Pea Puffer in a 5.5 Gallon?

Hello, I'm setting up a 5.5 gallon tank right now. I was originally going to stock it with some cherry shrimp and some chili rasboras, but I'm having second thoughts. I was also considering a pea puffer. Could any other bottom dwelling tank mates go in with a pea puffer? I know they're territorial, but I also know it depends on the individual puffer. The only things in the tank now are some moss balls and some assassin snails to deal with bladder snails, but the assassins can easily be moved to one of my other tanks.

Thank you for the help!
Oh, here's a picture of the tank. It has a sponge filter that's supposed to be suited for up to 40 gallons. The picture is a little old, but the moss balls are there now and there's some duckweed, too. I may try other live plants someday.

 

Hello, I'm setting up a 5.5 gallon tank right now. I was originally going to stock it with some cherry shrimp and some chili rasboras, but I'm having second thoughts. I was also considering a pea puffer. Could any other bottom dwelling tank mates go in with a pea puffer? I know they're territorial, but I also know it depends on the individual puffer. The only things in the tank now are some moss balls and some assassin snails to deal with bladder snails, but the assassins can easily be moved to one of my other tanks.

Thank you for the help!
Oh, here's a picture of the tank. It has a sponge filter that's supposed to be suited for up to 40 gallons. The picture is a little old, but the moss balls are there now and there's some duckweed, too. I may try other live plants someday.View attachment 765273

You cant really add any other fish in there with the pea puffer since this is already a 5g tank.

 

You cant really add any other fish in there with the pea puffer since this is already a 5g tank.

OK, I'm still thinking up stocking ideas, so I'll keep thinking on it. Thank you!

 

OK, I'm still thinking up stocking ideas, so I'll keep thinking on it. Thank you!

What about 2 african dwarf frogs?

 

What about 2 african dwarf frogs?

I thought they did better in larger groups? I may be wrong, but I'll think about it.

 

A pea puffers would have to be by itself in there but both pea puffers and shrimp if you wanted to do the other idea like pretty heavily planted tanks

 

A pea puffers would have to be by itself in there but both pea puffers and shrimp if you wanted to do the other idea like pretty heavily planted tanks

OK, would it be a good idea to get the shrimp first, get the plants growing, then add the pea puffer last?

Thank you, btw.

 

OK, would it be a good idea to get the shrimp first, get the plants growing, then add the pea puffer last?

Thank you, btw.

Plants are more important to shrimp than plants so shrimp should go in later but you can’t do them with pea puffers. Pea puffers eat any snails or shrimp they find

 

Plants are more important to shrimp than plants so shrimp should go in later but you can’t do them with pea puffers. Pea puffers eat any snails or shrimp they find

Oh, OK, my bad. I didn't read your reply right. I think I may just go ahead and stick with the shrimp and chili rasboras. But thank you nonetheless for the help!

 

I have a 5 gallon with pea puffers and tons of breeding cherry shrimp it can be done! My peas don’t even go after the smaller shrimps at all! I recently pulled some shrimps out because they were a bit overwhelming in there!!

 

I have a 5 gallon with pea puffers and tons of breeding cherry shrimp it can be done! My peas don’t even go after the smaller shrimps at all! I recently pulled some shrimps out because they were a bit overwhelming in there!!

That's awesome that it's working for you, but I think I'll hold off on the pea puffer and wait until I can get a tank large enough that I can have more than one and a whole mess of kuhli loaches on the bottom.

Thanks for replying anyway.

 

Pea puffers definitely like lots and lots of plants, which works out well with cherry shrimp as they can hide in the plants. However, pea puffers will eat baby cherry shrimp (I put a couple "smaller" ones that weren't even what I normally consider "baby" and watched them get devoured yet mine leave the adult shrimp alone), but generally will leave adults alone. However, understand that as with any fish, pea puffers have their own mind and decisions. They can decide to enjoy eating any size shrimp.

If you are going to do a single pea puffer, I would highly encourage to have things to keep it busy... Shrimp would be a good one, maybe some fast moving fish, possibly some ottos (someone else correct me if this tank would be too small since they should be in a school), etc. But in a 5 gallon, you are limited on what fish can go in there. Do be warned, they will relentlessly kill a snail one bite at a time, no matter the size.

Some people are able to keep them with other fish, but you want fast moving fish without long fins (those long fins are just too tempting for a pea puffer not to have a little nibble, frequently).

I do have to put my normal disclaimer that my recommendation is 6 pea puffers in a 20 gallon long as a minimum set. They are a shoaling (in a loose sense) fish, that generally do have interaction with each other. They will also establish territories, and shoo off other peas that get in their territory... I believe this creates the interaction that makes them really happy. I've seen a single pea puffer, and even just a pair in a tank by themselves... They are generally not as energetic, eager, and just seem, depressed in comparison to ones grouped together. This is only accounting for my personal experience, YMMV.

 

Pea puffers definitely like lots and lots of plants, which works out well with cherry shrimp as they can hide in the plants. However, pea puffers will eat baby cherry shrimp (I put a couple "smaller" ones that weren't even what I normally consider "baby" and watched them get devoured yet mine leave the adult shrimp alone), but generally will leave adults alone. However, understand that as with any fish, pea puffers have their own mind and decisions. They can decide to enjoy eating any size shrimp.

If you are going to do a single pea puffer, I would highly encourage to have things to keep it busy... Shrimp would be a good one, maybe some fast moving fish, possibly some ottos (someone else correct me if this tank would be too small since they should be in a school), etc. But in a 5 gallon, you are limited on what fish can go in there. Do be warned, they will relentlessly kill a snail one bite at a time, no matter the size.

Some people are able to keep them with other fish, but you want fast moving fish without long fins (those long fins are just too tempting for a pea puffer not to have a little nibble, frequently).

I do have to put my normal disclaimer that my recommendation is 6 pea puffers in a 20 gallon long as a minimum set. They are a shoaling (in a loose sense) fish, that generally do have interaction with each other. They will also establish territories, and shoo off other peas that get in their territory... I believe this creates the interaction that makes them really happy. I've seen a single pea puffer, and even just a pair in a tank by themselves... They are generally not as energetic, eager, and just seem, depressed in comparison to ones grouped together. This is only accounting for my personal experience, YMMV.

I really like pea puffers and I'd really like to give them a good life, so I'm just gonna wait on Peas until I get another larger tank for them (something like a 55g with a nice group of Peas and a bunch of Kuhli Loaches) or one of my tanks opens up, hopefully that's not soon, though, lol.

 

I really like pea puffers and I'd really like to give them a good life, so I'm just gonna wait on Peas until I get another larger tank for them (something like a 55g with a nice group of Peas and a bunch of Kuhli Loaches) or one of my tanks opens up, hopefully that's not soon, though, lol.

Hahah good thing. Also be prepared if you do get them, you will need to deworm. But they are hours of endless joy and worth the work. Another thing is having a small tank for snail breeding as they will love pest snails.

Look forward to seeing where you adventure takes you!

 

Hahah good thing. Also be prepared if you do get them, you will need to deworm. But they are hours of endless joy and worth the work. Another thing is having a small tank for snail breeding as they will love pest snails.

Look forward to seeing where you adventure takes you!

You mean for the pest snails to be a food treat for them? If so, I have A LOT of Bladder Snails that I really don't want.

 

Good decision to wait! I would definitely agree a larger tank with more would be way better! They are so small and if you get ones that hide often it makes the aquarium a bit boring to look at! I enjoy some movement in my tanks