Are Pea Puffers Boring?

I always wanted to keep puffers they are so darn cute! But I was wondering if I only keep 4-5 pea puffers in a 20 gallon, will it look boring? Since they are fairly small and doesn't seem to swim too fast. Their color blends in with plants as well, can I even spot them from distance?

If I keep other schooling fish I can have so many of them in 20G, plus they are colorful and goes all over the place, will pea puffers be just as fun to watch?

The tank I have is cycled and has large drift wood with annubias attached. Amazon sword, water wisteria and nymphoides hyrophylla "Taiwan" as back ground, then staurogyne repens and marsilea hirsuta as foreground plants, plus some random ones in between, I'm assuming it can be considered moderately-heavily planted. If that's not enough what are other plants that's recommended?

 

None guppies have long fins which get shredded and pea puffers are messy eaters 2 puffers = death and cories = stressed by puffers

 

Hi! Well, pea puffers are quite aggressive actually. Here is a care guide on them that is a must-read.

If you want to keep more than one, the general rule of thumb is to provide five gallons of water for the first puffer and three gallons of water for each additional puffer. In other words, it is possible to keep three puffers in a 10-gallon tank and six to seven puffers in a 20-gallon tank, but your rate of success depends on how well you set up their environment. If the tank is mostly bare without a lot of cover, expect to see a pufferfish battle zone. If you have a lush, densely planted aquarium, you might be able to handle three puffers in a 10-gallon space.

So, you could have 6-7 pea puffers in that 20 gallon tank BUT it has to be very heavily planted and no tankmates.

Care Guide for Pea Puffers – The Smallest Pufferfish in the World

 

I find them just as interesting, if not more than guppies. They just seem more intelligent. They spend much of their time out and interacting with you.

 

Also, they have very good eyesight and they explore their tank a lot and come up to greet their owner. They aren't boring, give em a try! They are soo cute!

 

I am OBSESSED with my housemate’s pea puffers. They spend a lot of their time hunting small pest snails which is super entertaining to watch. I know everyone’s tastes are different and they might not be your thing if you like flashy colors, but I think their high-contrast markings are really pretty!
I also enjoy finding them in the “jungle”. Their tank has water wisteria and amazon swords too, and I like seeing where they’re lurking. They are hard to see from far away imo but I also don’t like wearing my glasses at home so that might be my own fault.

 

Um.....guys I accidentally marked Chomskypom 's answer as the best answer and I can't undo it?! (lol) Mike

 

What pea puffers lack in bright colors they make up for with personality! If you want a tank where you want to view it from a distance all the time I wouldn’t recommend pea puffers because they are hard to see but I look at all my tanks from near and far so it doesn’t bother me! If anything just set up another tank and have one for puffers and one for community fish then you have the best of both worlds

 

What pea puffers lack in bright colors they make up for with personality! If you want a tank where you want to view it from a distance all the time I wouldn’t recommend pea puffers because they are hard to see but I look at all my tanks from near and far so it doesn’t bother me! If anything just set up another tank and have one for puffers and one for community fish then you have the best of both worlds

True, and even then, they can be stunning when they color up. Nice bright yellow-green with dark bluish black spots. They look really nice against red plants like rotala wallichii.

 

Thanks everyone! I got 6 pea puffers in today! Just like what everyone said, it's kind of hard to see them unless I really look, but they are really cute and curious. I loved them! Thank you!

 

I think you’ll love them when they settle in. They’re one of my favorite fish!

 

Thanks everyone! I got 6 pea puffers in today! Just like what everyone said, it's kind of hard to see them unless I really look, but they are really cute and curious. I loved them! Thank you!

Awesome! They will get used to you In no time. Are they alone? Because like others said they are kinda aggressive

 

Awesome! They will get used to you In no time. Are they alone? Because like others said they are kinda aggressive

There were small pest snails that I hope they can get rid off, but although they seems curious, none of them has really attacked it yet.
I also have a giant apple snail (almost 2 inch), that I thought is big enough and hope they can leave it alone. It might got a few bite last night because the edge of the foot was not smooth. It's still moving fast and eating algaes, but I might have to move it to the other tank.
Does anyone know how many bloodworms should I feed them? They seem to chew it a bit and then spit the white part out. Not sure if it's because they are not settled in yet or what but they didn't eat very much, dispite my effort of wiggle the worm to attrack their interest.

 

There were small pest snails that I hope they can get rid off, but although they seems curious, none of them has really attacked it yet.
I also have a giant apple snail (almost 2 inch), that I thought is big enough and hope they can leave it alone. It might get a few bites last night because the edge of the foot was not smooth. It's still moving fast and eating algaes, but I might have to move it to the other tank.
Does anyone know how many bloodworms should I feed them? They seem to chew it a bit and then spit the white part out. Not sure if it's because they are not settled in yet or what but they didn't eat very much, despite my effort of wiggle the worm to attract their interest.

When the cube is defrosted try to stab the defrosted bloodworms with a utensil. it should make them smaller and easier to eat for the puffers if the worms are too big. Maybe feed them half a cube or so. it depends. Experiment.

 

Maybe feed them half a cube or so. it depends.

Half of the cube for 6 pea puffers? Right now they are eating like 1 full worm each if not less. Maybe they are just not hungry.

 

Half of the cube for 6 pea puffers? Right now they are eating like 1 full worm each if not less. Maybe they are just not hungry.

My peas eat usually about 2 bloodworms each but I like feeding them frozen brine shrimp they seem to struggle less to eat it! As for small pest snails they will eat them over time! I picked some up at my lfs about a month ago and between feeding them frozen food they’ve slowly been picking them off and now there’s only a few left!

 

Also the more my peas have settled in the better they’ve gotten about eating! They used to only eat it as it was falling and looked like it was moving then they went through a phase where they wouldn’t eat it they just watched it and swam away now they will even eat it after it falls to the bottom and doesn’t move

 

Puffers have big personalities, and I actually am planning on getting some soon

 

Half of the cube for 6 pea puffers? Right now they are eating like 1 full worm each if not less. Maybe they are just not hungry.

Oh! there are 6? I thought there were less. Maybe a whole cube. You just gotta experiment. IDK cause I have never had pea puffers.

 

Oh! there are 6? I thought there were less. Maybe a whole cube. You just gotta experiment. IDK cause I have never had pea puffers.

No definitely less than a half cube or you will have lots of rotting food at the bottom! They don’t eat a lot at one time it doesn’t take a whole lot to fill their little bellies up!

 

No definitely less than a half cube or you will have lots of rotting food at the bottom! They don’t eat a lot at one time it doesn’t take a whole lot to fill their little bellies up!

Ohhh, okay. I need experience with puffers cause I don't have any. I guess 1/4 of a cube is good?

 

Ohhh, okay. I need experience with puffers cause I don't have any. I guess 1/4 of a cube is good?

Yeah you’d be surprised how many bloodworms they pack into one of those cubes! I cut them into quarters cuz I don’t want to cut my fingers off trying to cut them smaller lol I feed with a little pipette which I would recommend it makes feeding super easy!

 

Yeah you’d be surprised how many bloodworms they pack into one of those cubes! I cut them into quarters cuz I don’t want to cut my fingers off trying to cut them smaller lol I feed with a little pipette which I would recommend it makes feeding super easy!

Really really appriciate your replies! Just like you said a lot of the times they just stare and follow the worm but wouldn't eat them, they only eat the super long one that I use the tweezer to wiggle, and then because it's so long, they can't fit it in their mouth, and the other puffers will try to steal it from its mouth. Smh. Aren't they supposed to be smart? Lol.
Hopefully they'll settle soon.

 

I love my two pea puffers. They are oddballs, but they actually get along great as the only two fish in a planted 5.5. They never squabble (one is female and one is male). Mine love frozen bloodworms and really love when I throw a fresh batch of ramshorn snails from my other tanks in with them.

The tank sits on a bookshelf and at a glance you might not notice that there are two fish in it. But I think it is still a very pretty planted aquarium. So that's my advice with Pea Puffers--make sure you enjoy the tank for the tank's sake. A pretty aquascape (with places for the puffers to hide and explore) will compensate for their slightly skittish nature and their tendency to blend in with backgrounds.

They are fun pets, and I still laugh every time I go to feed them and see them bouncing around like puppies waiting for food.

 

Really really appriciate your replies! Just like you said a lot of the times they just stare and follow the worm but wouldn't eat them, they only eat the super long one that I use the tweezer to wiggle, and then because it's so long, they can't fit it in their mouth, and the other puffers will try to steal it from its mouth. Smh. Aren't they supposed to be smart? Lol.
Hopefully they'll settle soon.

Just give them some time to settle in and be patient lol they are smart but that doesn’t mean they’re smart all the time

 

Out of all the fish that I have ever had, I would say that pea puffers are my number one. They are more personable than any other fish. You might now see them from across the room, but if you step close to the tank, they do come out to greet you. I have them by themselves and a couple of shrimp. I do find a dead shrimp every once in a while but I’m ok with that.