Santa Maria Bleeding Heart Endler (Poecilia wingei) – Striking Red-Chested Hybrid Endler with Metallic Blue and Orange Hues, Active and Peaceful

Few freshwater fish can rival the Santa Maria Bleeding Heart Endler for sheer brilliance. With a glowing ruby-red chest, electric blue flanks, and fiery orange highlights, this rare Endler variety shimmers like a living gemstone. Each flash of color feels alive, shifting under aquarium light as these energetic fish dart and play.

Originating as a carefully selected hybrid between the Poecilia wingei and Poecilia reticulata, the Santa Maria Endler combines the hardiness and prolific nature of guppies with the vibrant color and smaller form of true Endlers. The result? A striking, peaceful livebearer that thrives in nearly any setup, from nano tanks to lush planted aquariums.

Perfect for aquascapers, breeders, and beginners, this variety adds both movement and color harmony to any freshwater display.

🌿 Key Features

• Dazzling Coloration: Red chest, iridescent blue sides, and warm orange fins that glow in natural or LED light.

• Compact & Active: Grows only 1–1.5 inches, making it perfect for nano aquariums.

• Peaceful Nature: Ideal for planted community tanks with shrimp, snails, or other gentle fish.

• Hardy & Beginner Friendly: Adapts easily to a variety of water parameters.

• Prolific Breeder: Produces small broods regularly, excellent for livebearer enthusiasts.

• Sustainably Bred: Responsibly tank-raised and conditioned for long-term health.

🐟 Species Overview

• Scientific Name: Poecilia wingei (Santa Maria Bleeding Heart strain)

• Origin: Selectively bred hybrid (descended from Venezuela wingei)

• Temperament: Peaceful

• Diet: Omnivore (flakes, pellets, live & frozen foods)

• Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)

• pH Range: 6.8–8.0

• Water Hardness: 8–20 dGH

• Adult Size: 1–1.5 inches

• Lifespan: 2–3 years with proper care

💧 Aquarium Care & Setup

Santa Maria Endlers thrive in clean, planted aquariums with stable parameters and moderate flow. Their compact size and curious, social nature make them one of the best centerpiece species for nano aquascapes.

🪴 Tank Setup Tips

• Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons for a trio; 10+ gallons recommended for colonies.

• Filtration: Sponge filter or gentle flow filter to protect fry.

• Plants: Java moss, guppy grass, hornwort, and floating plants provide shelter and security.

• Substrate: Fine gravel or sand with natural decor.

• Lighting: Moderate to bright to bring out iridescent colors.

• Tank Mates: Ideal companions include cherry shrimp, snails, Corydoras, rasboras, and peaceful tetras.

Perform regular water changes (20–30% weekly) to maintain water clarity and health. Endlers are resilient, but pristine water helps them show their best color and vitality.

🍽️ Feeding

The Santa Maria Endler is omnivorous and will eat just about anything, but a varied diet keeps their colors at their peak.

• Daily Diet: High-quality tropical flakes, micro pellets, and spirulina-based foods.

• Treats: Frozen or live brine shrimp, daphnia, or bloodworms for color enhancement.

• Supplement: Algae wafers or blanched veggies for fiber and plant nutrients.

Feed small portions twice a day, enough for them to finish in under two minutes. Their constant grazing behavior makes them helpful algae controllers as well.

🐣 Breeding & Fry Care

Santa Maria Endlers are livebearers, meaning females give birth to fully formed fry instead of eggs.

• Gestation: 3–4 weeks

• Fry Size: Tiny, but strong enough to feed on powdered fry food or infusoria immediately.

• Fry Survival: Provide dense plants like Java moss or floating vegetation to protect babies.

• Breeding Strategy: Many keep small breeding colonies, just maintain stable water and regular feeding, and they’ll reproduce naturally.

Because Santa Marias are hybrids, maintaining pure color lines requires keeping them separate from guppies or other Endler strains.

🌈 Why You’ll Love Them

The Santa Maria Bleeding Heart Endler isn’t just another small fish, it’s a moving piece of art. Their red “heart” pattern glows with life, while their metallic blue body mirrors the calm shimmer of sunlight on water. They’re curious but peaceful, lively yet undemanding, everything you want in a display fish.

Perfect for planted aquariums, community setups, or breeding projects, this variety quickly becomes the centerpiece of any tank.

🌍 Sustainability & Shipping

At Terra Mater Gardens, we focus on ethical, tank-bred live fish, never wild-caught. Each Endler is carefully acclimated and inspected before shipment to ensure health and vigor.

💧 Live Arrival Guarantee: We take great care to pack and ship live fish using insulated materials and fast methods. Please ensure someone is available to receive your order upon delivery.

✨ Highlights

• Brilliant red-chested coloration with shimmering blue and orange tones

• Peaceful and social; perfect for nano and planted tanks

• Hardy, beginner-friendly, and adaptable

• Excellent algae grazers and prolific breeders

• Ethically tank-bred and sustainably shipped

❤️ Add Living Color and Life to Your Aquarium

The Santa Maria Bleeding Heart Endler brings passion and motion to every tank, tiny fish with a giant personality and color palette that defies belief. Whether you’re starting your first community tank or adding variety to a thriving setup, this stunning livebearer will quickly become a favorite, captivating, resilient, and endlessly rewarding to keep.