How long do Pea Puffers live?
Pea Puffers live about 3-5 years with good care. Stable freshwater, clean water and proper food are what carry them that far.
What do Pea Puffers eat?
They need live/frozen crunchy foods — snails, bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp — to wear their ever-growing teeth; flake is unsuitable. The mistake is soft diets causing tooth overgrowth and starvation; feed small crunchy portions daily.
Tank size and water parameters
A 10-gallon (38 L) tank can hold one, or a planted 20-gallon (75 L) for a small group of 5-6 with sight breaks. Target 74-82°F (23-28°C), pH 6.5-8.0, moderate hardness, zero ammonia and nitrite, nitrate under 15-20 ppm. They are often kept in species tanks; be ready to separate aggressors.
Common mistakes with Pea Puffers
Key errors: flake-only diets (teeth overgrow); community tanks where they nip tank mates; a bare tank with no cover (stress); and overstocking a small group that turns aggressive.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
- Flake-only diets — teeth overgrow; feed snails and live/frozen crunchy foods.
- Community tanks — they nip fins and stress other fish; species tank is safer.
- Bare tank — they need plants and cover to feel secure.
- Overstocking a group — provide sight breaks or keep singly.