Endlers or Guppy Hybrids?

[Endlerama]

I've been keeping Endler's Livebearers for nearly a year now, and have found them to be among my favorite fish to keep. In my own efforts to keep the genes heterozygous (sp?), I've been sure to pick up additional ones periodically when I spot them at some of our LFS's here.

On one such trip, I added a pair from a reputable LFS which struck me as most interesting. The male was a bottom swordtail, with a slightly jagged tail (and a very slight patch of PINK in his coloration!), and the female was quite large and gravid.

Since adding these fish, I've noticed some really peculiar, yet interesting offspring among my tank, including some fish with some very flaring tails, some of whom look like this one...

And yet another single fish with an incredible dither in his tail that I've never seen from any of my other Endler's before. It's a touch hard to see because of the fish in the background, but these fish are hard to photograph...

Note the "standard" Endler's in the background as well.

So is there anyone here who would hazard to guess as to whether these fish are still full Endlers, or could my additions have possibly included a Guppy or Guppy Hybrid as well?

 

[jafo]

Hybrids!

Endlers don't have fancy tails with that much color.

 

[Endlerama]

Thanks for your insights. I pretty much had suspected as much.

Currently, it looks like about 4 of my about 15 males carries the hybrid traits. It will be interesting to see how it will carry on in future generations.

Some may dislike my failure to keep the bloodlines pure, but I never did care much for the strict pedigree mentality anyway. Thousands of excellent pet-worthy dogs are put to sleep every year because they aren't pure pedigree, and are thus unwanted, and I find that very ugly.

So I may have some hybrid fish - they still are entirely healthy, and respond very well to me, as I'd want any pet to - and besides, they're beautiful!

 

[goldfries]

Endlers are guppies with slight tail variation? i thought they're still called guppies.

how do they differ?

 

[wetmanNY]

Endler's Livebearer is about to become extinct in Venezuela, and its genome is about to be overwhelmed in U.S. captivity through interbreeding with guppy females. Only males are released in the aquarium hobby trade.

A handful of thoughtful aquarists are keeping careful provenance records, and taking the trouble to preserve this unique fish. Similar projects are currently preserving endemic Mexican and western American pupfish that have been eliminated from their native springs.

More to come, as freshwater biodiversity collapses over the next couple of generations.

I'm sure no one really means to sneer at these efforts.

 

[goldfries]

do they differ much or just cosmetically?

 

[wetmanNY]

That depends on your cultural background and perspective, doesn't it?

 

[PartyAnimal1UK]

ye i don't quite understand whats a hybrid and i though endler and guppies were totally different fish. wjat exactlt do you mean