Can pea puffers live with electric blue acaras?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Pea puffers and electric blue acaras can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 6 inches an electric blue acara can swallow a small pea puffer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

Pea puffer74–82°F · pH 7–8

Electric blue acara72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 6 inches an electric blue acara can swallow a small pea puffer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Watch outPea puffers are aggressive. Electric blue acaras hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.

What works

Both are fine at 74–82°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	Electric blue acara
Temperature	74–82 °F	72–82 °F
pH	7–8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	1.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	All levels	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore