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Encyclopedia / Oddballs & Predators / Pea puffer
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Pea puffer

Carinotetraodon travancoricus · Dwarf puffer, Pygmy puffer

Fin-nipper and snail-eater; best in a species-only tank.

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3 cmAdult size ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
7–8pH ✓
13 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful neon tetra.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Not recommended
  • Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful cardinal tetra.
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
Not recommended
  • Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully peaceful black neon tetra.
With conditions
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (7–8 vs 5–6). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 27–28 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

51 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓5–25 dGH
Group size ✓Can live alone
Temperament ✓Aggressive
Swims at ?All levels
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Carnivore
Lifespan ✓4–5 years
Size in shops 1.5–2 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Fin-nipper and snail-eater; best in a species-only tank.

Food

Live snails and frozen bloodworms; will not eat flakes.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Mature males have a dark line along the belly that females lack, and often iridescent 'wrinkle' markings behind the eye; females are rounder.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-layer (substrate spawner) · Hard

Spawns among plants or moss in a heavily planted tank; pairs or one male with several females work best, and the male may guard the eggs.

Pairing

Group in planted tank.

Setup

Heavily planted tank.

What starts it

Warm water, live food.

Eggs

Few eggs: most spawns yield ten or fewer, often 1-5 per day over several days; eggs are non-sticky and hatch in about 4.5-5 days.

Raising the fry

Microworms then snails.

Common mistakes
  • Aggression
  • No hides
  • Poor food
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouthwest India – Kerala & Karnataka
Rivers and lakesRivers and backwaters of Kerala, such as the Pamba and Chalakudy
HabitatSlow, vegetated rivers and backwaters
Native rangeAbout 250 km across
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The story of the pea puffer

Probably the world's smallest pufferfish, described by Hora and Nair in 1941 from Kerala, southwest India; it is a true freshwater fish, and reports of it in salt water come from misidentification.

Indian ichthyologists Hora and Nair described this tiny puffer in 1941. At about 2.5 cm, it is one of the smallest pufferfishes in the world. Unlike many puffers sold in shops, it lives fully in fresh water.

First described by Sunder Lal Hora & K. K. Nair in 1941. Named for Named after Travancore, the old name of a region in Kerala.

  • At about 2.5 cm it is one of the world's smallest pufferfish.
  • It lives in fully fresh water, unlike many puffers.
  • It can move its eyes independently.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources