Other fish · Carinotetraodon
Pea puffer
Carinotetraodon travancoricus · Rivers of Kerala, southwest India
Photo: 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
24–28 °C 75–82 °F
pH
7–8 hard, alkaline water
Adult size
2.5 cm 1 in
Swims
Mid-water mostly in open water
Keep together
Fine alone
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food
Meaty foods
Temperament
Aggressive
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Where it comes from
Home water
Rivers of Kerala, southwest India
Lives in river habitat.
The dot marks where it's collected. Home from iNaturalist native sightings (17). Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Zebra L046
Plecos · 8 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Will eat the pea puffer
-
Need a different pH and will eat the pea puffer
-
Have long fins that get nipped and will eat the pea puffer
-
Aggressive: pea puffer, it and will eat the pea puffer
-
Have long fins that get nipped
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Pea puffer get?
About 2.5 cm (1 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Pea puffer need?
24–28 °C (75–82 °F).
What pH does a Pea puffer need?
pH 7–8.
Does a Pea puffer need to be kept in a group?
No. It can be kept on its own.
Is the Pea puffer aggressive?
Yes. It is aggressive and needs careful planning.
What does a Pea puffer eat?
Feed meaty foods: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and quality sinking pellets.
Where does the Pea puffer come from?
Rivers of Kerala, southwest India.
What fish can live with a Pea puffer?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Zebra (L046), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Amano shrimp, Boeseman's rainbowfish.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 24 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 28 | Estimate |
| pH min | 7 | Estimate |
| pH max | 8 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 2.5 | Estimate |
| Flow | Low | Estimate |
| Habitat | river | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 1 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Aggressive | Estimate |
| Diet | Carnivore | Estimate |
| Behaviour tags | fin_nipper | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 6 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 12 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.