5 Gallon Tank Pea Puffer

[Dippiedee]

After weeks of moaning gentle but committed convincing, I have finally got the go ahead to get another tank for a pea puffer so I will be picking up the tank soon, which will be a 5 gallon. A few questions;

- Could I set up the tank and use bladder snails as the ammonia source for cycling? Thought process behind this being when the tank is cycled and ready there will already be plenty of snails for the puffer to hunt at its leisure. Alternative being moving a couple of guppies into it to do a fish in cycle as pure ammonia isn't available here.

- Do pea puffers prefer densely planted or open spaces? Or no preference?

- As pea puffers are obviously quite small, would an adult ramshorn be able to be housed with it without being eaten for clean up?

 

[Unknown9182]

After weeks of moaning gentle but committed convincing, I have finally got the go ahead to get another tank for a pea puffer so I will be picking up the tank soon, which will be a 5 gallon. A few questions;

- Could I set up the tank and use bladder snails as the ammonia source for cycling? Thought process behind this being when the tank is cycled and ready there will already be plenty of snails for the puffer to hunt at its leisure. Alternative being moving a couple of guppies into it to do a fish in cycle as pure ammonia isn't available here.

- Do pea puffers prefer densely planted or open spaces? Or no preference?

- As pea puffers are obviously quite small, would an adult ramshorn be able to be housed with it without being eaten for clean up?

Bladder snails can be used as a start up for the cycle as they produce ammonia similarly to fish. Pea puffers like densely planted if you plant one having more than 1 but if you only have 1 you can just resort to having a mix of densely planted and lightly planted (average amount of plants). The rams horn would not be safe but you can try because I have seen pea puffers attack any kind of rams horn or bladder snail no matter the size.

 

[aquachris]

I actually recommend getting pea puffers in min groups of 6. They do a lot better and are shoaling fish. That setup would need a 20 gallon long. I would use the 5 gallon for raising out snails.

They prefer heavily planted aquariums. And they will pick at ramshorns a small bite at a time until it's dead.

 

[Unknown9182]

But the issue is the original poster settled on 5g rather than a 20g.

 

[aquachris]

But the issue is the original poster settled on 5g rather than a 20g.

I understand but I just don't recommend them in their own. Giving another option.

 

[Unknown9182]

I understand but I just don't recommend them in their own. Giving another option.

That would make sense because they are shoaling fish and they appreciate some company. An option could be a 5g can be temporarily used to house a pea puffer, if all goes well then it can be upgraded to a nice 20g with some extra puffers. Then the 5g can be used as a snail breeding tank of some sort.

 

[aquachris]

That would make sense because they are shoaling fish and they appreciate some company. An option could be a 5g can be temporarily used to house a pea puffer, if all goes well then it can be upgraded to a nice 20g with some extra puffers. Then the 5g can be used as a snail breeding tank of some sort.

Sure I could see that working. I actually put mine through qt with 6 of then in a 10 gallon but only filled it half way. But this did require lots of water changed etc.

Which reminds me, make sure to treat for parasites and worms. They are usually wild caught.

 

[Dippiedee]

Ooooooh well that's a spanner in the works. I was under the impression they're extremely aggressive towards their own species and should be kept alone. I haven't read anywhere that they are shoalers. I definitely can't get a 20 gallon I already have a 43, 12, and a 112 my partner would string me up if I came home with a 20

 

[SlickNick]

Ooooooh well that's a spanner in the works. I was under the impression they're extremely aggressive towards their own species and should be kept alone. I haven't read anywhere that they are shoalers. I definitely can't get a 20 gallon I already have a 43, 12, and a 112 my partner would string me up if I came home with a 20

I must say from my own experience I’ve been keeping 3 pea puffers in a heavily planted 5 gallon tank for a little over 3 months now and have had no issues at all. It is full but they still come across each other swimming around and only the runt will chase the others away and that’s only if they come in his little area but even then he only chases them away sometimes. They are a lot of fun and I guarantee your partner will fall in love with them! Mine did before I even brought them home that’s why I got them

 

[aquachris]

Ooooooh well that's a spanner in the works. I was under the impression they're extremely aggressive towards their own species and should be kept alone. I haven't read anywhere that they are shoalers. I definitely can't get a 20 gallon I already have a 43, 12, and a 112 my partner would string me up if I came home with a 20

They are beautiful and cute and fun.. I go with the ask for forgiveness, not permission approach Just kidding, my spouse seems to enable me lol. But she does seem to enjoy looking at my fish in my fish room.

 

[DoraCory]

Ooooooh well that's a spanner in the works. I was under the impression they're extremely aggressive towards their own species and should be kept alone. I haven't read anywhere that they are shoalers. I definitely can't get a 20 gallon I already have a 43, 12, and a 112 my partner would string me up if I came home with a 20

Time to ditch the partner and replace with a 20g then

 

[Luluwwwwww]

I cycled my heavily planted 20g with 6 guppies, although I was able to rehome the most of the guppies before adding pea puffers, I just can't catch rest 2 babies(teenagers?) because of the dense plants. I tried for days and no luck. So I thought ah well puffers are supposed to be aggresive so they'll take care of the guppies.

It's been a month since I added the pea puffers, the guppies are still there almost fully grown, no injuries at all, and they even rob puffers' food (not steal, literally rob. They are fast eaters& eats like a pig while puffers eats slow).

I'm not here to encourage you to keep guppies and puffers together, just saying that if your tank is heavily planted there might be a chance that you can't catch all the guppies at the end of the cycle, and it may or may not be a problem.