Can pea puffers live with fancy goldfish?

Verdict

No. Pea puffers and fancy goldfish should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); pea puffers need 74–82°F. They meet only at 74°F, the edge of both ranges.

Pea puffer74–82°F · pH 7–8

Fancy goldfish65–74°F · pH 7–8

What to watch

Deal breakerFancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); pea puffers need 74–82°F. They meet only at 74°F, the edge of both ranges.
Deal breakerPea puffers nip fins, and the long fins of fancy goldfish are an easy target.
Watch outAt 6 inches a fancy goldfish can swallow a small pea puffer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Watch outPea puffers are aggressive, though fancy goldfish are big enough to shrug most of it off.

What works

pH 7–8 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	Fancy goldfish
Temperature	74–82 °F	65–74 °F
pH	7–8	7–8
Adult size	1.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	All levels
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for pea puffers

CrayfishYes

All pea puffer tank mates

Better tank mates for fancy goldfish

All fancy goldfish tank mates

Questions

Can pea puffers live with fancy goldfish?

No. Pea puffers and fancy goldfish should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); pea puffers need 74–82°F. They meet only at 74°F, the edge of both ranges.

What temperature suits both pea puffers and fancy goldfish?

74–74 °F. Pea puffers need 74–82 °F, fancy goldfish need 65–74 °F.

What size tank do pea puffers and fancy goldfish need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the fancy goldfish. Add space for each extra fish.