives a 45 × 30 cm base and about 41 litres, while OATA recommends at least 45 litres for a small group of the smaller guppy species. The extra length in our plan gives active fish more usable swimming room and more opportunity to move out of another fish’s path.

Keep the aquarium at 24–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 15–18 dGH. These figures are the overlap between the Seriously Fish species profile and OATA’s guppy-and-molly guidance. Maintain zero detectable ammonia and nitrite, and introduce fish only after the biological filter can process waste reliably.

Read our complete Endler Guppy care guide when planning the wider population, sex balance and long-term routine.

Plan the aquarium around swimming space and population growth

Use a mature aquarium at least 60 cm long for the intended adult group. Treat 45 litres as the smaller-species group floor from OATA and 41 litres as the species-profile reference from Seriously Fish, then choose the larger practical aquarium when other livestock, courtship or fry will add pressure. Volume alone cannot describe usable length, oxygen, territorial encounters or filter capacity.

Build a conservative starting plan

• Length: provide at least 60 cm under our house screen so the fish can swim continuously and move away from pursuit.
• Volume: use at least 45 litres for the group plan, rather than rounding the 41-litre species reference down.
• Filtration: mature the biological filter before fish arrive and confirm zero detectable ammonia and nitrite.
• Population: begin with the intended social and sex plan instead of adding fish simply because water volume remains.
• Backup: prepare mature separation space for injury, persistent pursuit or unexpected fry.

A larger aquarium usually makes temperature and water quality easier to stabilise, but extra litres do not excuse rapid stocking. Beneficial bacteria must respond whenever fish numbers and feeding increase. Add livestock gradually and test after each meaningful change.

For a first aquarium, follow the steps in our first tropical tank guide before arranging livestock. A clear tank and running filter do not by themselves show that biological maturation is complete; use repeated ammonia and nitrite tests to judge readiness.

Use behaviour as a capacity check

Watch whether every fish can swim normally, reach food and rest without being repeatedly displaced. Persistent cornering, hiding through feeding time, damaged fins or one fish controlling an entire route means the social layout or stocking plan needs intervention. Adding another fish is not a remedy for an aquarium that already lacks usable space.

Mixed-sex groups require spare capacity because this species is a livebearer and can reproduce readily. Decide where young fish will live and how they will be responsibly rehomed before fry appear. A small body does not make uncontrolled population growth harmless.

Keep water stable within the practical overlap

Keep the El Tigre Endler Guppy at 24–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 15–18 dGH. Seriously Fish gives 24–30°C, pH 7.0–8.5 and 15–35 dGH for the species; OATA gives 20–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH for guppies and mollies. The recommended range sits inside both sets of figures.

Measure the aquarium rather than relying on a heater dial, room label or postcode assumption. Use a thermostatically controlled aquarium heater where room conditions cannot hold the target, and check it with an independent thermometer. Avoid rapid swings by preparing replacement water and making chemistry changes gradually.

Test the values that drive decisions

• Temperature: check daily while establishing the aquarium and after heater or room-temperature changes.
• Ammonia and nitrite: keep both at zero detectable levels; either reading requires an immediate stocking and maintenance review.
• Nitrate: OATA recommends keeping it no more than 20 mg/L above the normal tap-water level.
• pH and hardness: compare source water with aquarium water before moving fish or changing the water supply.

Our water chemistry guide explains what each result means. Enter measured values into the water matcher to compare the aquarium with the stated range rather than adjusting chemistry from guesswork.

Moderately hard or harder water is the long-term direction supported by the species profile. Do not chase a particular pH with unmeasured additives. Any change in mineral content can affect hardness and buffering as well as pH, so test before and after adjustments and favour stability inside the target.

Respond to an out-of-range result

If temperature is drifting, check the independent thermometer, heater operation and recent room changes before replacing equipment. If ammonia or nitrite appears, reduce feeding, inspect filtration and make a conditioned partial water change while monitoring closely. If pH or hardness differs from the target, compare both source and aquarium water and make gradual, measured changes rather than a sudden correction.

Build filtration, cover and open water into one layout

Provide a mature filter in every aquarium. The RSPCA’s aquarium guidance explains that biological filtration supports bacteria that convert toxic ammonia first to nitrite and then to safer nitrate. A planted aquarium still needs this process; plants complement filtration but do not replace a mature biological filter.

Seriously Fish recommends a planted setup, including floating plants, while also describing these fish as active swimmers. Balance those needs by keeping open horizontal routes between planted or decorated areas. Cover and sight breaks help a pursued fish leave another fish’s view, while open water lets the group move and feed without crowding.

Set up each part for a reason

• Open swimming room: preserve an uninterrupted route along the aquarium’s length.
• Plants and cover: place them where they break sight lines without hiding persistent bullying from view.
• Filter intake: protect it where a small fish or fry could be drawn against it.
• Flow: provide circulation and surface movement while ensuring every fish can hold position without constant effort.
• Decor: avoid sharp edges that could damage fins during rapid movement.

Seriously Fish states that water flow is not a problem for these active fish, but flow still needs to match the aquarium and the individuals. Watch swimming effort rather than assuming that a filter rating alone settles the decision. Fish repeatedly pinned behind objects or struggling to reach food need a gentler route or adjusted outlet.

Use a secure lid as part of the finished layout. Keep service access practical so testing, water changes and filter checks are not delayed by difficult decor. A visually dense aquarium can still have poor circulation or too little swimming room, so inspect how water and fish move through the whole footprint.

Maintain the biological filter

Check the filter for blockages during weekly maintenance. If mature media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in water removed from the aquarium, never under the tap. Do not replace all mature media at once on a calendar; preserve the bacterial community unless a product-specific instruction requires a staged replacement.

Feed an omnivore with appropriately small complete foods

Use an appropriately small complete flake or granule as the staple. Seriously Fish describes the species as an omnivore that consumes zoobenthos and detritus in the wild and needs vegetation in its aquarium diet. OATA recommends a good-quality flake or granule with algal content for guppies and mollies, with suitably small live or frozen foods for variety.

Offer one daily portion that the group finishes within a few minutes, following OATA’s household feeding guidance. Particle size matters: every fish should be able to take food without repeated spitting, and food should be distributed so less assertive individuals can feed. Remove recurring leftovers and reduce the next portion rather than allowing uneaten food to decay.

Build useful variety around the staple

• Complete flake or granule: choose particles small enough for the fish’s mouth and use this as the nutritional base.
• Daphnia: use a suitably small live or frozen portion as occasional variety.
• Small bloodworm or tubifex: offer appropriately sized items rather than pieces a fish cannot swallow.
• Cyclops: OATA specifically notes this smaller frozen food for Endlers.

Do not treat one frozen food, visible algae or aquarium detritus as a complete diet. Store dry food away from heat and moisture, follow frozen-food handling directions and avoid thawing and refreezing. Never collect live food from an unknown outdoor pond because it may introduce unwanted organisms.

Use feeding as a daily observation

Check that each fish approaches food, takes particles cleanly and keeps a stable body condition. Reduced interest, repeated spitting, exclusion by another fish or food remaining after each meal requires action. Confirm particle size and portion first, then test water and review social behaviour.

Overfeeding creates two linked problems: the fish receive more than they need, and decomposing leftovers add waste that the filter must process. Adjust portions after any change in group size, fry numbers or food type instead of assuming yesterday’s quantity remains correct.

Follow a controlled arrival and first-week routine

Prepare and test the mature aquarium before the fish travels. Using the Seriously Fish/OATA overlap, confirm that temperature is within 24–28°C; OATA also requires ammonia and nitrite to be zero. Check the filter, heater and independent thermometer in advance so arrival day is used for observation rather than emergency setup.

Follow the arrival steps in order

1. Arrange for someone to receive the parcel because live fish must not be left unattended.
2. Film every delivery continuously from before the sealed parcel is opened. Show the parcel still sealed, open it in one continuous take and show the fish still inside the bag.
3. Float the bag in the aquarium for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish.
4. Never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

These steps come from the current delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy. Follow the reporting route on that page if the fish’s condition causes concern.

Make the first week measurable

• Day one: check balance, breathing, fin position and whether the fish can move away from established occupants.
• First feeding: offer a small, appropriately sized portion and confirm that every newcomer can reach food.
• Daily: compare activity, colour, breathing and social position with the previous observation.
• After stocking: test ammonia and nitrite because the biological filter must adjust to increased waste and feeding.
• End of week: review body condition, fin condition and whether any fish is persistently hiding or being pursued.

OATA advises increasing aquarium populations slowly because beneficial bacteria need time to respond to extra waste. A clear reading before arrival is essential, but it does not remove the need to test after the fish has joined the system.

Paler colour after transport can have several causes, so judge the whole fish rather than colour alone. Loss of balance, surface gasping, clamped fins, wounds or a sharp change in breathing deserves prompt water testing and review. Do not select medication from one visual sign.

Plan sex, social behaviour and fry before problems develop

Keep five or more where aquarium capacity and the sex plan allow under Tropical Fish Co’s house recommendation. OATA’s broader floor is at least three guppies and suggests two females for each male to reduce pressure on females and other inhabitants. No ratio replaces adequate length, cover, observation or a separation plan.

This offer does not guarantee sex. Where mature fish are being assessed after arrival, the anal fin is the most useful feature: a male has a narrow modified anal fin called a gonopodium, while a female has a broader triangular anal fin. Colour, size or a rounded abdomen alone should not decide the assessment.

Choose a population plan deliberately

Seriously Fish describes males as peaceful towards one another but notes that females may behave territorially, while its reproduction account describes persistent male display towards females. Watch individuals rather than assuming that one sex arrangement guarantees harmony.

Respond to repeated pursuit

First check whether the pursued fish has a clear route away, can feed and can rest without being cornered. Rearrange cover to break sight lines while retaining open swimming space. Use mature separation space if pursuit continues, feeding access is lost or fins are damaged.

Mixed-sex groups can reproduce readily. A limited life-history study observed ten litters and 122 fry under one laboratory regime, but household brood timing and size vary. Plan spare mature capacity and a responsible rehoming route instead of relying on a countdown or fixed brood number.

If fry appear, test water and reassess filter capacity immediately. Use safe, appropriately sized complete food, and do not move adults or fry into an uncycled container. Dense cover may increase fry survival, which makes population planning more urgent rather than removing it.

Maintain the aquarium and act on health changes early

Change about 25% of the water at least once each week, following OATA’s maintenance guidance. Treat replacement tap water with a conditioner that removes chlorine or chloramine before it enters the aquarium. Use a siphon where needed to remove solid waste from the substrate without turning the whole aquarium upside down.

Test ammonia and nitrite at least weekly and after stocking, filter disruption, missed maintenance or unexplained behaviour changes. Record temperature, pH and nitrate often enough to recognise a trend. A single familiar-looking result is less useful than knowing whether the aquarium is drifting.

Use a repeatable weekly check

• Measure temperature with the independent thermometer.
• Test ammonia and nitrite and confirm both remain at zero.
• Check nitrate against the normal tap-water baseline.
• Inspect the filter outlet and intake for reduced flow or obstruction.
• Observe every fish feeding and moving through the aquarium.
• Look for fin damage, spots, growths, swelling or body-condition changes.

A healthy settled fish should swim steadily, breathe regularly, hold its fins normally and show a consistent feeding response. The RSPCA’s fish-health guidance supports a water-quality-first response when behaviour or appearance changes.

Match the response to the sign

Surface gasping, bottom-sitting or erratic swimming should trigger immediate temperature, ammonia and nitrite checks. Faster or slower gill movement needs the same water and equipment review. Persistent hiding or new aggression also requires an inspection of group dynamics and usable space.

White spots, fluffy growths, wounds, missing scales, unusual swelling or sudden appetite loss are signs to document, not diagnoses. Check recent additions, maintenance, food, heater function and filtration. Ask us about a health change after testing the water, and seek a fish vet promptly where signs are severe or persistent.

A published report on one captive line documented spinal deformities with several possible genetic, nutritional, environmental or traumatic contributors. A curved body does not identify one cause by appearance alone. Do not breed an affected fish, and obtain an expert assessment.

Screen every companion for predation, fin damage and competition

Choose only small, peaceful companions whose adult size, water requirements, feeding behaviour and space needs fit the aquarium. Compatibility remains conditional because individual behaviour, sex, group structure and layout all affect the result. Keep mature separation space ready whenever unfamiliar fish are combined.

Apply the decisive exclusions first

• Avoid fish large enough to eat an Endler: OATA gives this direct warning for Endler guppies.
• Avoid fin-nipping species: OATA names barbs as an example of fish that may nip guppy fins.
• Avoid common guppies when line identity matters: Poecilia wingei and Poecilia reticulata can hybridise and produce fertile offspring.
• Reconsider fast or dominant feeders: every Endler must be able to reach an appropriately small complete food.

Seriously Fish names dwarf corydoras, the small rainbowfish Iriatherina werneri or Pseudomugil species, and peaceful tetras as possible companions. These examples still require an overlap in temperature and chemistry, enough room for each social group, and a check that adult size and feeding behaviour remain suitable.

Work through a proposed community

1. Compare the companion’s adult size with the Endler’s 2 cm standard length.
2. Reject any animal likely to treat such a small fish as prey.
3. Check that both can remain within 24–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 15–18 dGH.
4. Add the space needed by every social group instead of assigning the same litres twice.
5. Compare feeding speed and food size.
6. Prepare a mature separation route before introduction.

Ask us to screen a proposed stocking plan using the aquarium’s dimensions, measured water values, mature filter, existing livestock and intended group numbers. A species name by itself cannot describe the available swimming routes or total social pressure.

Treat shrimp safety and lineage as separate decisions

Do not promise shrimp safety. Adult Neocaridina or Amano shrimp may coexist in a suitable aquarium, but small shrimp and young can be eaten, and feeding competition can occur. Dense moss or other cover reduces exposure without guaranteeing survival.

Check the shrimp’s own temperature, mineral and social needs against 24–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 15–18 dGH. A water overlap only clears one part of the decision; it does not remove predation risk. Never use shrimp as a replacement for removing waste or completing routine maintenance.

Separate display goals from ancestry goals

Common guppies should be avoided when preserving a documented Poecilia wingei line because the two species will crossbreed. If ancestry matters, keep the groups in separate aquariums, retain traceable records and describe future offspring honestly.

The El Tigre name communicates appearance, not a guaranteed locality pedigree. Pattern, colour and fin shape can be attractive display features, but they cannot settle ancestry on their own. A representative gallery animal also cannot predict the exact markings or sex of the fish supplied.

Watch the first interactions closely

Check whether the newcomer can enter open water, leave another animal’s path and feed without repeated displacement. A fish that hides continuously, misses meals, breathes rapidly or develops fin damage needs prompt intervention. Rearranging cover may improve sight breaks, but persistent aggression or predation risk requires separation.

Review compatibility again as animals grow or group numbers change. A companion that appears harmless while small may become a predation risk at adult size, while unexpected fry can change filtration load and usable space. Plan around adult animals and the maximum population you intend to support.

Get clear answers to common El Tigre Endler questions

How big does an El Tigre Endler Guppy get?

Use 2 cm standard length as the adult-size figure. Standard length is measured to the base of the tail, and the 2 cm maximum comes from FishBase.

What size aquarium does an El Tigre Endler Guppy need?

Seriously Fish gives a 45 × 30 cm base and about 41 litres, while OATA recommends at least 45 litres for a small group. Tropical Fish Co applies a conservative adult-group screen of at least 60 cm aquarium length with mature filtration.

How many El Tigre Endler Guppies should I keep together?

Tropical Fish Co’s house recommendation is five or more where aquarium capacity and the sex plan allow. OATA advises at least three guppies, but neither number overrides the need for adequate space, filtration and observation.

Is this fish suitable for beginners?

It can suit a prepared beginner and carries our easy-care assessment, but it needs a mature filtered aquarium, tested water, a social and sex plan, regular maintenance and a response plan for fry or pursuit.

What does an El Tigre Endler Guppy eat?

Feed an appropriately small complete flake or granule with algal content once daily in a portion eaten within a few minutes. Add suitably small daphnia, bloodworm, tubifex or cyclops as variety.

What temperature and pH does it need?

Keep it at 24–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 15–18 dGH. This is the overlap between Seriously Fish species guidance and OATA’s guppy-and-molly care range; keep ammonia and nitrite at zero.

Is the El Tigre Endler Guppy aggressive or likely to nip fins?

It is generally peaceful, but females may behave territorially and courtship or competition can cause persistent pursuit. Monitor feeding access and fin condition, provide sight breaks and separate any fish that is repeatedly cornered or injured.

Which kinds of animals can this fish live with?

Seriously Fish names dwarf corydoras, small rainbowfish such as Iriatherina werneri or Pseudomugil species, and peaceful tetras as possibilities. Avoid predators, fin-nippers and common guppies where line identity matters; shrimp young may be eaten.

How does an El Tigre Endler Guppy arrive alive in the UK?

Film every delivery continuously from before the sealed parcel is opened, showing the sealed parcel, the opening and the fish still inside the bag. It is hand-bagged in oxygen, packed in an insulated poly box with a heat pack when the weather calls for it, and carried by a licensed live-animal courier. Be home to receive it, float the bag for 20–30 minutes and never pour bag water into the aquarium.

Consult the care and identity references

• FishBase, Poecilia wingei: accepted identity, family, Venezuelan distribution, freshwater environment and maximum recorded length.
• Seriously Fish, Poecilia wingei: aquarium footprint, water ranges, diet, behaviour, compatibility and sexual dimorphism.
• OATA, How to look after guppies and mollies: group water values, social floor, aquarium volume, feeding and maintenance.
• RSPCA, Aquarium filters: biological filtration and nitrogen-waste processing.
• RSPCA, Pet fish health: normal condition, warning signs and water-quality-first checks.
• Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes: current valid scientific name and family placement.
• Poeser, Kempkes and Isbrücker (2005): original description, locality and measured specimens.
• Schories, Meyer and Schartl (2009): species distinction and overlapping appearance.
• Arbuatti, Della Salda and Romanucci (2013): spinal deformities in one captive line.
• Hernández-López and Luna-Vivaldo (2021): limited laboratory observations of reproduction and early life.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy: packing, reception, acclimatisation and reporting procedure.