Guppies vs Endlers

[Jennywrenn]

OK, so  my endlers have one by one disappeared. I had bought some from a member here a while back. From the fry I got with them, one of the males had more of a feathery tail, plus he was half black (back half).
I really wondered about him, as he acted just like the other males, but really didn't look like the scoopshaped tail they normally have.
I thought he might have been a regular guppy fry that got in the tank somehow?

Ok, so time passes, I rearrange the occupants of tanks, and since he was the only one left, and by then I really thought he was a regular guppy, he got moved into a tank with some other guppies.

More time passes, and my guppies again are disappearing...him too...he was always easy to see, now he's gone.
Rehome the big pleco in there, and guppies stop vanishing...so stress or other, that problem is solved.
The fry still in the tank grow up and colour up nicely...many looking like the other dadies...the gypsy  tail (black and red ripples), and the lyre tail (split tail, longer bottom ribbon, shorter top ribbon, but both extend beyond the regular plain tail part.
And a few that look like endlers....but different too....

So, after researching and digging and wondering and staring, I think now, and it's too late, the half black was truly an endler and passed on his genes in the tank.
Posting pic's, these boys are really beautiful. Endler colour mostly, with longer ribbon top and bottom on their tail. A bit more colourful than thier parents, and much longer tail than they should have, but still, a crossbreed.....I'm not happy about the cross, as they can't be used in anything but enjoyment purposes, but I am enjoying them for thier beauty and activity.
Posting pics (sorry the quality is not great....digital camera...on sport shot cause they move so much. Tried the close up shot and they were all blurry) to show you what I mean.

Wondering if anyone else has ever seen or heard of a half black endler?
If not, were the ones I bought quite possibly not pure endlers?
Should I do anything with these guys or just enjoy them as they are? (I don't intend to flush or anything silly like that...but should I sell all the fish and start again?)

I do want to get Endlers again at some point, but now I'm nervous of not getting pure stock, and what variations there may be? I didn't think there were anything other than the ordinary males out there?

Thanks
Jenny




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[mseguin]

Endler's are actually quite variable. I've seen pics of some endler's with some black including some famles that were black in the back half of their body.