Too small for 2, they are very territorial and would harm each other. They recommend 5 gallons per pea puffer so 2 in a well planted 10 gallon would be ok. They love to explore and play in the tank like little puppies.
Pea Puffer Questions!
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Just make sure you get them from a good store and that they look plump and healthy and active/curious. I just went through 2 from a LFS and they were both extremely tiny and skinny and both died. The first one lasted 2 weeks the 2nd just 2 days. I'm 99% sure its not my tank because its a planted tank that's been setup for almost a year and I have red cherry shrimp doing just fine in there and they are sensitive to water as well.
I did have one a few years ago that was a tank tho, he was in a 5 gallon tank I never did a single water change on(when I was still brand new to fish keeping), just top'd off it off and he survived for a long time. I feel extremely bad I didnt take care of him better.
Overall great fish, will I be getting more? no. I'm enjoying shrimp much more when it comes to small planted tanks. I would FOR SURE get a green spot puffer tho if I had the tank/time for it.
I did have one a few years ago that was a tank tho, he was in a 5 gallon tank I never did a single water change on(when I was still brand new to fish keeping), just top'd off it off and he survived for a long time. I feel extremely bad I didnt take care of him better.
Overall great fish, will I be getting more? no. I'm enjoying shrimp much more when it comes to small planted tanks. I would FOR SURE get a green spot puffer tho if I had the tank/time for it.
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hI everyone
I have recently bought a 10 gallon aquarium, along with a filter, a heater, an air stone and tons of décorations. I was thinking about having 3 pea puffers inside.
I know the best would be to have 1m/2f. If they reproduce, will the parents eat the babies?
Also, I've seen a lot of people telling new pea puffer owners to treat the fish with prazipro. Is that what I should do?
I presently have an aquarium with snails only. I didn't buy them, they came with live plants I bought and I didn't find them before a month later or so. Therefore I don't know the type of snails they are. I know pea puffers eat snails, so I was wondering if I could eventually give some of the snails as food for the puffers, even if I don't know the species. Are some types of snails dangerous for them?
Thank you!
I have recently bought a 10 gallon aquarium, along with a filter, a heater, an air stone and tons of décorations. I was thinking about having 3 pea puffers inside.
I know the best would be to have 1m/2f. If they reproduce, will the parents eat the babies?
Also, I've seen a lot of people telling new pea puffer owners to treat the fish with prazipro. Is that what I should do?
I presently have an aquarium with snails only. I didn't buy them, they came with live plants I bought and I didn't find them before a month later or so. Therefore I don't know the type of snails they are. I know pea puffers eat snails, so I was wondering if I could eventually give some of the snails as food for the puffers, even if I don't know the species. Are some types of snails dangerous for them?
Thank you!
Hello!
Ideally, I would only keep two pea puffers in there, but if you insist on keeping three then please add a tonne more hiding places and plants than is needed, so give them some space to be alone if they need to be.
As for breeding, that rarely ever happens in captivity, so don't worry
I cannot help you about prazipro as I live in the UK and that is not really available..
Pea puffers will eat all snails as long as they aren't too big (I think a shell half the size of their body is the maximum size they can eat, but smaller snails 1cm big are ideal)
Hope this helps!!
Ideally, I would only keep two pea puffers in there, but if you insist on keeping three then please add a tonne more hiding places and plants than is needed, so give them some space to be alone if they need to be.
As for breeding, that rarely ever happens in captivity, so don't worry
I cannot help you about prazipro as I live in the UK and that is not really available..
Pea puffers will eat all snails as long as they aren't too big (I think a shell half the size of their body is the maximum size they can eat, but smaller snails 1cm big are ideal)
Hope this helps!!
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I'm also in the process of setting up a tank for pea puffers! I presume you mean Carinotetraodon Travancoricus? Theyre absolutley adorable!
In terms of snails, anything with a "soft shell" is good, like acute bladder snails and ranshorn snails. These can repopulate at a whopping speed so if I were you id remove any snails you can find in your tank at the moment and put them in a large jar with some substrate, a live plant and a lid, or a bucket woth the same setup. That way you can breed those snails without worrying about them overrunning your main tank I don't know anything about a snail that is dangerous or poisonous to them, well maybe an assassin snail maybe but other that that you're good.
Post some pics of your tank I'd love to see! The snails can alsp be easily identifyable - just post a pic here and I'll find out
In terms of treating your puffer fish, it depends on where they are coming from, where they were caught or bred and how long they'll be in your LFS for. Your puffers may most likley be wild caught and a lot of the time LFSs will quarantine and treat new fish that are wild caught for any parasites or illnesses. Pictures pictures pictures really save lives so if you're worried about how anything looks, drop a pic and people will help
The puffers are absolutley adorable - I will say watch for their teeth as some have a fiery attitude and will actually nip YOU. 1 male to 2 femal is an excellent ratio but its difficult to sex them until they are mature so you may not end uo woth what you want. Don't keep these guys with other slow moving fish or they'll be dinner.
For diet, I'd recommend feeding live foods like blood worms (the best!) and artemia from the start and then slowly moving onto pellets and flakes. They are picky eaters and will require the calcium and shells of the snails to keep their teeth ground down and in check
Hope this helps! If you've any more questions please ask
Its also difficult to make them spawn, but sometimes fry just pop up. As for making them spawn I'm not actually sure. The youtuber Rachel O'Leary does a great video on these guys and I think she talks about breeding It should be helpful ^_^
In terms of snails, anything with a "soft shell" is good, like acute bladder snails and ranshorn snails. These can repopulate at a whopping speed so if I were you id remove any snails you can find in your tank at the moment and put them in a large jar with some substrate, a live plant and a lid, or a bucket woth the same setup. That way you can breed those snails without worrying about them overrunning your main tank I don't know anything about a snail that is dangerous or poisonous to them, well maybe an assassin snail maybe but other that that you're good.
Post some pics of your tank I'd love to see! The snails can alsp be easily identifyable - just post a pic here and I'll find out
In terms of treating your puffer fish, it depends on where they are coming from, where they were caught or bred and how long they'll be in your LFS for. Your puffers may most likley be wild caught and a lot of the time LFSs will quarantine and treat new fish that are wild caught for any parasites or illnesses. Pictures pictures pictures really save lives so if you're worried about how anything looks, drop a pic and people will help
The puffers are absolutley adorable - I will say watch for their teeth as some have a fiery attitude and will actually nip YOU. 1 male to 2 femal is an excellent ratio but its difficult to sex them until they are mature so you may not end uo woth what you want. Don't keep these guys with other slow moving fish or they'll be dinner.
For diet, I'd recommend feeding live foods like blood worms (the best!) and artemia from the start and then slowly moving onto pellets and flakes. They are picky eaters and will require the calcium and shells of the snails to keep their teeth ground down and in check
Hope this helps! If you've any more questions please ask
Its also difficult to make them spawn, but sometimes fry just pop up. As for making them spawn I'm not actually sure. The youtuber Rachel O'Leary does a great video on these guys and I think she talks about breeding It should be helpful ^_^
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Thanks for all that information!
My aquarium setup isn't ready right now as I am coming back from vacation but I should finalize it in the next couple of days! I will post a picture of it then!
As for my snails, I will take a picture of them as soon as I get home to see if you can tell me the type.
Ive been planning on buying frozen bloodworms but I'm worried they might not eat it... are live bloodworms sold in a lot of pet shops?
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just a couple side notes
1. pea puffers have teeth but they literally suck the guts out of the snail(there to small to eat the shell).
2. if you feed them blood worms there not gonna eat flakes or pellets. I recommend feeding snails, shrimp(not the bigger types) and blood worms (only do blood worms 1-2 times a week.
3. a pea puffer may look fine even if it a parasite in it. so I would always quarantine to be extra safe.
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Hello,
I am getting one pea puffer on sunday. I want to know if anyone in this fish community can give me any first time tips for taking care of pea puffers. Just to say, I am getting one because I have a five gallon tank after my betta died after a few years. After that I cleaned out everything even the gravel. Then we went to a trusted fish store and I got stability to help build a bacteria colony. I also got a sheet of bloodworms. It would be great if you have any other helpful tips
I am getting one pea puffer on sunday. I want to know if anyone in this fish community can give me any first time tips for taking care of pea puffers. Just to say, I am getting one because I have a five gallon tank after my betta died after a few years. After that I cleaned out everything even the gravel. Then we went to a trusted fish store and I got stability to help build a bacteria colony. I also got a sheet of bloodworms. It would be great if you have any other helpful tips
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Pea puffers don't have beaks, so they don't need to wear them down.
Regardless, they do prefer to eat snails. Most pea puffer won't take anything but live food until you've had them a while and they've been trained to it. You also have to feed them frozen by hand, with tweezers most of the time, to get the worms to "wiggle" and look alive.
So, unless you can provide live foods for an extended period of time, don't get a pea puffer.
If you're willing, most pet stores will give you pest snails for free. You can also order scuds and feeder shrimp colonies online, which will last a long time if properly cared for.
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HI
(Sorry, I misread your post, thought you said 20 gallon I don't know why, so aI edited my answer ):
In my opinion, 1 pea puffers would fit perfectly.
I have two pea puffers of my own and they are not as hard to keep as everyone seems to say. Sure, maybe some are more picky but mine will eat frozen brine shrimp/mysis shrimp and they love it. They even eat some pea
I do have snails too but they don't need to only eat that, every day... they need to have some sometimes to keep their teeth healthy.
Keeping and reproducing snails is really easy if you want to try. Just a big bowl will do! Keep 2 or 3 together and after a month you could have more than 50. Just change the water very frequently!
P.s: you should get a liquid test kit for your water parameters. They are sensitive to water parameters but nothing to worry about too much if you keep an eye on the parameters. Mine have been trough bad parameters and have always stayed healthy.
(Sorry, I misread your post, thought you said 20 gallon I don't know why, so aI edited my answer ):
In my opinion, 1 pea puffers would fit perfectly.
I have two pea puffers of my own and they are not as hard to keep as everyone seems to say. Sure, maybe some are more picky but mine will eat frozen brine shrimp/mysis shrimp and they love it. They even eat some pea
I do have snails too but they don't need to only eat that, every day... they need to have some sometimes to keep their teeth healthy.
Keeping and reproducing snails is really easy if you want to try. Just a big bowl will do! Keep 2 or 3 together and after a month you could have more than 50. Just change the water very frequently!
P.s: you should get a liquid test kit for your water parameters. They are sensitive to water parameters but nothing to worry about too much if you keep an eye on the parameters. Mine have been trough bad parameters and have always stayed healthy.
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0 nitrates usually indicates an uncycled tank. Are you sure your tank is cycled? What filter media are you using to house your BB colony? Without live plants in your 5gal tank, it's weird you're not showing any nitrates in your water.
A 5 gal tank should be fairly easy to instant cycle since you already have another established tank.
A 5 gal tank should be fairly easy to instant cycle since you already have another established tank.
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Hi!
I personally have two pea puffers in a 10g! Great fish, I love them always coming to see me when I'm next to their aquarium, and they eat almost anything I give them!
I've had them for a month and everything is great! You'll have to keep an eye on your water parameters though as they are sensitive to water parameters! Even though mine went trough 8+ ammonia and 5+ nitrites at the beginning:/ (long story short, one of my "dry" starfish wasn't dried and released a TON of ammonia until I noticed and got it out :/ ) so keep an eye but not too much to worry about
I personally have two pea puffers in a 10g! Great fish, I love them always coming to see me when I'm next to their aquarium, and they eat almost anything I give them!
I've had them for a month and everything is great! You'll have to keep an eye on your water parameters though as they are sensitive to water parameters! Even though mine went trough 8+ ammonia and 5+ nitrites at the beginning:/ (long story short, one of my "dry" starfish wasn't dried and released a TON of ammonia until I noticed and got it out :/ ) so keep an eye but not too much to worry about
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if you put a fish in there ammonia will raise killing the fish
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A fishless cycle would be better of course, but you can cycle your tank with fish inside successfully without killing any fish.
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OK, so 20liters is 5 gallons, which is only really big enough for a single pea puffer.
I have a 55L with 4 pea puffers. Originally, I put them in and thought "dang, they're so small, I should put in some more..."
But after seeing how they are, their personality fills up the WHOLE tank and if you put in more, when they chase each other they have nowhere to retreat to.
I can guarantee you that if you put more than a single puffer in your 20L, one will start bullying the other HARD and you will have to separate them.
Pea puffers are great fish, but they have even greater characters, and need their space if you want them to cohabit well.
I have a 55L with 4 pea puffers. Originally, I put them in and thought "dang, they're so small, I should put in some more..."
But after seeing how they are, their personality fills up the WHOLE tank and if you put in more, when they chase each other they have nowhere to retreat to.
I can guarantee you that if you put more than a single puffer in your 20L, one will start bullying the other HARD and you will have to separate them.
Pea puffers are great fish, but they have even greater characters, and need their space if you want them to cohabit well.
Random Great Topic!
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