Red Tiger Endler Guppy (Poecilia wingei)

Red Tiger Endler guppy: what you are ordering

This listing is for the Red Tiger Endler guppy, a named aquarium line of Endler's livebearer. Each unit you add to the basket is one fish. The listing does not name a sex and does not give a size grade, so we will not promise males, females or a particular length at dispatch. If you need something specific, for example mostly males for colour or a few females to start a small colony, ask us before you order rather than after.

A word on the scientific name, because it trips people up. Fish like these are sometimes labelled "Poecilia endler", and that is how this page used to be labelled. It is not a scientific name at all. FishBase lists Endler's guppy as Poecilia wingei Poeser, Kempkes & Isbrücker, 2005, a member of the livebearer family Poeciliidae, and that is the name we use from here on.

The honest headline about any named Endler line is that we cannot hand you a pedigree with it. Endlers readily cross with the common guppy and the offspring are fertile. Wikipedia notes that undocumented fish sold in shops as Endler's livebearers are assumed to carry some degree of guppy hybridisation, and "tiger" is one of the trade names it lists for selectively bred hybrid lines. So think of a Red Tiger as an Endler-type fish of aquarium breeding, kept and fed exactly like a pure Endler, rather than as a registered wild-type strain. The next section explains when that distinction matters and when it makes no practical difference.

What you can rely on is the size and the character of the animal. These are tiny livebearers. FishBase gives a maximum of 2.0 cm standard length for females, which is measured from the snout to the base of the tail and leaves the tail fin out, and the 2005 species description puts males at up to about 1.5 cm on the same measure. They want warm, hard, alkaline water, a planted tank and the company of their own kind, and they breed without any encouragement. A small group in a well-planted aquarium is one of the liveliest things you can put in a modest tank.

Tiger, El Tigre and the guppy-hybrid question

Endler names cause a lot of confusion, and the word "tiger" causes more than most. Several separate ideas tend to get mixed together, so here they are one at a time.

El Tigre is a wild population, not a colour name

Wikipedia describes El Tigre Endlers as Poecilia wingei collected from the El Tigre stream in the Campoma region of Venezuela. The stream is not connected to Laguna Campoma, so those fish are treated as a distinct population of their own. If a line with a known wild origin is what you are looking for, read our El Tigre Endler guppy page. It is a different product from this one, so don't let the similar-sounding names lead you to treat them as the same fish.

"Tiger" in a shop name is a breeder's label

On its own, "tiger" is a trade name, not a scientific category. Wikipedia explains that crossing Endlers with fancy guppy strains often produces bright, colourful offspring, that some of those hybrids have been bred on as lines in their own right, and that they turn up under names such as peacock, snake, tiger, paradise, fancy or sword Endler. That does not prove that every fish with "tiger" in its name is a hybrid. It does mean the name carries no guarantee of purity. We also list a separate Tiger Endler; if you are trying to match fish you already keep, tell us which name yours were bought under.

Why purity matters to some keepers and not to others

Wikipedia describes guppy crosses as diluting the Endler gene pool, which is why breeders who maintain pure strains avoid them and why dedicated hobbyists keep registry records for their fish. If that is the side of the hobby you are joining, you want documented stock from a recorded line, and a named shop line is not the place to start. If you simply want small, colourful, hardy livebearers for a planted aquarium, the hybrid question changes almost nothing day to day. The water, the food and the tank set-up are the same.

There is a conservation reason to care as well. The wild species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and Wikipedia records that hybridisation with released guppies is one of the risks it faces in its home waters. That is a good reason never to let aquarium fish go into any outdoor water, whatever their breeding. OATA, the UK ornamental fish trade association, is blunt about it: releasing aquarium fish is illegal and harms native wildlife.

Is the Endler even its own species?

Scientists have argued about it for years. Poeser, Kempkes and Isbrücker described Poecilia wingei in 2005 from the Campoma area of the Paría Peninsula. In 2009 Schories, Meyer and Schartl published molecular evidence that it is a separate species from the guppy, and Seriously Fish follows that view. In 2014 Herdegen and colleagues published a study of guppy populations in north-eastern Venezuela that disputes those conclusions, and Wikipedia treats the matter as unresolved. FishBase, which we follow for names, keeps Poecilia wingei as the accepted name, and so do we.

How to recognise an Endler, male and female

Because this listing does not specify a sex, it is worth knowing what each sex of an Endler looks like before your fish arrive. The two are so different that newcomers sometimes think they have been sent two species.

Males carry the colour

FishBase sums the species up as having polychromatic males and uniform females. Wikipedia describes the colours of male Endlers as very intense, especially the black, orange and metallic green, with natural patterns that vary a great deal from fish to fish and, in many males, a double sword on the tail. Those extensions are much shorter than a swordtail's, and Wikipedia points out that what looks like a sword is often just strong colour along the edge of an otherwise clear tail fin.

The 2005 species description gives a more technical picture of wild males. The type specimens show black markings, metallic spots on the body and on the base of the tail, and, in the populations living next to wild guppies, a broad dark band across the middle of the body, a feature the authors treated as decisive for recognising the species. The same paper notes stronger metallic colour on the body than in the common guppy. A fancy line like the Red Tiger has been shaped by selective breeding on top of that wild pattern, and the line name describes what breeders aimed for. Judge your own fish by what you see once they have settled and coloured up.

Males are the smaller sex and carry a gonopodium, the modified anal fin that livebearer males use to fertilise females. OATA's guppy and molly care sheet uses that fin as the simple way to sex livebearers: a gonopodium in males, a triangular anal fin in females. With a torch and a little patience you can sex Endlers the same way.

Females are plain and bigger

Female Endlers are quiet by comparison. Wikipedia describes them as ranging from pale silver to a dull, dark gold, and able to change their shade a little when moved between light and dark surroundings. The 2005 description goes further and says the females cannot be told from female guppies, apart from a slight metallic sheen in living fish. They are the bigger sex, up to twice the size of the males when full grown according to Wikipedia, and Seriously Fish describes them as much plumper and almost permanently gravid.

Young fish are still colouring

Colour comes with age. Wikipedia says males start to show colour at about three to four weeks old, but that the full depth of colour takes several months and keeps intensifying over the first six months of life. Seriously Fish gives three to five weeks for adult colouration in well-fed young males. A young male that looks pale after the journey may simply not have finished colouring, and a few weeks of good food in a settled tank usually tells you far more than the first day does.

Where Endlers come from: lagoons on Venezuela's Paría coast

Endler's livebearer is native to a small corner of north-eastern Venezuela. FishBase gives its range as the Campoma and Buena Vista lagoons, and the original description records it in the fresh waters of those lagoons and on towards Carúpano on the Paría Peninsula. FishBase lists it as a freshwater, benthopelagic tropical fish, meaning it uses both the bottom and the open water rather than keeping to one level.

The species is named after Dr Øjvind Winge (1886–1964), who headed the Department of Physiology at the Carlsberg Laboratory. The describers chose him because his breeding experiments worked out much of the genetics behind guppy colour patterns and sex determination, and that work gave them the means to tell the two species apart.

From a lagoon near Cumaná to the aquarium trade

The fish reached aquariums long before it had a scientific name. Wikipedia records that Franklyn F. Bond first collected it at Laguna de Patos in 1937, and that Dr John Endler rediscovered it there in 1975; Endler's fish were the first to reach the aquarium trade, which is how the common name came about. The 2005 paper lists a museum lot collected by Bond in 1939 from a stream west of Carúpano, so the early collecting history is a little untidy depending on which source you read.

Seriously Fish describes Laguna de Patos as a former brackish lake, cut off from the sea by a sandbar and turned fresh by runoff, and says that when the fish were rediscovered the water was very warm, very hard and green with algae. The authors of the 2005 description added a twist: they thought the Laguna de Patos fish might be an established local population of P. wingei that had most likely been released there from the Cariaco and Carúpano area. Either way, the Endler's best-known home water was warm, hard and thick with algae, which is why the water advice further down leans firmly towards hard and alkaline.

A threatened fish at home

The wild species is in trouble. FishBase lists it as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and Wikipedia describes the pressures as people moving into its habitat, pollution, introduced species and hybridisation with released guppies. Laguna de Patos has suffered runoff from a municipal rubbish dump, and Seriously Fish says Endlers are thought to be extinct there now. A named line such as the Red Tiger is a product of aquarium breeding, not a wild collection, so buying one puts no pressure on those lagoons.

Setting up an aquarium for a small Endler colony

Endlers do not need a big aquarium, but they do need a properly set-up one. Seriously Fish recommends a tank of at least 45 × 30 × 30 cm, which works out at about 40 litres, and says that size is big enough to house quite a substantial colony. It also warns against going smaller, because these are very active fish. OATA's guppy and molly sheet suggests a minimum of 45 litres for a small group of the smaller livebearer species, which lands in much the same place.

Treat 45 cm as the floor rather than the goal. Endlers breed readily, and a small mixed group can multiply several times over within a few months if males and females are kept together. If you have room for a 60 cm aquarium, you will not regret it.

Plants first

Seriously Fish strongly recommends a planted set-up and floating plants as well. Dense planting gives females and young fish places to get out of the way of persistent males, gives newborn fry cover in the hours when they are most at risk, and grows the film of algae and tiny organisms that Wikipedia notes young Endlers will graze from leaves. Floating plants soften the light and give the fish a ceiling of cover. For the base, OATA suggests aquarium gravel or sand with live plants for cover, and either works well for Endlers.

Filtration and flow

Seriously Fish notes that in a species aquarium powerful filtration is not needed, as Endlers appear to produce very little waste. That is not a reason to skimp on a mature, reliable filter. It is a reason to choose a gentle one. A sponge filter, or a small internal filter with its outflow turned down and its intake covered by a sponge, keeps the water clean without blasting fish that are under two centimetres long and without drawing in fry.

A mature tank before the fish

OATA's water standards for guppies and mollies call for zero ammonia and zero nitrite, which in practice means a filter that has been running and maturing for some weeks, not a tank filled the day before the parcel comes. Have the heater set, the temperature steady and a set of test results in hand before you order. That is also our own arrival requirement, covered near the end of this page.

A sensible starting group

OATA advises keeping at least three of these livebearers together, at roughly two females to each male. Seriously Fish goes further for Endlers and advises several females per male to spread the attention of vigorous males, and several females in any case, because females can be territorial with each other. If you want no breeding at all, Seriously Fish's advice is to buy only male fish. Because this listing does not name a sex, an all-male group is best built from a listing sold as males, such as our Golden Male Endler guppy, while our Female Endler guppy listing is there if you want to add females to a group. Bear in mind that mixing Endler lines means mixed-looking fry in the next generation.

Water for Endlers: warm, hard and alkaline

Get the water right and Endlers are hardy little fish; Wikipedia describes the species as hardy and undemanding as far as survival goes. Keep them in soft, acidic water for the long term and you are working against them. Seriously Fish puts it plainly: Endlers may manage in soft or acidic conditions, but long-term they should be kept in moderately hard or harder water.

The two sources do not match exactly, and they are not trying to. Seriously Fish profiles the Endler on its own, while OATA writes one sheet for guppies and mollies together. Where they overlap, around 24–28 °C, pH 7.0–8.0 and a general hardness of about 15–18 °dGH, is a sensible working target for a Red Tiger group. There is no need to chase the top of the Endler temperature range. Pick a steady figure in the mid-twenties and keep it there.

Keeping it steady

OATA recommends changing at least 25% of the water every week, testing ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and hardness at least once a week, and rinsing filter media in old tank water rather than under the tap so that the useful bacteria survive. Match the temperature of new water to the tank and treat it with a dechlorinator before it goes in. A small tank changes faster than a large one, so regular, modest water changes beat occasional big ones.

If your tap water is soft

Test your tap water before you buy. If it comes out soft, Endlers are not ruled out, but you will need to raise hardness and buffering, for example with a remineralising salt made for aquariums or a calcium-rich substrate or décor, and then test until the readings are stable before any fish go in. Make one change at a time and give it a few days. That is not the same as salting the tank, which Endlers do not need: FishBase lists them as a freshwater fish.

Feeding Endlers: small portions, varied food

Seriously Fish describes the Endler as an omnivore that feeds on a range of small bottom-living invertebrates and detritus in the wild, eats most foods offered in the aquarium, and should have some vegetable matter in its diet. That last point is the one people miss. A diet of nothing but meaty foods suits these fish less well than one with plant content built in.

A simple routine

OATA's guidance for guppies and mollies is to feed what the fish will clear in a few minutes once a day, using a good-quality flake or granule with a high algae content, and to add live or frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm now and then. For Endlers, size matters more than brand. Rub flake between your fingers into small pieces, choose micro-granules rather than standard pellets, and pick the smaller frozen foods, or chop larger items, because a male Endler is much smaller than a male guppy. Daphnia and baby brine shrimp suit them very well as a treat a few times a week.

Signs you are getting it right

If food is still sitting on the gravel a few minutes after feeding, you are giving too much. In a small aquarium, uneaten food turns into ammonia and nitrate quickly, and that does more harm than a hungry evening. Splitting the daily amount into two smaller feeds is fine for fish this small, as long as the total stays modest.

Feeding fry

If you keep males and females together, there will be fry. Seriously Fish says Endler fry are large for the size of the parents and will take baby brine shrimp or powdered flake from birth, and that they grow very quickly when fed two or three times a day. Wikipedia adds that fry eat powdered fry food, baby brine shrimp and crushed flake, and graze on the algae and microorganisms on aquatic plants, which is one more reason to keep the tank well planted.

Temperament, ratios and tank mates for Endlers

Endlers are peaceful fish. Seriously Fish says males are peaceful towards one another, but that females may act quite territorially, so several should be kept to spread any bullying. It also warns that males pursue females vigorously, and advises several females to every male to share out that attention. In a mixed group the males spend much of their day chasing and courting the females, and that constant movement is a large part of the appeal.

Not a general community fish

The one firm limit is size. Seriously Fish says Endlers are not suitable for a general community because they are so small. A fish that tops out under two centimetres of body length is easily outcompeted at feeding time or harassed by bigger fish, and its fry are easily eaten. Build the aquarium around the Endlers rather than adding them to a tank built for something else.

Companions that suit them

Seriously Fish suggests other small peaceful species as tank mates: dwarf corydoras, small rainbowfish such as the threadfin rainbowfish Iriatherina werneri or Pseudomugil blue-eyes, and peaceful tetras. Whatever you choose, read its own care needs first and check that it is comfortable in hard, alkaline water at the temperature you have chosen. Choosing companions that need the same water is more important than choosing ones that look good together.

Keep them away from guppies

Seriously Fish is direct: Endlers should not be kept with guppies, because they will crossbreed. Mix them and the fry will be crosses, so neither line breeds true in that tank. If you keep fancy guppies too, give them a tank of their own.

Mixing Endler lines

Different Endler lines are the same species and will happily share a tank. The catch is the same one: if males and females of different lines are together, their young will be a blend. If you want to keep the Red Tiger look going, keep breeding fish of one line together and add only males of other lines if you want variety.

Breeding Red Tiger Endlers and keeping the line looking right

Endlers breed without any help from the keeper. Females give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. Seriously Fish says a female can produce a new brood every 23 to 24 days, with anything from 5 to 25 fry depending on her age and size, and Wikipedia gives roughly every 23 days and from one to 30 or more fry in a drop. Those numbers add up quickly.

Raising fry

Wikipedia describes newborn fry spending their first few hours on the bottom using up their yolk sacs, and says that this is when they are most at risk, including from their own mothers and other females; males seem less interested in eating them. Seriously Fish says adults rarely eat their young, but that the most reliable way to raise a brood is still to move a heavily gravid female to a separate tank to give birth. It does not recommend breeding traps or nets, because the fish are so small. A small, mature, heated tank with a sponge filter and a clump of fine-leaved plants does the job well.

Young Endlers grow fast. Seriously Fish says males can show adult colour in three to five weeks and females can produce young of their own at around two months old, which is why separating young males from young females early matters if you want to control what breeds with what.

Look after the females

Breeding takes a toll. Wikipedia notes that giving birth can be stressful for females, and that some do not survive long after very large broods. Plenty of cover, good varied food and more females than males all help spread the strain.

Keeping a named line consistent

Seriously Fish notes that much of the species' natural variability has been lost through inbreeding in the hobby, although several distinct forms are still around. Wikipedia makes the practical point for line keepers: aquascaping, diet, water quality, tank mates and the ratio of males to females all affect the strength and appearance of a line. If you plan to breed Red Tigers on, start with as many unrelated fish as you can, keep only Red Tigers of both sexes together, and pick the best-coloured, best-shaped fish from each generation to breed from. Keep guppies and other Endler females out of that tank entirely.

If you would rather not breed at all, Seriously Fish's advice is simple: keep males only.

Arrival day, acclimatising and health in the first weeks

The most useful thing you can do for small fish in transit is have their tank ready before they set off. Before you order, please read our delivery and live-arrival information, and make sure the aquarium is fully ready: the filter running and mature, the water tested, and the temperature matched to what your Endlers will need. Someone must be at the delivery address to take the parcel in, because live animals cannot be left on a doorstep.

How the fish travel

Your fish travel in oxygen-filled bags inside insulated packaging, with heat packs when the weather calls for them, and go by a tracked courier licensed to carry live animals. We email you the confirmed delivery date and the tracking details.

Filming the unboxing

Start a continuous video before you open the parcel, while it is still sealed, and keep filming in the same take as you open it and show the fish in their still-sealed bag. If a fish has arrived dead, dying or clearly in poor condition, email hello@tropicalfishco.co.uk on the day of delivery with your order number and that video. Photographs alone do not meet our live-arrival policy. Where a claim is accepted, we replace the affected fish with your next order or refund them, subject to the guarantee terms.

Acclimatising Endlers

1. Turn the aquarium lights off or down.
2. Float the sealed bag in the aquarium for 20 to 30 minutes so the water inside comes to the same temperature as the tank. This matches temperature only, not pH or hardness, so if your water is very different from typical hard, alkaline livebearer water, ask us for advice before the fish arrive.
3. Open the bag and catch the fish across with a soft net. With fish this small, a fine-mesh net and a gentle hand make all the difference.
4. Throw the bag water away. Never pour it into your aquarium.
5. Leave the lights low for the rest of the day and feed lightly, if at all, until the next morning.

The first week

Watch breathing, appetite and behaviour closely over the first week. OATA describes healthy fish as having clear, bright eyes, undamaged fins, intact scales and no ulcers or lumps, and lists clamped fins, flicking against gravel or décor, and shimmying on the spot as signs that something is wrong. In a new group of Endlers, a good sign is fish moving about the tank and taking food within a day or two. If one hangs at the surface, hides constantly or refuses food for more than a couple of days, test the water first, because poor water quality is the first thing to rule out.

If you already keep fish, a separate quarantine tank for a few weeks is worth the effort before new arrivals join an established group. It lets you treat a problem in a small volume without dosing your whole display.

How long they live

None of our species sources gives a figure for Endlers. OATA's sheet for guppies and mollies says these livebearers can live several years in a well-matured set-up, and steady water, sensible feeding and a calm tank give your Red Tigers the best chance of doing the same.

Further reading

These are the sources used for the facts on this page, if you want to read further.

• FishBase: Poecilia wingei, Endlers guppy for the accepted name, maximum size, range and conservation status.
• Seriously Fish: Poecilia wingei for aquarium size, water conditions, diet, behaviour and breeding.
• Wikipedia: Poecilia wingei for the collecting history, wild populations, hybrid lines and the species debate.
• Poeser, Kempkes and Isbrücker (2005), the original description of Poecilia wingei in Contributions to Zoology.
• OATA: how to look after guppies and mollies for general livebearer husbandry, water quality and health checks.
• Herdegen and colleagues (2014), population structure of guppies in north-eastern Venezuela, the study that questions the species split.