Pea Puffer
Carinotetraodon travancoricus
Also sold as Indian dwarf puffer
Synonyms Dwarf puffer · Malabar puffer · Pygmy puffer · Tetraodon travancoricus
Pea Puffer (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) is an aggressive freshwater fish that reaches about 3 cm (1.2 in) and swims in open water. It wants 75–82°F (24–28°C) and pH 6.5–7.5, can be kept singly, and needs a tank of at least 20 L (5 gal).
Check a freshwater stocking selection with your tank size and animal counts.
Try it in a tank
Put Pea Puffer in a 3D tank at your size and see how it sits with everything else. Free with an account.
At a glance
| Type | Fish |
|---|---|
| Adult size | 3 cm (1.2 in) |
| Minimum tank | 20 L (5 gal) |
| Group size | Can be kept singly |
| Temperature | 75–82°F (24–28°C) |
| pH | 6.5–7.5 |
| Temperament | Aggressive |
| GH | 5–15 |
| Lifespan | 5 years |
| Eats shrimp | Yes |
Before it goes in
- Pea Puffer needs at least 20 L (5 gal). The smallest size in this library that clears that is the 36P.
- It eats shrimp. Cherry Shrimp, Crystal Red Shrimp and Bamboo Shrimp are on the menu.
- It holds at 75–82°F (24–28°C). That shares a window with Betta and Cherry Shrimp, but not with Goldfish and Dojo Loach.
- Do not put it with Betta, Cherry Shrimp and Nerite Snail.
- It can go wrong with Amano Shrimp — it works in some tanks and not in others, so it is not a combination to buy blind.
- It is aggressive — plan the tank around it rather than adding it to a finished community.
- It nips fins, so long-finned fish are a bad match.
- One of them takes up roughly 16% of what a 36P will comfortably hold, so plan the rest of the stock around it.
Pea Puffer: care and setup
What tank size does it need?
At least 20 L (5 gal). The smallest size here that clears it is the 36P.
Will it eat shrimp?
Yes. Shrimp are food to it, so pick one or the other.
What water does it want?
75–82°F (24–28°C), pH 6.5–7.5, GH 5–15.
How long does it live?
5 years in a tank that suits it. That is how long you are signing up for.
Good tank mates
- Tank mates from this library that share its temperature window, are peaceful and eat neither it nor its young: Bristlenose Pleco, Celestial Pearl Danio, Molly, Otocinclus and Ramshorn Snail.
- Plants that hold up with it: Hygrophila corymbosa 'Siamensis', Water Sprite, Anubias nana 'Petite' and Cryptocoryne wendtii.
Often compared with
| Pea Puffer | Green Spotted Puffer | Lambchop Rasbora | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult size | 3 cm | 17 cm | 3 cm |
| Min tank | 20 L | 108 L | 40 L |
| Group | 1+ | 1+ | 8+ |
| Temperature | 75–82°F (24–28°C) | 75–82°F (24–28°C) | 73–82°F (23–28°C) |
| Eats shrimp | Yes | Yes | — |