Pea puffer care

Water temperature

74–82°F

Pea puffers do best at 74–82°F and pH 7–8. Plan on 5 gallons or more. Good tank mates include crayfish.

Tiny but nippy. Usually kept in a species-only tank.

Carinotetraodon travancoricus

pH

7–8

Minimum tank

5 gal

Adult size

1.0 in

Temperament

Aggressive

Group

Alone or in pairs

Lifespan

4–5 years

Swims at

All levels

Diet

Carnivore

Best tank mates

• CrayfishYes

Full pea puffer tank mate chart: 1 yes, 58 with care, 39 no

Pea puffer water compared

Fish to keep away from pea puffers

• Betta Pea puffers nip fins, and the long fins of bettas are an easy target.
• Guppy Pea puffers nip fins, and the long fins of guppies are an easy target.
• Angelfish An adult angelfish eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 1 inches pea puffers do.
• Cherry shrimp Pea puffers hunt shrimp. Adult cherry shrimp will be eaten.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); pea puffers need 74–82°F. They meet only at 74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Neon tetra Pea puffers are aggressive and will bully peaceful neon tetras.
• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); pea puffers need 74–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Mystery snail Pea puffers hunt snails, so mystery snails will be eaten.

More oddballs

• Bichir72–82°F
• Killifish70–77°F
• Black ghost knife73–82°F
• Elephant nose fish73–82°F
• Silver arowana75–86°F