Do Endlers Need To Be Kept In Groups? (Quick Read)

I have been keeping and breeding Endlers for more than 20 years, and over that time I have kept them in both large groups and as individual specimens. As more and more people discover the amazing Endler guppy, I find I am continually being asked ’Do Endlers need to be kept in groups?’

Endler guppies are not schooling fish and as such do not need to be kept in groups. An Endeler will be perfectly happy living alone or in an aquarium with other ‘community’ fish. Ideally, Endlers should NOT be kept in a pair as the male will constantly harass the female. A trio or more of Endlers is better than a pair.

Endler Guppies are small, colorful, and peaceful fish that really should be more popular in the hobby than they are. Endlers have long been overshadowed by their more popular cousins, the Guppy!

Can Endlers Be Kept Alone?

Yes, Endlers can be kept alone. It is not uncommon for a single male Endler to be kept as a showpiece in a very small aquarium. Whilst a very small aquarium is not ideal, the Endler will not mind being kept alone.

It is also perfectly possible to keep a single Endler in an aquarium with other, non-Endler fish.

I recently purchased a stunning group of Tiger Endlers. When the group of 10 fish arrived, there was a single, male Blue Star Endler. As I wasn’t expecting him, and I didn’t want to spoil the look of my group of Tiger Enders, I added the single Blue Star Endler to a tank of Black Mollies I have. He is quite happy with the Black Mollies. He doesn’t feel the need to be with his own kind.

Usually it is the males that are kept alone as they have a lot more colors than the females. However, a female will be just as happy alone, just bear in mind, as a live-bearing species of fish, she may give birth to a group of babies if she arrives already pregnant!

How Many Endlers Should Be Kept Together?

Ideally, you want to keep Endelrs either as a single specimen or in a group of 3 or more. Endler guppies are peaceful the majority of the time, but the males are very persistent breeders. If you keep one male with one female, he may well literally harass her to death. Keeping one male to two or more females is a better ratio.

There is no maximum number of Endlers you can keep in a group. You are only limited by the size of your aquarium. Remember, Endlers are a live-bearing species of fish, and as such, the number of fish you have in your aquarium can quickly multiply.

Can You Keep A Group Of Only Male Endlers?

A group of Endler males will be just fine. One of my favorite aquariums is a 20 gallon planted tank I have which has several dozen male Endler guppies. They are constantly on the move and their bright colors look amazing. I can not recommend the male-only Ender aquarium enough.

In Conclusion

Endler guppies look stunning in a group, but they can just as easily be kept as a single specimen. Endlers have no desire to be part of a school.

When you are adding Endler guppies to an aquarium, either keep a single fish on their own or keep 3 or more (1 male to 2 females). Keeping a pair may lead to the male hassling the female to the point she is so stressed she passes away.