Pea Puffer / Dwarf Puffer
Pea Puffer (Dwarf Puffer)
Carinotetraodon travancoricus
Pea Puffers, also known as bumble puffers, dwarf puffers, and pygmy puffers, are the smallest pufferfish in the world and are readily available in the aquarium trade.
Their temperament, given that they can be territorial, mostly depends on how well set up their home aquarium is. If given proper space, foliage to swim around in, and areas to claim as their own territory, they can be great tank mates. If they are not provided well enough aggression may spark and cause them to act out toward each other and other tank mates. You can keep one in a well-made tank of 5g, but if adding more puffers or other smaller peaceful fish, they must be put into a larger set up. A general rule is to add 3 gallons per extra added puffer, making a 10g tank for example, a good home for three puffers if given the right environment.
Males have a deeper coloration with a stripe or dot on their belly, and females will have a more yellow colored body and rounder in shape.
Pea Puffers are carnivores, so their diet should include frozen food such as bloodworms and brine shrimp, though there are some dry foods available that are made to mimic live food, and they are known to eat that as well. They will also feast upon invertebrates such as shrimps and snails, so if you have a pest snail problem they will gladly help that issue.
Pea Puffers grow to a maximum size of 1 .5 inches so they can go into a 5g tank but a 10g tank is optimal for their health and happiness. They prefer their water temperatures to be between 72-82oF, pH between 7.0-8.0, and dKH between 5-15.
