Pea Puffer

Carinotetraodon travancoricus

The world's smallest puffer has a big personality: it hovers like a helicopter, stares you down and hunts snails and shrimp.

An aggressive freshwater fish that grows to 2.5 cm, lives in the middle of the tank and needs 24–28 °C, pH 6.5–8.0 and an aquarium of at least 20 L.

Care at a glance

Water

Freshwater

Temperature

24–28 °C (75–82 °F)

pH

6.5–8.0

Adult size

2.5 cm (1.0 in)

Aquarium

20 L or bigger (5 US gal)

Temperament

Aggressive

Group size

Fine on its own

Swims

Middle

Diet

Carnivore

Wild home

Kerala, India

Good to know

• Eats invertebrates. Hunts shrimp, snails and crabs.
• Fin nipper. Nips the fins of long-finned and slow tank mates.

Tank mates

Good company: Amano Shrimp, Bristlenose Pleco, Corydoras, Dwarf Gourami, Ghost Shrimp, Honey Gourami, Kuhli Loach, Marbled Hatchetfish, Mystery Snail, Otocinclus.

Will eat: Crystal Red Shrimp, Neocaridina Shrimp, Nerite Snail.

Eaten by: Angelfish, Asian Arowana, Axolotl, Bala Shark, Black Ghost Knifefish, Comet Goldfish, Electric Blue Acara, Fancy Goldfish, Firemouth Cichlid, Flowerhorn, Frontosa, Jack Dempsey and 9 more.

Fights with: Demasoni Cichlid, Flowerhorn, Jack Dempsey.

Attacks: Angelfish, Asian Arowana, Axolotl, Betta, Celestial Pearl Danio, Chili Rasbora, Congo Tetra, Discus, Ember Tetra, Endler's Livebearer, Fancy Goldfish, Fancy Guppy and 5 more.

Eats the newborn fry of: Cardinal Tetra, Celestial Pearl Danio, Cherry Barb, Chili Rasbora, Ember Tetra, Endler's Livebearer, Ghost Shrimp, Glowlight Tetra, Harlequin Rasbora, Honey Gourami, Mystery Snail, Neon Tetra and 4 more.

Its fry are eaten by: Betta, Black Skirt Tetra, Bloodfin Tetra, Boesemani Rainbowfish, Cardinal Tetra, Cherry Barb, Clown Loach, Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid, Congo Tetra, Discus, Dwarf Gourami, Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish and 21 more.

Grown ones eat their own newborn fry, so raise the young in another aquarium.

Colours and breeding

• Classic uncommon

In Aquarius a grown male and female breed in a healthy tank. Their young are born about 0.3 cm long and take after one of the parents.

The care values are the ones Aquarius uses, based on how these animals live. Tank mates follow the game's rules: water type, temperature and pH, who can swallow whom, fin nipping, temperament and territory.