# Male Endler Behavior



## snuffy (Oct 19, 2007)

Something doesn't seem right... my male endler loves to school with my harlequins, but he seems to be stalking one particular harlequin... follows it everywhere, swimming backwards, swimming all upclose... You guys think my endler needs a girlfriend? Seems very lustful or is this normal behavior? This is no joke, seems like that harlequin is paler than the others too =(


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## hoplo (May 14, 2007)

If you don't want the harlequin being harassed, get another male endler. They will be too busy with each other to bug other fish. Unless you want to start a colony, then get a female.


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## ranchwest (Jul 17, 2005)

I've never had Endler's, but it is not unusual for fish to want to school with tight schooling fish, especially if there is a strong water current. My cherry barbs, clown loaches and otocinclus sometimes join in the fun with the harlequins.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Do you have any female Endler's? My guess is your male's in love.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

You could certainly add a few females if you want fry (and I mean lots of fry), but if not, adding another half a dozen males makes a really nice display. One lone Endler probably isn't happy or very exciting, so I would definitely add more, whether it be all males or a few females.


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## overboard (Mar 11, 2008)

Whatever you do, don't get just one female. I had an Endlers male once stalk a female guppy night and day for weeks... she became a nervous wreck and lost a lot of weight before I finally took her out (couldn't catch him). Three females might keep him distracted enough. And the ram will love a source of fresh food.


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## Erirku (Oct 5, 2004)

snuffy said:


> Something doesn't seem right... my male endler loves to school with my harlequins, but he seems to be stalking one particular harlequin... follows it everywhere, swimming backwards, swimming all upclose... You guys think my endler needs a girlfriend? Seems very lustful or is this normal behavior? This is no joke, seems like that harlequin is paler than the others too =(


You know that happened to me also. Only thing was that my male guppy bugged the crap out of my single harlequin rasbora and made him jump out of the tank. The sad part is that I found him dead the next day.


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## snuffy (Oct 19, 2007)

Hmm... are regular male guppies like this too? Maybe I'll bring my endler to my office to brighten up my desk...


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## overboard (Mar 11, 2008)

I think they want to be, but the tail slows them down.


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## Revernance (Aug 20, 2007)

It happened to be me, but with a guppy male. It would keep dashing around the harlequin group, showing off its fins. It did this day and night, and still does it to this day. Funny thing is that only harlequins are targeted?


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## snuffy (Oct 19, 2007)

YUP! Only my poor harlequins, but the smaller one in general is taking the brunt of the harassment lol.


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