Difference between Endlers and Guppies a guide for identifying Endlers vs Guppy
Livebearer comparison of Guppy fish and Endlers Guppies
This is a short guide for those wanting to understand how to tell a guppy from an Endlers guppy. The breath of guppies include wild guppies which may not be so colorful as compared to Fancy guppies per se and a host of other guppies which are a result of inline breeding. Endlers guppy fish are very popular these days making it a bit more confusing. After curating content on this topic two great references are reviewed here, Endlers vs Fake Endlers and Characteristics of Endler's livebearers versus guppies. These two sources of information prove to be very helpful in quietly understanding tips to tell them apart by way of appearance like, coloration, finnage and body shape.
Endlers and wild guppies do look very much alike, however in general the colors of Endlers is much more intense. I like to think of Endlers as the livebearer equivalent to neon tetras - bright metallic colors. Guppies are less intense, though still quite lovely. The overall look appears rather similar between Endlers and guppies, though there are certain characteristics that are commonly present. Most notably Endlers frequently have a "black comma" on their bodies, which you should notice on most Endler photos.
Endlers and guppies, though very similar, are actually different species. However they are close enough to interbreed and the hybrids are fertile (class K endler). So thus there are three main considerations - pure guppies, pure Endlers, and hybrids of the two.
The fancy guppies are most often pure guppies, however some varieties are created by introducing Endler genes, and thus they are actually hybrids. Let's ignore the hybrids in fancy guppies for this discussion. Fancy guppies are of course just guppies; however they have been selectively bred to have their dramatic looks. In most instances a quick look at a (male adult) guppy you can tell whether it's a fancy guppy or not. Thus there should be little confusion about them. Read the rest of this article here.
Characteristic Endler's
Male Accent Colors Males usually show metallic orange, metallic green and velvety black. Males may appear to have a sword (coloration in the caudal fin rays that give the appearance of a swordtail, etc.), but these colored rays remain in the round. The dorsal fin is small and usually clear.
Characteristic Guppy
Males show blues, reds, greens, golds, oranges, blacks, etc., but most of these colors are matte, not metallic. Guppy swordtails, topswords and lyretails are not only colorations, but the lower and upper rays themselves extend past the round caudal plane. In guppies, it can be clear or sport various colors and often has extended rays.
Female Accent Colors Endler's
Females have a translucent caudal peduncle. The gravid spot of female Endler's is much smaller and does not go as far up the flanks as it does in guppies.
Female Accent Colors Guppy
A female guppy's caudal peduncle area is opaque. The gravid spot is larger and goes farther up the flanks in guppies.
Body Shape Endler's
Males and females are not as stocky as guppies. Endler's also have thinner caudal peduncles.
Body Shape Guppy
Guppies are more stocky than Endler's livebearers, especially at the caudal peduncle.
Gonopodium In Endler's
The thin gonopodium has one hook, a pointed end and a small palp.
Gonopodium Guppy
The gonopodium is thick with several hooks, a rounded end and a large, thick palp.
Endler's Size
Males are about an inch and females about a quarter inch longer.
Guppy Size
Males can reach almost 1.5 inches, and females can grow to 2.5 inches.
Brood Size Endler's
Small broods of a dozen to 15 fry
Brood Size Guppy
Female guppies the same size have broods of 20 to 30 or more.
Body color Endler's
Male and female are a plain golden gray.
Body color Guppy
Guppies are usually gray or silvery gray.