Acclimating Endler's Livebearers (Poecilia wingei) to reef conditons

GreenhornReefer · 08/30/2015, 09:16 PM

Okay, so I'm looking to acclimate a pair of endlers to start a saltwater endler colony. Has anybody done this with a great deal of success? I know in comparison to mollies they have a high mortality rate when just dropped into a saltwater tank, so if anyone has instructions on how I should acclimate them while keeping the mortality rate low, please let me know. Thank you

ThRoewer · 08/30/2015, 09:43 PM

I would do it very slowly by replacing all or just some of the daily evaporated water with saltwater.

GreenhornReefer · 08/30/2015, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThRoewer

I would do it very slowly by replacing all or just some of the daily evaporated water with saltwater.

This may seem ignorant, but after completely acclimated will the endlers continue to procreate, giving birth to completely acclimated offspring? I know my mollies do, but I've yet to acclimate endlers.

ThRoewer · 08/30/2015, 10:18 PM

I really don't know. Guess you just have to try it.

JaimeAdams · 08/31/2015, 12:09 AM

I've never done Enders but I have done mollies a number of times. Slow drip acclimation seem to give the best survival rate. The whole idea is to slowly raise the salinity and ph as to not shock the fish. People will suggest anywhere between 6 hours to 2 weeks. The longer the better

GreenhornReefer · 09/02/2015, 07:12 PM

Is there any drip acclimation kit in particular that you would suggest, Jaime?

lonbrat · 09/03/2015, 12:17 PM

I've done guppies, similar if not the same- I put them in a 2 gal thing (only did 3 at the time) and took a cup of salt, mixed it with a little water to make it concentrated salt water, and slowly added it over about a week- using a turkey baster, about one squirt a day. And by the end of the week they were in full marine conditions in my display doing great. They lived for about 2 months until I had an Ich break out from my moms obsession with no QT. They did breed, but the fish ate all their fry. They also stayed around the top of the water, I'm not sure why, maybe not equipped well for full salt. ^^

08/30/2015, 09:16 PM	#1
GreenhornReefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 10	Acclimating Endler's Livebearers (Poecilia wingei) to reef conditons Okay, so I'm looking to acclimate a pair of endlers to start a saltwater endler colony. Has anybody done this with a great deal of success? I know in comparison to mollies they have a high mortality rate when just dropped into a saltwater tank, so if anyone has instructions on how I should acclimate them while keeping the mortality rate low, please let me know. Thank you

08/30/2015, 09:43 PM	#2
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	I would do it very slowly by replacing all or just some of the daily evaporated water with saltwater. __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

08/30/2015, 10:18 PM	#4
ThRoewer Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fremont, CA Posts: 9,555	I really don't know. Guess you just have to try it. __________________ Pairs: 4 percula, 3 P. kauderni, 3 D. excisus, 1 ea of P. diacanthus, S. splendidus, C. altivelis O. rosenblatti, D. janssi, S. yasha & a Gramma loreto trio 3 P. diacanthus. 2 C. starcki Current Tank Info: 200 gal 4 tank system (40x28x24 + 40B + 40B sump tank + 20g refugium) + 30x18x18 mixed reef + 20g East Pacific biotop + 20g FW +...

08/31/2015, 12:09 AM	#5
JaimeAdams PMASI Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 468	I've never done Enders but I have done mollies a number of times. Slow drip acclimation seem to give the best survival rate. The whole idea is to slowly raise the salinity and ph as to not shock the fish. People will suggest anywhere between 6 hours to 2 weeks. The longer the better

09/02/2015, 07:12 PM	#6
GreenhornReefer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 10	Is there any drip acclimation kit in particular that you would suggest, Jaime?

09/03/2015, 12:17 PM	#7
lonbrat Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Fayetteville NC Posts: 158	I've done guppies, similar if not the same- I put them in a 2 gal thing (only did 3 at the time) and took a cup of salt, mixed it with a little water to make it concentrated salt water, and slowly added it over about a week- using a turkey baster, about one squirt a day. And by the end of the week they were in full marine conditions in my display doing great. They lived for about 2 months until I had an Ich break out from my moms obsession with no QT. They did breed, but the fish ate all their fry. They also stayed around the top of the water, I'm not sure why, maybe not equipped well for full salt. ^^