Endler Red Chest

Small enough to vanish in shadow, vivid enough to flash a crimson chest.

The Endler Red Chest is a peaceful, hardy nano livebearer with brilliant red-orange chest colouring—ideal for planted community aquariums and beginners.

• Water conditions: The Endler Red Chest (Poecilia wingei) is adaptable but thrives in stable, clean water. Aim for a temperature of 24–27 °C (75–81 °F), pH 6.8–8.2 and general hardness of around 8–20 dGH. These tiny livebearers tolerate moderately hard water well, but they do not suit a newly cycling aquarium. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero, keep nitrate low through regular maintenance, and perform weekly water changes of around 20–25%. Use gentle filtration and avoid strong currents; a sponge filter or a filter with a guarded intake is ideal. Acclimatise carefully with a drip method over 30–45 minutes, especially if the pH or hardness of your tank differs from the supplier’s water. Stability matters far more than chasing exact numbers, so avoid sudden temperature swings and large, infrequent water changes.
• Suitable tank mates: Because they are peaceful and only 1–2 cm, Endler Red Chests are best kept with other small, calm community fish. Good companions include micro rasboras, ember tetras and other diminutive tetras, pygmy Corydoras, Otocinclus catfish, cherry shrimp and peaceful snails. These combinations work well in a planted nano or community aquarium. Avoid large or predatory species, angelfish, big cichlids, boisterous barbs, fin-nippers and any fish large enough to eat an adult Endler. If you want to keep the Red Chest strain pure, do not house them with guppies, as the two species readily hybridise; other livebearers are also best avoided to prevent crossbreeding and competition. A ratio of one male to two or three females helps reduce harassment and gives females recovery time. Always quarantine new arrivals before adding them to a shared system.
• Feeding habits: Endler Red Chests are omnivorous micro-predators with small mouths and fast metabolisms. Offer a varied diet of high-quality micro pellets, crushed flake food, and small live or frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops and microworms. These foods support condition, colour and natural foraging behaviour. Feed two or three small portions daily, giving only what the fish can clear in a minute or two; overfeeding is a common cause of water-quality problems and bloating. Include occasional vegetable matter, such as a blanched spinach leaf or spirulina-based food, and allow them to graze on soft algae and biofilm in a mature planted tank. Fry and juveniles benefit from infusoria, microworms and finely crushed flake. Remove uneaten food promptly and avoid relying on a single food type.
• Tank size and setup: Although Endlers are tiny, they are active and social, so provide a tank of at least 45 cm / 10 gallons for a small group, with larger volumes offering more stability. A mature, planted aquarium is ideal: java moss, hornwort, floating plants, cryptocorynes and other dense vegetation provide cover, grazing surfaces and refuge for fry. Leave open swimming space in the middle and keep the flow gentle. Use a secure lid, as small livebearers can jump, and guard filter intakes to prevent fry being drawn in. A dark substrate and planted background help show off the male’s red-orange chest colour. Avoid overcrowding; stock gradually and test water regularly during the first few weeks.
• Care requirements: Endler Red Chests are hardy and beginner-friendly, but they still need consistent care. Quarantine new fish for two to four weeks, observe for signs of illness, and never add them to an uncycled tank. Perform routine partial water changes, clean the filter gently in tank water, and monitor temperature, pH and nitrate. These livebearers breed readily, so plan for fry: provide dense plants and moss, and decide how you will manage population growth. Do not mix sexes unless you intend to breed, and keep pure Red Chest lines separate from guppies. With good water quality, varied feeding and a peaceful community, they can live for around two to three years or more. Their small size makes them excellent nano tank residents, but they are not suitable for tanks with large, aggressive or predatory tank mates.