Aquariumpuffer · freshwater
Pea Puffer: adult size, tank size & tankmates
The Pea Puffer (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) grows to about 1.4 in (3.5 cm TL). It needs a tank at least 12 inches long and about 3 gallons. It doesn't need a group of its own kind, at 72–82°F.
How big it really gets
Drawn to scale against common tank lengths. Green bars meet the minimum tank length from our sources.
Will it fit your tank?
Quick facts
- Adult size
- 1.4 in (3.5 cm TL)
- Minimum tank
- 12 inches long and about 3 gallons
- Temperature
- 72–82°F
- pH
- 6.8–8
- Hardness
- 5–25 dGH
- Group size
- 1 (solitary or pair)
- With other fish
- semi-aggressive
- With its own kind
- semi-aggressive
- Swims
- middle of the tank
- Diet
- carnivore
- Care level
- intermediate
- Lifespan
- not stated in sources
Watch for: nips fins · eats shrimp · eats snails
Pea Puffer tankmates
Checked with the same rules as our tank builder: temperature overlap, pH and hardness, predation and mouth size, fin-nipping and temperament. Tank size is left out here; check it in the builder.
Good tankmates
- Neon TetraAdult ~1.4 in · 70–77°F
- Cardinal TetraAdult ~1.7 in · 73–84°F
- Harlequin RasboraAdult ~2.1 in · 70–82°F
- Ember TetraAdult ~0.9 in · 68–82°F
- Chili RasboraAdult ~0.9 in · 68–82°F
- Celestial Pearl DanioAdult ~1 in · 68–79°F
- Cherry BarbAdult ~2.4 in · 68–81°F
- Rummy-nose TetraAdult ~2.4 in · 73–79°F
- Black Neon TetraAdult ~1.7 in · 73–82°F
- Glowlight TetraAdult ~1.9 in · 75–82°F
Use caution
- GuppyPea Puffer nips fins, and Guppy has long fins.
- Honey GouramiPea Puffer nips fins, and Honey Gourami has long fins.
- Dwarf GouramiNeeds carePea Puffer nips fins, and Dwarf Gourami has long fins.
- Pearl GouramiPea Puffer nips fins, and Pearl Gourami has long fins.
- German Blue RamNeeds carePea Puffer and German Blue Ram only share 81–82°F. That's a tight window.
- White Cloud Mountain MinnowNeeds carePea Puffer and White Cloud Mountain Minnow only share 72–72°F. That's a tight window.
- Boesemani RainbowfishPea Puffer and Boesemani Rainbowfish only share 81–82°F. That's a tight window.
- Chinese Algae EaterOutgrows tanksChinese Algae Eater grows 10× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food.
Avoid
- BettaNeeds carePea Puffer nips fins, and Betta has long fins.
- AngelfishNeeds carePea Puffer nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins.
- Cherry ShrimpPea Puffer will eat Cherry Shrimp.
- Amano ShrimpPea Puffer will eat Amano Shrimp.
- Nerite SnailPea Puffer eats snails, including Nerite Snail.
- Mystery SnailPea Puffer eats snails, including Mystery Snail.
- Assassin SnailPea Puffer eats snails, including Assassin Snail.
- Bala SharkOutgrows tanksBala Shark eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in.
All 105 species we checked against the Pea Puffer
| Species | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| African Dwarf Frog | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Black Neon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Black Skirt Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bleeding Heart Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bolivian Ram | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bristlenose Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bronze Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Buenos Aires Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bumblebee Goby | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Cardinal Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Celestial Pearl Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Cherry Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Chili Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Killifish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Denison Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Diamond Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Discus | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Electric Yellow Lab | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Ember Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Endler's Livebearer | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Forktail Blue-eye | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Giant Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Glass Catfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Glowlight Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Gold Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Harlequin Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Head-and-tail-light Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Hillstream Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Julii Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kribensis | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kuhli Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Lambchop Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Lemon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Marbled Hatchetfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Molly | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Neon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Odessa Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Otocinclus | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Panda Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pearl Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Penguin Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Peppered Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Platy | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pristella Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pygmy Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rosy Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rummy-nose Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Scissortail Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Serpae Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Siamese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Silver Hatchetfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Silver Tip Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Sparkling Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Sterbai Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Swordtail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tiger Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Upside-down Catfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Variatus Platy | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Weather Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Zebra Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Boesemani Rainbowfish | Caution | Pea Puffer and Boesemani Rainbowfish only share 81–82°F. That's a tight window. |
| Chinese Algae Eater | Caution | Chinese Algae Eater grows 10× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food. |
| Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid | Caution | Pea Puffer (pH 6.8–8) and Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (pH 5–6) prefer different pH. |
| Congo Tetra | Caution | Pea Puffer nips fins, and Congo Tetra has long fins. |
| Dwarf Gourami | Caution | Pea Puffer nips fins, and Dwarf Gourami has long fins. |
| German Blue Ram | Caution | Pea Puffer and German Blue Ram only share 81–82°F. That's a tight window. |
| Guppy | Caution | Pea Puffer nips fins, and Guppy has long fins. |
| Honey Gourami | Caution | Pea Puffer nips fins, and Honey Gourami has long fins. |
| Kissing Gourami | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 9× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food. |
| Moonlight Gourami | Caution | Pea Puffer nips fins, and Moonlight Gourami has long fins. |
| Paradise Fish | Caution | Pea Puffer and Paradise Fish only share 72–72°F. That's a tight window. |
| Pearl Gourami | Caution | Pea Puffer nips fins, and Pearl Gourami has long fins. |
| Rainbow Shark | Caution | Rainbow Shark grows 5× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food. |
| Red-Tail Shark | Caution | Red-Tail Shark grows 4× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food. |
| Three-spot Gourami | Caution | Three-spot Gourami grows 5× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food. |
| White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Caution | Pea Puffer and White Cloud Mountain Minnow only share 72–72°F. That's a tight window. |
| Yoyo Loach | Caution | Yoyo Loach grows 5× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food. |
| Amano Shrimp | Avoid | Pea Puffer will eat Amano Shrimp. |
| Angelfish | Avoid | Pea Puffer nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins.; Angelfish eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Assassin Snail | Avoid | Pea Puffer eats snails, including Assassin Snail. |
| Bala Shark | Avoid | Bala Shark eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Bamboo Shrimp | Avoid | Pea Puffer will eat Bamboo Shrimp. |
| Betta | Avoid | Pea Puffer nips fins, and Betta has long fins. |
| Blood Parrot Cichlid | Avoid | Blood Parrot Cichlid eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Cherry Shrimp | Avoid | Pea Puffer will eat Cherry Shrimp. |
| Common / Comet Goldfish | Avoid | Common / Comet Goldfish eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Convict Cichlid | Avoid | Convict Cichlid eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Crystal Red Shrimp | Avoid | Pea Puffer will eat Crystal Red Shrimp. |
| Electric Blue Acara | Avoid | Electric Blue Acara eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Fancy Goldfish | Avoid | Pea Puffer (72–82°F) and Fancy Goldfish (50–70°F) need different temperatures.; Pea Puffer nips fins, and Fancy Goldfish has long fins. |
| Firemouth Cichlid | Avoid | Firemouth Cichlid eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Ghost Shrimp | Avoid | Pea Puffer will eat Ghost Shrimp. |
| Iridescent Shark | Avoid | Iridescent Shark eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Japanese Trapdoor Snail | Avoid | Pea Puffer eats snails, including Japanese Trapdoor Snail. |
| Malaysian Trumpet Snail | Avoid | Pea Puffer eats snails, including Malaysian Trumpet Snail. |
| Mystery Snail | Avoid | Pea Puffer eats snails, including Mystery Snail.; Pea Puffer (pH 6.8–8) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH. |
| Nerite Snail | Avoid | Pea Puffer eats snails, including Nerite Snail. |
| Oscar | Avoid | Oscar eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Pictus Catfish | Avoid | Pictus Catfish eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
| Ramshorn Snail | Avoid | Pea Puffer eats snails, including Ramshorn Snail. |
| Tinfoil Barb | Avoid | Tinfoil Barb eats small fish, and Pea Puffer only grows to about 1.4 in. |
Care notes
Needs: Strictly freshwater species; obligate carnivore requiring live snails and worms; does not accept dry foods
Group: Can be kept singly; allow 2-3 gal per additional puffer and visual barriers (SF)
Temperament: semi-aggressive toward other fish, semi-aggressive toward its own kind. Lives in the middle of the tank.
Common questions
How big does a Pea Puffer get?
About 1.4 inches (3.5 cm TL) as an adult, according to seriouslyfish.com.
What size tank does a Pea Puffer need?
At least 12 inches long and about 3 gallons. The smallest standard tank that meets that is a 5 gallon.
How many Pea Puffers should be kept together?
It can be kept on its own. Can be kept singly; allow 2-3 gal per additional puffer and visual barriers (SF)
What fish can live with a Pea Puffer?
Species that passed every check include Neon Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, Harlequin Rasbora, Ember Tetra, Chili Rasbora, Celestial Pearl Danio.
Gear for a Pea Puffer setup
TankSmallest standard tank that meets its minimum: 5 gallon (16 in long).Find on Amazon →HeaterAbout 25 W for 5 gallons, holding 72–82°F.Find on Amazon →FoodMeaty frozen foods suit its diet.Find on Amazon →Test kitCheck ammonia, nitrite and pH. Cycle the tank before adding fish.Find on Amazon →
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Related guides
Sources
Values come from these pages, in our own words. Status: verified. Last reviewed 2026-10-12.
- seriouslyfish.com /species/carinotetraodon-travancoricus
- fishbase.se /summary/Carinotetraodon-travancoricus.html