Can Pea Puffers Live with Guppies?

Guppies have bright rainbow colors, while dwarf pea puffers come in yellow with dark green patches on their bodies. Having the two fish together can give your aquarium a vibrant look.

The small size of guppies and dwarf pufferfish might convince you that the two can live as tankmates. But, can you really keep guppies with dwarf puffer fish?

No, guppies cannot live with dwarf puffer fish because their temperaments don’t match. Dwarf puffer fish are very aggressive and territorial, while guppies are calm and peaceful. The puffers will dominate the tank and stress guppies by fighting and nipping at their fins.

Can I keep guppies with dwarf puffer fish?

It is not recommended to keep guppies with dwarf puffer fish. Here are some reasons against keeping guppies and dwarf puffer fish as tankmates:

Aggression

Dwarf puffer fish are aggressive swimmers and territorial with their tank mates. The males are more aggressive and hostile than the females.

If you keep them together with guppies who are relatively slow swimmers, they will nip their fins and injure the guppies.

Guppies live peacefully with non-aggressive fish like platy and shrimps. Fish species such as ember tetras match the energy of dwarf puffer fish, making them perfect tankmates.

The fish have different diets

Guppies and dwarf puffers require different diets. Guppies feed on meat and plants, while dwarf puffers feed on flesh only. They primarily feed on shrimps and worms. Hungry carnivorous dwarf puffer fish will not hesitate to nip guppy fins.

Different tank conditions

Guppies and dwarf puffers have slightly different water conditions. If they had to live together, they would adjust to each other’s tanks.

Guppies require aquarium temperature conditions of 64°F to 84°F, a pH of 7.5 to 8.0, while dwarf puffers thrive at 72°F to 82°F and a pH of 7 to 8.

Although the guppies and dwarf puffer fish can adjust to each other’s tank conditions, it is not the only factor to consider when keeping the fish together.

Care requirements for guppies with dwarf pea puffer fish

You can provide the best care for guppies and dwarf puffer fish if you keep them in separate fish tanks.

Follow these guidelines to give your fish adequate care:

Care requirements for guppies

Guppies are the most recommended fish for beginners because they need low maintenance to keep them healthy and happy.

Here are the care requirements for guppies

Use an aquarium heater and thermometer to monitor the water temperature at 64°F to 84°F all the time.
Guppies need a filter. Use an aquarium filter to improve the water quality. It will ensure the water is oxygenated and that the guppies have no problem breathing.
Feed the guppies once or twice a day. Do not overfeed them. Give guppies food they can finish in 10 minutes or less.
Clean the plants and pebbles inside the aquarium and ensure they do not have sharp edges that can injure your guppies.
Separate pregnant guppies from the rest to ensure high survival rates of the fry.
Remove any food leftovers in the aquarium daily to avoid toxins buildup.
Change 40% of the water in the aquarium every week to improve oxygen quality.

Tip: When cleaning the aquarium, remove the guppies using a fish net and place them in a container that has the original aquarium water. Use a scrubber to remove algae from the tank surfaces and rinse them with clean water. Place the guppies back in the aquarium.

Care requirements for dwarf pea puffers

Dwarf puffers are known for their aggressive behavior and fin nipping. Even when placed together, they can still fight amongst themselves.

Here are the care requirements to keep your dwarf puffers healthy:

Keep male-to-female dwarf puffers in a ratio of 1:2 to reduce male aggression.
Check up on the fish daily and see if they have injuries due to nipping. If any fish is injured, remove them and place them in a separate treatment tank with anti-bacterial treatments such as ParaCleanse and API MELAFIX.
Dwarf puffers are messy eaters so you should clean the tank twice or thrice a week by removing all the stones and pebbles. Ensure the dwarf puffer tank is clean and has no waste and fish food leftovers.
Add garlic-infused foods to dwarf puffer fish tanks to boost their immune system and encourage feeding.
Ensure the water has a temperature of 72°F to 82°F. A drop in temperature lowers dwarf puffer fish’s immune system, and the fish can get infected with Ich.
Use an aquarium filter constantly to improve the oxygen supply for your fish.

Other fish that can live with guppies

While it is not a good idea to keep a single guppy alone, you want to make sure you choose the right tank mates for these pet fish. Guppy fish tankmates should have the same behavioral characteristics as the guppies. Fish that can live with guppies should also be calm and peaceful.

Here is a list of the best guppy tankmates.

Shrimps
Platies
Mollies
Cardinal tetras
Swordtails
Cory catfish
Bristlenose Pleco
Angelfish

Other fish that can live with dwarf puffer fish

Dwarf puffer fish are violent and fast swimmers. To keep them with other fish, ensure that the tank has plenty of hiding places like wood logs and plants to reduce aggression and conflict inside your fish tank.

Here is a list of dwarf puffers’ tankmates: