Green Pea Puffer In 10 Gallon Tank... What?

Hello everyone,

So today I was walkin' through a pet store and I saw a tank of adorable little puffer fish. They were just labeled tiny puffer fish, but after doing some research on puffers I think they were green pea puffers (maybe, not 100% on that). Obviously since they were so adorable and I love all things fish, I fell in love with them.

I came home and have been doing some research. They are brackish water which means semi-salt water right? I'll have to read more on that. And they could be housed in a 5 gallon tank minimum. That tank size doesn't sound right to me. For some reason I think it should be a 20. I mean it's a puffer fish come on, they seem to swim all over all the time. Doesn't that call for a larger tank than 5 gallons? Also, what are other recommendations for keeping these fish? I really want one but am not stupid enough to just buy one. I must do research and the faster you guys can help me the faster (maybe) I can get a puffer fish!!! I'm actually am not even sure if I want to start messing with brackish water, so this is all pure research. Thanks!

 

From my knowledge pea puffers are not brackish but freshwater fish and yes a singular one does fine in a 5 gallon.It eats snails though and sometimes bloodworms so you gotta have those on hand to feed it.

 

If they are pea puffers, they're pure salt water. I haven't actually owned any, but I've had my eye on them for a while. You'd have to have a separate bowl or something for raising snails for them to eat. From what I've read/heard, they only get about an inch long so 5 gallon is fine, but you would also need an additional five gallons for each additional one because they're territorial

 

False.They are not pure saltwater,that is a mythe since they are puffers but they are not pure saltwater but freshwater.

 

If they are pea puffers (which I believe they are because of your description) then I would keep them in fresh water and they can live in a 5g!

They don't get any larger than an inch so a 5 gallon with a stable environment and a tonne of places to hide and explore (which needs moving around every so often) is perfect for them! I'm getting one for my 5g, and they like eating live or frozen worms and small snails

Oh, and please keep them in freshwater MrCoryCats adh/smile Rtessy as whilst they are very rarely found in brackish water in the wild, almost all are found in freshwater streams and all of them (no matter their original source) react badly to brackish water in the aquarium.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask, because they are adorable little guys and I want everyone to be able to enjoy them

 

If they are pea puffers, they're pure salt water. I haven't actually owned any, but I've had my eye on them for a while. You'd have to have a separate bowl or something for raising snails for them to eat. From what I've read/heard, they only get about an inch long so 5 gallon is fine, but you would also need an additional five gallons for each additional one because they're territorial

This is all true EXCEPT the fact that they are saltwater, they are 100% freshwater.

 

puffer boi you keep pea puffers, can you help us? It seems we all agree to disagree..

 

Pea puffers are freshwater fish. Please do not keep them in marine tanks.

They do not have the same beaks as other puffers, so they don't need hard foods to crush. They suck snails out of their shells. That being said, I would still offer them bladder and ramshorn snails at least a few times a week, and frozen and live foods other days. They do not take flakes or pellets as far as I know (mine never did, and only ate live or frozen foods).

A single is fine in a 5 gal. They're pretty tiny.

 

Pea puffers are freshwater fish. Please do not keep them in marine tanks.

They do not have the same beaks as other puffers, so they don't need hard foods to crush. They suck snails out of their shells. That being said, I would still offer them bladder and ramshorn snails at least a few times a week, and frozen and live foods other days. They do not take flakes or pellets as far as I know (mine never did, and only ate live or frozen foods).

A single is fine in a 5 gal. They're pretty tiny.

Thanks

 

Green spotted puffers and pea puffers are two separate kinds and need different care requirements. Here is a pea puffer care sheet. And yes I own and have owned before.

 

Ahhh no I totally meant freshwater! Sorry, my brain must have left for a bit

 

Yeah I figured that lol, it was spot on except one word lol

 

pea puffers don’t have scales so they are extremely sensitive to salt.
they are only freshwater
Mary765 I don't own any yet

 

pea puffers don’t have scales so they are extremely sensitive to salt.
they are only freshwater
Mary765 I don't own any yet

Wait really? Huh

 

Mary did you get yours yet? I am going to buy my 2nd this weekend

 

Mary did you get yours yet? I am going to buy my 2nd this weekend

No no, not yet. I'm having some nitrate issues with my tap water right now but I have nitrate absorbing crystals which should have removed everything in the next couple of weeks, but I will try to let you know when I get my puffer! If I haven't mentioned anything in a month and you still remember me feel free to leave a message so I can update you

 

Will do

 

Mary did you get yours yet? I am going to buy my 2nd this weekend

is the first one already in the tank? if it is then the 1st pea puffer may think that the second one is invading his territory.

 

Yeah she is, but she's really peaceful, didn't even bother the guppy's I had in there for a little while. I don't know how else I'm supposed to get more if I already have one. I have two very large (too large almost) and bushy fake plants that I can add at the first sign of aggression. I have a more heavily planted tank that I'm working on setting up right now for them both.

 

So pea puffers are small, freshwater fish that can live in a 5 gallon tank?

I've done some more research of my own and actually now suspect that the puffers I saw at Walmart were Green Spotted Puffers which apparently grow to 6'' and need a 30 gallon minimum.

Thank you all for your info and help to solve my questions!

 

By all means go out and get yourself a pea puffer if you like those sort of things (do some more research first though)

 

Yes, a single pea puffer is fine in a Freshwater 5 gal tank.