Guppy Endler Black Silverado
Poecilia wingei
Description
The Guppy Endler Black Silverado is a stunning and striking variety of Endler’s guppy, characterized by its dark black coloration and metallic silver markings. The body of the guppy is typically a deep black with shimmering silver or light metallic spots, giving the fish a dazzling and unique appearance. The tail fin and other fins may also display vibrant silvery hues or yellowish tinges, adding to its visual appeal.
Habitat Origin
The Endler’s guppy (Poecilia wingei), which includes the Black Silverado variety, is native to Venezuela, specifically to small, clear freshwater streams and rivers. These areas are often low-flowing, rich in vegetation, and provide plenty of hiding spots. The Guppy Endler Black Silverado was selectively bred in captivity to highlight its bold black coloration and metallic patterns, making it a highly desired variety in the aquarium hobby.
Aquarium
Ideal Number in Aquarium: Best kept in groups of at least 4 – 6 guppies to encourage natural schooling behavior and reduce stress.
Favorite Food
The Guppy Endler Black Silverado is an omnivorous species, and they will accept a variety of foods. They can be fed flake food, micro pellets, and live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms, and grindal worms. They also enjoy vegetable-based foods like spirulina, blanched spinach, lettuce, and peas. A varied diet is important to maintain their health and vibrant colors.
Behavior:
The Guppy Endler Black Silverado is peaceful, active, and curious, often swimming throughout the middle and upper levels of the tank. They enjoy interacting with other fish of their kind, and their schooling behavior makes them feel more secure. As livebearers, they often engage in mating displays, with males showcasing their vibrant colors to attract females.
Special Care:
The Guppy Endler Black Silverado is easy to care for, making them an excellent choice for beginner aquarists. They require clean water and good filtration to thrive. Regular water changes, at least 20-30% weekly, are essential to maintain water quality and remove accumulated waste. Gentle filtration is recommended, as strong currents can stress these small fish.
Compatibility with Other Fish:
The Guppy Endler Black Silverado is peaceful and can be kept with a variety of small, non-aggressive species. They are compatible with other Endler varieties, neon tetras, harlequin rasboras, small corydoras catfish, and other livebearers. Avoid keeping them with larger or more aggressive species, such as bettas, cichlids, or goldfish, as these fish may harass or eat the guppies.
Breeding Tank Setup
Though Guppy Endler Black Silverado can breed in a community tank, using a separate breeding tank (10–20 gallons) is highly recommended. This setup ensures fry survival and makes it easier to maintain stable water conditions. Ideal parameters include a pH of 6.8–7.5, temperature between 24–28°C (75–82°F), and water hardness of 8–12 dGH. A sponge filter is best, as it offers gentle filtration and prevents fry from being sucked in. A soft substrate like sand or bare-bottom is fine, and live plants such as Java moss, hornwort, and floating plants provide shelter and grazing surfaces for fry.
Conditioning for Breeding
To condition Guppy Endler Black Silverado for breeding, feed them a varied and protein-rich diet. Offer high-quality flakes, live foods like brine shrimp and daphnia, and frozen options like bloodworms. This diet improves overall health and enhances breeding behavior. Perform regular water changes (20–30% weekly), and simulate breeding triggers by doing a larger water change before introducing a breeding pair.
Spawning Process
These guppies are livebearers—females carry fertilized eggs internally and give birth to fully developed fry. Mating can occur frequently, and females can store sperm for several batches. Gestation lasts 21–30 days, after which the female may give birth to 20–50 fry, depending on age and health. It’s best to move the pregnant female to a nursery tank before giving birth and return her to the main tank afterward to prevent fry predation and give her time to recover.
Fry Care & Feeding
Newborn fry swim immediately and begin feeding on biofilm and tiny organisms in the tank. Supplement this with powdered fry food, baby brine shrimp, or crushed flakes. Feed small portions several times a day to support growth. Maintain excellent water quality by performing small daily water changes (10–20%), and keep the temperature stable within the ideal range to support healthy development.
Additional Notes on Breeding
Sexual maturity occurs around 3–4 months. Males are smaller and more vibrantly colored with distinctive silver-black patterns, while females are larger, rounder, and less colorful. Avoid stressors like overcrowding, poor water quality, and aggressive tankmates, as these can hinder breeding and fry survival. A peaceful, planted, and stable tank environment is crucial for successfully breeding Guppy Endler Black Silverado.