Can pea puffers live with zebra plecos?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Pea puffers and zebra plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Pea puffers are aggressive, though zebra plecos are big enough to shrug most of it off.

Pea puffer74–82°F · pH 7–8

Zebra pleco79–88°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outPea puffers are aggressive, though zebra plecos are big enough to shrug most of it off.

What works

Both are fine at 79–82°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	Zebra pleco
Temperature	74–82 °F	79–88 °F
pH	7–8	6–7.5
Adult size	1.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Bottom
Group	Alone or in pairs	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for pea puffers

CrayfishYes

All pea puffer tank mates

Better tank mates for zebra plecos

All zebra pleco tank mates

Questions

Can pea puffers live with zebra plecos?

Yes, with care. Pea puffers and zebra plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Pea puffers are aggressive, though zebra plecos are big enough to shrug most of it off.

What temperature suits both pea puffers and zebra plecos?

79–82 °F. Pea puffers need 74–82 °F, zebra plecos need 79–88 °F.

What size tank do pea puffers and zebra plecos need together?

At least 30 gal, set by the zebra pleco. Add space for each extra fish.