Dwarf Pea Puffer
Carinotetraodon travancoricus
Family: Tetraodontidae • Origin: South Asia
Dwarf Pea Puffers are the world's smallest pufferfish. Tiny but incredibly aggressive. Intelligent, curious, and full of personality.
Min Tank
5 gal
Max Size
1"
Temperature
74-82°F
pH
6.5-7.5
Lifespan
4 years
School Size
Solo OK
Swim Level
middle
Hardness
5-15 dGH
semi-aggressiveintermediatecarnivorefin-nipper ⚠️
Care Tips
- • Best kept in species-only tank
- • Needs live/frozen food — refuses flakes
- • Must feed snails for beak trimming
- • Extremely intelligent and curious
- • Will kill tankmates despite tiny size
Feeding: Live/frozen bloodworms, snails (essential for beak trimming), daphnia. Will NOT eat flakes.
Compatibility Notes: Despite tiny size, extremely aggressive. Best kept species-only. Will nip fins and eat snails/shrimp.
Tank Setup & Water Parameters
Tank Requirements
- Minimum Tank Size
- 5 gallons
- Recommended Tank Size
- 10 gallons
- Swimming Level
- middle
Water Parameters
- Temperature
- 74–82°F
- pH Range
- 6.5–7.5
- Hardness (dGH)
- 5–15
- Water Type
- freshwater
Behavior & Temperament
- Temperament
- semi-aggressive
- Aggression Level
- 3/5
- Schooling
- No
- Territorial
- Yes
- Fin Nipper
- Yes ⚠️
- Predatory
- Yes
- Diet Type
- carnivore
- Growth Rate
- slow
Despite tiny size, extremely aggressive. Best kept species-only. Will nip fins and eat snails/shrimp.
Breeding
- Breeding Type
- egg layer
- Breeding Difficulty
- difficult
- Lifespan
- 4 years
Ideal For
5 gallonspecies tanknano predator
Compatible Tank Mates
View all →
Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
70-81°FpH 6-710+ gal
peacefulschooling 6+1.5"
Ember Tetra
Hyphessobrycon amandae
73-84°FpH 5.5-75+ gal
peacefulschooling 8+0.8"
Rummy Nose Tetra
Hemigrammus rhodostomus
75-84°FpH 5.5-720+ gal
peacefulschooling 6+2.5"
Black Neon Tetra
Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi
73-81°FpH 5.5-7.510+ gal
peacefulschooling 6+1.6"
Serpae Tetra
Hyphessobrycon eques
72-82°FpH 6-7.520+ gal
semi-aggressiveschooling 6+1.75"
Black Skirt Tetra
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
70-82°FpH 6-7.515+ gal
peacefulschooling 5+3"
Similar Species
Indian Puffer
Carinotetraodon travancoricus
74-82°FpH 6.5-7.55+ gal
semi-aggressive1"
Scarlet Badis
Dario dario
72-79°FpH 6.5-7.55+ gal
peaceful0.8"
Figure 8 Puffer
Dichotomyctere ocellatus
75-82°FpH 7-810+ gal
semi-aggressive3"
Amazon Puffer
Colomesus asellus
72-82°FpH 6-7.510+ gal
semi-aggressiveschooling 3+3"