# Endler/guppy hybrids...



## xerxeswasachump (Mar 29, 2006)

So i was at my LFS the other day and i saw some endler's livebearers available. They were $5.99 a pair but they only had two males. 
I figured that would be pretty useless so i took care of other errands and went home. While watching my crab tank i realized that maybe those male endler's could breed with my female guppies.
I did some research and apprently it is possible and produces some crazy looking fish. 
Are the hybrids infertile like most hybrids? Would the combination of male endler and female guppy work or do i need a female endler and a male guppy?


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

There's still a lot of debate about whether or not guppies and endlers are the same fish or different species. Endlers probably originated as guppies that got isolated and then created their own selective breeding program. The question is whether or not they have been isolated long enough to have been turned into a new species. They will crossbreed perfectly fine with guppies, but that doesn't prove one thing or the other since swordtails, platies and varitus can breed and produce viable fry as can guppies and mollies and all are clearly different species. 
Endlers are generally much brighter than wild guppies and some say that they show more energy than guppies - if that's possible. 
Some also say that the incredibly vivid colors Endlers can have sets them apart from guppies, but there are plenty of domestic strains, many of which from Japan, that have just as bright colors. Then again, some also think that those bright guppies have come from breeding Endlers with them. 
Either way, Endlers should be kept separate or the distictive colors and patterns could be lost by the more dull colors of guppies. I'm sure there are some studies going on right now to try and determine if they are a distict species or just a group of local variants of guppies that happened to develop those colors and patterns. If I were to pick them up I would keep them separate and guess that if the store were to have got them once they will probably get them again. At that time you can run back and get some females to add to the group and start your own breeding program.
 But to finally answer your question, No they would not be infertile and would breed with your current stock just fine. (I know – I am getting groans from the purists out there)


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## xerxeswasachump (Mar 29, 2006)

Cool! Well, i know it is gonna piss off a lot of people but i think i might want to try cross breeding, i bet the combinations look cool. It isn't like i am gonna kill the males or anything i can just save them and breed them with endler females when i get the chance.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

Being how it is the males that are avaliable you will be ok to give it a try. If it were females I would avoid it at all costs. Females can store sperm for use at a later time. Meaning even after pulling them from a tank you cannot guarentee that after mixing them with pure endlers later they will be pure endler fry.


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## xerxeswasachump (Mar 29, 2006)

word. Thanks, i'll keep that in mind. I'm not sure it is a good idea to invest in that right now though, i need to focus on one thing at a time. I've got 4 bolivian rams coming in the mail next week. Hey do you think they could handle my paludarium (check my sig) if i take out the guppies, mollies, and danio?


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## craftyflalady (Jan 25, 2006)

Bolivians are pretty cool little fish. I happen to love mine. I think they should do well in your Paludarium. Only thing that concerns me I am not sure if they would eat your shrimp or not? You might have to be careful and watch them for that. 

Enjoy your Bolivians, I sure enjoy mine...
Kathy


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## doggydad38 (Jan 18, 2005)

If you want to see what Guppy/Endler hybrids look like, go to aquabid.com and check Livebearers under the Domesticated heading. There is someone there that has done some crosses and took the hybrids back to the endler side.
Tony


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

I agree with craftyflalady the shrimp may be a issue or lunch for the rams. I would be very cautious of adding them to the same tank.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I personally believe that Endlers may well wind up being the next big thing, like guppies were in the years soon after they were domesticated. As for crossing them with guppies, well, I say go for it! Cross your male Endlers to some female guppies and see what you can create. The results I've seen so far have been pretty amazing in many cases. 
You might want to keep your female endlers only with male endlers, though, as already suggested. Don't destroy your endler lines by crossing them _all_[ with guppies.


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## xerxeswasachump (Mar 29, 2006)

The rams might eat my shrimp but i doubt it. The old one i had left them alone. Also, they are all mature amanos who are as big as a checkerboard cichlid. Definitely not bite size. I steer clear of dwarf shrimp now, i had some bumblebees once and they got eaten by my bettas.


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