5 Gallon Tank Cherry shrimp with pea puffers

So my parents informed my that I can get a 5 gallon tank for a pea puffer and I was wondering, could I keep cherry shrimp with them? I know there is always a risk of the puffer eating them, but that is the point. Emergency food. I have also heard of some people having success in breeding cherry shrimp in a tank with pea puffers. I think it would be neat, and maybe instead 1 amano shrimp maybe a pair. The shrimp should do a good job being a clean up crew. If it dosent work out I have a 29 gallon that they could go into. Keep in mind this is 6 months away from now. I am so excited because I have wanted a pea puffer for a few months and I was starting to lose hope that I couldn’t be allowed to get one

 

I've only been keeping pea puffers for a few months, but they're in a heavily planted 40 gallon breeder community tank with a thriving population of cull shrimp. I don't know of any reason why it wouldn't work for you, provided there are a lot of places for the shrimp to hide.

 

I've only been keeping pea puffers for a few months, but they're in a heavily planted 40 gallon breeder community tank with a thriving population of cull shrimp. I don't know of any reason why it wouldn't work for you, provided there are a lot of places for the shrimp to hide.

Yeah it is going to be very heavily planted

 

Yeah it is going to be very heavily planted

Ideally for a 5 gallon, I would get one puffer and no shrimp. A single pea puffer will get bored and kill the shrimp just to have something to do. However, if you upgrade tank size and get more pea puffers, they will shoal together and ignore pretty much everything else because they'll entertain each other.

 

Ideally for a 5 gallon, I would get one puffer and no shrimp. A single pea puffer will get bored and kill the shrimp just to have something to do. However, if you upgrade tank size and get more pea puffers, they will shoal together and ignore pretty much everything else because they'll entertain each other.

Wait, are you saying my pea would be bored and wouldn’t be happy? I don’t have the room for a bigger tank

 

It's kind of a gray area. Pea puffers are found in the wild in big groups. However, they can still be happy solo. Your pea puffer would be happy solo, he'll just channel his energy into hunting your shrimp rather than swimming with other pea puffers. So, theoretically, as soon as he runs out of stuff to hunt, he'll get bored. Or at least, that has been my experience.

 

I've kept my pea puff in a lightly planted 10 gallon with cherry shrimps for 7 months so far and he has never touched them even though I don't feed him much.

 

It's kind of a gray area. Pea puffers are found in the wild in big groups. However, they can still be happy solo. Your pea puffer would be happy solo, he'll just channel his energy into hunting your shrimp rather than swimming with other pea puffers. So, theoretically, as soon as he runs out of stuff to hunt, he'll get bored. Or at least, that has been my experience.

Sorry about not responding, I wasn’t notified of the response haha. So I have some questions about a good 5 gallon kit for them. My parents like tank kits and I have seen some good ones. I like the top fin retreat, and the marineland 5 gallon portrait. I like both but I am concerned the portrait dosent have enough swimming room. Which one would you get?

 

Sorry about not responding, I wasn’t notified of the response haha. So I have some questions about a good 5 gallon kit for them. My parents like tank kits and I have seen some good ones. I like the top fin retreat, and the marineland 5 gallon portrait. I like both but I am concerned the portrait dosent have enough swimming room. Which one would you get?

I would go with the Top Fin. Footprint is everything when it comes to fish tanks, and the bigger the better.

 

Hi!
I figured I’d contribute to your post since I may be able to provide some insight!

I find there is two ways to establish fish and shrimp. Especially those fish that are carnivores or more aggressive.I’ve actually used both methods.

1. Establish your community of shrimp before you introduce the fish in question. This can obviously blow up in your face if your fish decides to have a buffet, but sometimes having an established colony to take control of a territory helps to create boundaries.
2. Introduce both at the same time as juveniles. It’s important to note that they must be very young when you’re doing this. This allows them to all be raised in the same environment.

I’ve actually is used both methods on pea puffers with success both ways. That being said I’ve only mixed cherry shrimp and there has always been pretty sufficient hiding spaces.

Hope this helps!
E

 

Hi!
I figured I’d contribute to your post since I may be able to provide some insight!

I find there is two ways to establish fish and shrimp. Especially those fish that are carnivores or more aggressive.I’ve actually used both methods.

1. Establish your community of shrimp before you introduce the fish in question. This can obviously blow up in your face if your fish decides to have a buffet, but sometimes having an established colony to take control of a territory helps to create boundaries.
2. Introduce both at the same time as juveniles. It’s important to note that they must be very young when you’re doing this. This allows them to all be raised in the same environment.

I’ve actually is used both methods on pea puffers with success both ways. That being said I’ve only mixed cherry shrimp and there has always been pretty sufficient hiding spaces.

Hope this helps!
E

Thanks!

 

Thanks!

No problem!!

 

Going to get some cherries soon (sorry for bad photo)

 

Got some cherries, all is well!