Hey there! I’ve kept pea puffers for years, and let me tell you straight up – yes, pea puffers will absolutely eat shrimp if they get the chance. But there’s more to this story than just a simple yes/no answer. Let me break down everything you need to know about keeping these adorable little hunters with shrimp.
The Quick Answer
Pea puffers are natural predators and will actively hunt and eat most smaller shrimp species However, some larger shrimp species might survive alongside well-fed puffers in heavily planted tanks
Understanding Your Tiny Predator
Before we dive deeper, let’s get to know these little guys better:
- Scientific name: Carinotetraodon travancoricus
- Size: Tiny! Only 1.5-2.5 cm when fully grown
- Natural habitat: Southeast Asian waters
- Personality: Surprisingly aggressive for their size
- Diet: Primarily carnivorous – they love snails, small crustaceans, and worms
Will Your Pea Puffer Really Eat Shrimp?
I’ve experimented with different setups and here’s what I’ve learned about pea puffers and shrimp
The Hard Truth:
- Small shrimp (like Cherry Shrimp) = Expensive puffer snacks
- Baby shrimp = Gone in 60 seconds
- Even well-fed puffers often can’t resist hunting shrimp
- Individual puffer personalities vary a lot
Factors That Affect Hunting Behavior:
-
Shrimp Size Matters
- Smaller shrimp (under 1 inch) = High risk
- Adult Amano shrimp = Better survival chances
- Ghost shrimp = Mixed results
-
Tank Setup
- Dense plants = Better shrimp survival
- Lots of hiding spots = Essential
- Open spaces = Danger zones for shrimp
-
Feeding Schedule
- Well-fed puffers = Less likely to hunt
- Hungry puffers = Aggressive hunters
- Regular feeding = Important
Real Talk: My Experience with Puffers and Shrimp
I once tried adding a group of cherry shrimp to my planted puffer tank. Big mistake! Here’s what happened:
Week 1: Everything seemed fine
Week 2: Started noticing fewer shrimp
Week 3: Only saw shrimp hiding in dense plants
Week 4: Pretty much all gone
How to (Maybe) Make It Work
If you’re stubborn like me and still wanna try, here’s what might help:
1. Choose the Right Shrimp
- Amano shrimp (they’re bigger and faster)
- Adult ghost shrimp
- Avoid expensive fancy shrimp species
2. Create the Perfect Environment
- Dense plant coverage (I mean DENSE)
- Lots of driftwood and rocks
- Multiple hiding spots
- Break up line of sight
3. Feeding Strategy
- Feed your puffer well
- Multiple small meals daily
- Variety in diet (snails, bloodworms, etc.)
Better Tank Mates for Pea Puffers
Instead of risking your shrimp, consider these alternatives:
- Otocinclus catfish
- Corydoras (the bigger ones)
- Snails (as food, not friends!)
- Crossbanded pencilfish
The Bottom Line
Look, I love both pea puffers and shrimp, but they’re usually not the best roommates. If you’re dead set on trying, go for it – but don’t say I didn’t warn ya! These tiny puffers are natural-born hunters, and most shrimp will end up as expensive fish food.
Your best bet? Keep your pea puffers in a species-only tank or with proven compatible tank mates Save those pretty (and pricey) shrimp for another setup where they won’t have to constantly watch their backs!
Remember, every puffer has its own personality, but at the end of the day, they’re predators by nature. Sometimes it’s better to work with their instincts rather than against them.
Would you like me to explain anything in more detail? I’ve got tons more experiences to share about keeping these fascinating little fish!
Pea puffer appearance & natural habitat
Despite what its name suggests, the pea puffer is bigger than a pea—although not by much. At a maximum size of only around 1″, this is the smallest pufferfish in existence. Its still quite the eyecatcher, though, with a striking blotchy pattern of iridescent dark brown patches on a yellowish-green body.
The most striking thing about these puffers is that, like other pufferfish, they have large “puppy” eyes that move independently. Its fascinating to see them zoom around the tank with their strange, hovering swimming style and observe their surroundings.
Members of the genus Carinotetraodon are sexually dimorphic, which means its possible to visually tell the difference between a male and a female. The most notable hint is that the males sport dark wrinkles behind their eyes, which the females lack. Theyre also more brightly colored and less rounded.
The pea puffers scientific name, “travancoricus”, refers to where it was first discovered: the Pamba River in what was then the kingdom of Travancore in South India. Nowadays, its known that its range includes a range of waters in the Indian states of Kerala and Karnataka.
In its natural habitat, the pea puffer is primarily found in rivers, often with dense overhanging vegetation, plenty of aquatic plants, and a gravelly to silty bottom thats usually covered in leaf litter. It also pops up in lakes, and occasionally in man-made ditches and ponds.
The species occurs in large schools, which is pretty unusual for pufferfish, and mainly hangs around near the water bottom.
Unfortunately, this species has been classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List. Threats to the population are noted to include habitat destruction (damming, deforestation) and the aquarium trade. Theyre noted to be particularly easy to catch, which obviously doesnt help their chances.
Setting up a pea puffer aquarium
If youd like to keep a pea puffer, you dont need a large aquarium. They make a great choice for a small planted tank or aquascape. 10 gallons or up should work fine for a trio; if you want to keep more, which is generally recommended nowadays, then you should add 2.5 gallons for every additional fish.
In order to imitate the puffers natural habitat and prevent stress, the tank should be heavily planted and decorated. One study notes that pea puffers were often found in areas rich in Cabomba (a common stem plant), so thats one thing you can consider.
Be sure to also add lots of driftwood, rocks, and leaf litter.
One cool thing about this pufferfish is that thanks to scientists studying it in the wild, weve got a lot of information about the waters it naturally inhabits. For example, a study performed in 2012 in a stream called the Kallar found temperatures between 77-82.5 °F and a pH of 7.3 to 8.
Its important to keep in mind that pufferfish are sensitive to low water quality. You should only introduce them in a fully cycled and matured aquarium, and its important to keep the water quality high by means of regular water changes.
Because all puffers are messy eaters, its usually recommended to use an oversized filter. This makes it easier to keep the water parameters stable and prevent dangerous swings.
pH: 7.5-8.3
Temperature: 72-82.5 °F
Total Dissolved Solids: 100-250
Most pufferfish are completely unsuitable for keeping with other fish species, as theyre carnivorous and highly aggressive. The pea puffer is also a carnivore, but due to its tiny size, it can be kept in some community aquariums. This being said, many aquarists do prefer a single-species set-up for them!
As mentioned, this species is the only known puffer that naturally occurs in groups. You can and probably should keep multiple in your aquarium, though be sure to offer enough space. A trio (especially if its one male and two females) will do well in a 10-gallon tank, and you can add even more in larger set-ups.
If you do decide to keep your pea puffer(s) in a community tank, avoid slow-moving and long-finned fish like guppies or Bettas. Those will be a magnet for the puffers sharp little teeth. Large, boisterous fish arent a good idea either, because although theyre feisty, these puffers are still snack-sized.
Instead, pick fish that are inoffensive, not prone to getting picked on, and which like similar water conditions.
You can try:
- Kuhli loaches
- Otocinclus catfish
- Panda Corydoras
- Bristlenose Pleco
Opinions are divided on whether small schooling fish like Boraras can do well with dwarf puffers. In a larger aquarium (at least 15 gallons long), wed say probably yes. In nano set-ups, its best to just keep your puffers with their own kind.
As for shrimp—this is The Shrimp Farm, after all—youre pretty much out of luck. Shrimp are exactly what a pea puffer likes to eat! If you breed Neocaridinas, such as cherry shrimp, those will actually be greatly appreciated as a snack. Larger shrimp like Amanos are sometimes mentioned as an option, but we wouldnt personally risk it.
If you do want to keep your pea puffer with invertebrates, your best bet would be to go for dwarf crayfish. Theyre too small to hurt the puffer (and not known for being aggressive anyway), but too large to be eaten by it.
Pea puffers, like other pufferfish, are carnivores (one scientific study found that 55% of the foods they consumed in the wild were animal in origin). Theyre not picky, preferring insect larvae but feeding on a wide variety of water fleas, copepods, rotifers, fallen terrestrial insects, and more.
In the aquarium, this means you should feed your pea puffer a varied diet. Theyre known in particular for their taste for small snails. Although you shouldnt add a puffer to your tank just to combat a snail infestation, theyll quickly take care of any that are already present.
Your pea puffers daily meals should consist of:
- Frozen foods (bloodworms, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp
- Live foods (brine shrimp, daphnia, bladder snails, small ramshorn snails, baby cherry shrimp)
As mentioned in the section on habitat, pea puffers are currently considered to be a Vulnerable species. Part of this is due to overfishing for the aquarium trade. Luckily, they do breed in our tanks, so we can do our part to help protect this species and produce more captive-bred puffers.
A healthy group of pea puffers kept in an appropriate aquarium will usually breed without any interference from our side. Heres how it works:
- Females become swollen with eggs, which prompts chasing behavior from the males.
- The female looks for a suitable spawning location, like a tuft of Java moss.
- The parents will guard the eggs, but its best to move them to a separate rearing tank to prevent the fry from being eaten once they hatch.
- Baby puffers will hatch after about five days. They live off their yolk sacs for the first 2-4 days, after which you can begin feeding them small foods like baby brine shrimp.
Can Pea puffer be with cherry shrimp?
FAQ
Can a puffer fish live with shrimp?
We keep amano shrimp and wild type neocaridinas in this tank with the puffs and we’ve never had any issues. The puffs aren’t very interested in adult shrimp and the shrimp can easily evade the situation if need be.
Can you keep pea puffers with amano shrimp?
Amano Shrimp: In rare cases, some aquarists have successfully kept Amano shrimp with Pea Puffers, but this is far from guaranteed. Amano shrimp are larger and faster than other shrimp species, but even they can end up as a puffer’s next meal.
What do pea puffers eat besides snails?
In the wild, pea puffers consume insect larvae and small crustaceans. Pea puffers in captivity should be fed a varied diet of freshwater snails, small shrimp, and other fresh or frozen meaty foods like mussels and shellfish. Some pea puffers will eat live or frozen insect larvae like bloodworms.
Do dwarf rasboras eat shrimp?
Fellow shrimp enthusiasts will be happy to hear that yes, you can keep emerald dwarf rasboras with shrimp.
Do dwarf pea puffers eat shrimp?
Dwarf pea puffers will eat shrimp if they get the chance. Before you decide to add cherry shrimp or ghost shrimp to your puffer tank, keep in mind that your dwarf puffer will go after your shrimp, regardless of their size.
Do pea buffers eat shrimp?
Pea Puffers are notorious for viewing shrimp as a tasty snack, not tankmates. If you’re determined to try, do so with extreme caution and always have a backup plan (like another tank) ready. Amano Shrimp: In rare cases, some aquarists have successfully kept Amano shrimp with Pea Puffers, but this is far from guaranteed.
Do pea puffers eat snails?
A: Pea Puffers are carnivores with a preference for live or frozen food such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and especially snails. Offering small snails helps keep their beak-like teeth trimmed, but they will not hesitate to hunt and eat them. Avoid feeding flakes or pellets, as they may not take to these.
Can you keep shrimp with pea puffers?
Yes, you can keep shrimp with pea puffers. Pea puffers, especially those bred and raised in captivity, are unlikely to attack or eat shrimp. Generally, as long as the shrimp and pea puffers are similarly sized, the pea puffers won’t eat the shrimp.
What is a pea pufferfish?
What Is a Pea Puffer? Carinotetraodon travancoricus – also known as the pea puffer, Indian dwarf puffer, Malabar puffer, and pygmy puffer – is the smallest pufferfish in the world and comes from fully freshwater environments in the southwestern tip of India.
What do pea puffers eat?
They eat small snails, Insects, Little fish, tropical fish, fish eggs, and frozen food is occasionally given. All in all, make sure you are feeding them a varied diet of live foods, frozen foods, and any other food you want to give them. When fully developed, the average pea puffer length is 1.5 inches long.