# Multi shell dwellers with endlers



## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Hello! I have a 30 gallon multifasciatus shell dweller tank and I have endler livebearers in a mesh breeding tank because their small and I’m wondering if I can release them with the Shellie’s finally or will they get eaten?


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Most websites said they can coexist but didn’t mention small Endlers with shell dwellers


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## Aussieman57 (Dec 18, 2021)

Never tried this but they do well in hard water and can tolerate higher pH. They tend to like the middle and top layers of the tank but will venture to the bottom to burrow and look for food. They also appreciate plants in the tank. The big issue is their inability to protect themselves from aggression. I'm thinking the shell dwellers will pummel the Endlers so I would not combine them.


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Thanks! The multies are known to not be as aggressive and so far have not gone up to the the mesh breeding thing with the endlers. Also, I have some jungle Val which has been uprooted a couple times but is still doing quite well with the Shellie’s. I’m just deciding whether to release the endlers now or wait until their bigger


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Also, I’ve had the Shellie’s for like a month and i already have some fry! Do you think the Shellie’s will become too aggressive because of their mating?(I have one shell dweller that came pregnant and two others that are mating now the other two(five total) are minding their own business)


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Aussieman57 said:


> Never tried this but they do well in hard water and can tolerate higher pH. They tend to like the middle and top layers of the tank but will venture to the bottom to burrow and look for food. They also appreciate plants in the tank. The big issue is their inability to protect themselves from aggression. I'm thinking the shell dwellers will pummel the Endlers so I would not combine them.


The breeder tank is in the same tank just at the top


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## Florida Chester (10 mo ago)

I’ve got Celebes Rainbows in with my Multics. I like the combo. if the Celebes get to far down in the water column, it is guaranteed that a Multi will chase it back up. The Rainbows are bigger than the Multies and way faster, so they really never really get bothered. A slower smaller fish may get nipped repeatedly though.

Having the Rainbows in the tank sure has made a difference with the Multies though. They seem way more comfortable in space now.


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Just searched up that fish you have and they look super cool! Released my endlers around 10 mins ago and their already adjusting by leaving the Shellie’s alone. I have the swordtail endlers and the colors really pop in the not as colorful tank. The multies aren’t fighting the endlers just moving close to them and then the endlers leave but so far no fighting.


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## catscanman (10 mo ago)

Plantedshelly said:


> Hello! I have a 30 gallon multifasciatus shell dweller tank and I have endler livebearers


Not gonna' lie...I had to google endlers> wasn't familiar with that term, but wow! That would make any tank pop.


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## Florida Chester (10 mo ago)

Plantedshelly said:


> Just searched up that fish you have and they look super cool! Released my endlers around 10 mins ago and their already adjusting by leaving the Shellie’s alone. I have the swordtail endlers and the colors really pop in the not as colorful tank. The multies aren’t fighting the endlers just moving close to them and then the endlers leave but so far no fighting.


Keep us posted on how the Endlers are doing. Sounds like an interesting mix you have.

I would have preferred to mix Cyprichromis in the tank, but thought the Cyps would have been to crowded in my 40 breeder. I do think the Multi’s benefit from having a dither fish, so that is why I tried the Rainbows and they seem to be working out great together. I also keep mystery snails in the tank and my Multi’s ignore them.


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## KrnAndy (10 mo ago)

I would say dither fish would be great but seeing how aggressive my multies are with anyone nearby you would need a FAST fish. Endlers would probably get nipped at without being able to swim away fast enough.


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

The endlers are too fast for them and at the beginning two days the Shellie’s swam up to them and then swam back down and that scared the endlers but now each species mind there own business. Also, no news with the fry I see a lot of them near the lonely female(I don’t remember if I told you the male died a while ago) and 2 fry near the pair. The endlers almost always swim in a group and are very active and exciting to watch.


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

What should the nitrate level be? I know the nitrite should be zero but haven’t seen anything on nitrate.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The test kit manufacturers say 40ppm nitrate is safe, but I like to keep my nitrates between 10ppm and 20ppm.


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Ok thanks!


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

It’s crazy how fast the baby Shellie’s are growing up. I see some new babies compared to the older babies and there much bigger! The endlers are still doing well


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)




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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Plantedshelly said:


> View attachment 142485


Babies in the middle


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

I’m pretty sure one of my endlers is pregnant! 1/8. Everything is doing well and I see a lot of new babies! Probably a total of like 12.


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Will the Shellie’s eat the baby endlers? Or will I have to worry about the endler eating all of her babies? What do I do with the pregnant endler?


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)




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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Plantedshelly said:


> View attachment 142532


Close up of baby


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## Aussieman57 (Dec 18, 2021)

Plantedshelly said:


> Will the Shellie’s eat the baby endlers? Or will I have to worry about the endler eating all of her babies? What do I do with the pregnant endler?


You could just leave them be and let nature take it's course. If you really want to raise the baby endlers there are "guppy breeder traps you could place the mom in. Do you have an extra tank to raise the endlers?


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

One of my siblings said they are willing to take care of the endler babies in her tank so I feel better knowing that they won’t get eaten


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

Plantedshelly said:


> One of my siblings said they are willing to take care of the endler babies in her tank so I feel better knowing that they won’t get eaten


With the cichlids I can let nature take its course because they protect their babies unlike endlers which eat them, sometimes even right after birth


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## sir_keith (Oct 30, 2018)

This seems to have turned into an endler thread...


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## AddMeONLeagueOfLegends (9 mo ago)

I have always wanted Shellie’s. How many do you have in there?


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

I have five Shellie’s with now probably 30 babies(not exaggerating) and 8 endlers. The key is plenty of shells


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

The cichlids really hate all the snails. Some snails came with the jungle val(live plants which are very hardy and look pretty in the thirty gallon) and they bred pretty fast but they clean the tank. I always see them take snails in their mouth and just drop them on the other side of the tank or throw them from their mouth.


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

I know this isn’t an endler conversation but just found baby endler! My other fish are doing well with around 40 babies for the cichlids


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## Plantedshelly (9 mo ago)

We have around 10 baby endlers that haven’t gotten eaten and are living very well in a baby box! One of the endlers is in my five gallon planted tank and the others are in a 20 gallon tank exactly like the one with the cichlids. Sorry I haven’t been active in the forum lately I’ve been busy


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