Can pea puffers live with black skirt tetras?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Pea puffers and black skirt tetras can share a tank, but watch one thing. Pea puffers are aggressive. Black skirt tetras hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

Pea puffer74–82°F · pH 7–8

Black skirt tetra70–80°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outPea puffers are aggressive. Black skirt tetras hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What works

Both are fine at 74–80°F.
pH 7–7.5 suits both.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Pea puffer	Black skirt tetra
Temperature	74–82 °F	70–80 °F
pH	7–8	6–7.5
Adult size	1.0 in	2.5 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	15 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	All levels	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 6+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for pea puffers

CrayfishYes

All pea puffer tank mates

Better tank mates for black skirt tetras

All black skirt tetra tank mates

Questions

Can pea puffers live with black skirt tetras?

Yes, with care. Pea puffers and black skirt tetras can share a tank, but watch one thing. Pea puffers are aggressive. Black skirt tetras hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What temperature suits both pea puffers and black skirt tetras?

74–80 °F. Pea puffers need 74–82 °F, black skirt tetras need 70–80 °F.

What size tank do pea puffers and black skirt tetras need together?

At least 15 gal, set by the black skirt tetra. Add space for each extra fish.