# endler breeding



## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

i recently got 2 endlers and im hoping to get them to have little endlers. they are now in a heated filtered and mildly planted (anacharis and java fern and moss, and riccia) ~5.5 gallon.

i also have at my disposal a ~2 gallon hex, unheated, will be a sponge filter if needed (currently nothing in it)

are there any things i should do to encourage them to breed? or will they pretty much do it themselves?
i was going to put the mom in the hex by herself when and if she does get pregnant, and then put her back in the 5 after they are born, and let the babies grow in the hex, is that a good plan?


thanks


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Endlers need no encouragement to breed, just let nature take its course. I personally think that a 2G tank is too small for a grow out tank for the babies. It should be ok in the beginning, but will soon be filled with babies. _Do you plan on keeping the fry or giving them away?_ If you plan on keeping them I would advise to invest in a larger tank.


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## bigtroutz (Nov 17, 2006)

they should do it pretty much by themselves until you are just sick it, rofl.

You might consider some occasional live food for conditioning the female - the better her condition, the more babies in each spawn. 

You may or may not notice when she is pregnant or even ready to drop the babies, so I would recommend putting in some refuge plants for the babies like mosses (bottom) or hornwort (floating) and let the plants get nice and thick so the parents don't pick off all the babies.

If you have good refuge areas you won't need to worry about moving the female at all.

I have found the best food for the babies is the normal food you use for the adults ground fine in a mortar and pestle and I use a turkey baster to drop the fine food in front of the babies. Cleanup is easiest in a bare bottom tank with hornwort floating with a sponge filter. Once the babies are about 1/2" long or more they can go back into the main tank without worrying too much about cannibalism.

PS, I agree with Trena that you will likely have way too many endlers to raise in a 2 G tank or to keep long term in your 5 G. Plan on more and larger tanks or selling/giving away the excess.

Enjoy


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

hmm....there's some java moss in there, but not prefect for hiding i would say

i am planning on selling most if not all of the fry, and keeping one or two


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## bigtroutz (Nov 17, 2006)

I like hornwort alot - grows fast with minimal light and care but it does drop alot of the fine leaves that need to be vac-ed up or seined out with a net. It does not need to be planted and grows like 2-6" a day, depending on your conditions.


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## Left Coast DJ (Nov 16, 2006)

almostaskater62 said:


> are there any things i should do to encourage them to breed?


You might try playing some Barry White in that room.

DJ


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

i actually said that exact thing when getting them


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Endlers would spawn with the filter if they could. Heck i'm sure mine have already humped it at least once LOL! I'll tell you my setup for them. It's a 10Gal with 1 big java fern, lots of java moss (rescued from my 55 gal), 1 narrow leaf java fern with about 20-30 leaves. And Salvina Minima. 

They (adult and fry) endlers, share a tank with 1 Dwarf Puffer, and 2 Otos

When my girls (currently 2 females big enough to breed) have the babies i dont remove them from the tank. Infact i leave the mothers and fathers with the kids. My last two spawns have been in the 5-7 category. Hopefully i'll get more females, because i know i have 2 females comming into the "age" where i need to give the "talk" and soon enough i'll be over filled with endlers.

Just checked my tank and i have one very very pregnant female, she looks like she'll pop in the next week or so.

Oh ya, i feed my endlers flake food on the regular but when i have extra time i thaw out the bloodworms and let them indulge. The females LOVE them, and they are helping me to stock my 55 so why not help them out.


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## almostaskater62 (Apr 28, 2007)

haha good stuff good stuff

i'm still waiting for my girl to swell up like a balloon


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## deepdiver (May 30, 2006)

Sponge filter, some dense stem plant growth somewhere, and microworms + add a 10 gallon tank and water = Too many Endlers to count in 2 or 3 months 

Have fun - they're great little fish!


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