
Dwarf Puffer Care Guide
- Diet. In the wild, the Dwarf Pea Pufferfish feed on insect larvae, itty bitty crustaceans, and some algae if they have no choice.
- Water Parameters. The freshwater Dwarf Pufferfish will, of course, thrive in freshwater, so there is no need to add marine salt.
- Maintenance. ...
- Disease. ...
- Tank Setup. ...
- Breeding. ...
Can dwarf puffer fish eat frozen food?
If you have to feed your dwarf puffers frozen food, meaty diets such as bloodworms, blackworms, and snails are all good choices. There is a chance your fish will refuse to eat frozen food, in which case, try to mix them with live feeds. That said, dwarf puffers don’t need snails to mill their teeth the way other puffers do.
What do you feed your puffers?
stuff like bloodworms, blackworms, snails, etc is usually what puffers eat. an occasional part of a pea is what some people feed, but i've never used that. i've fed the worms and snails. they usually prefer live, but it's a good idea to train them to eat frozen as well though. hope that helps. Like Reply.
What do pygmy puffer fish eat?
In the wild, dwarf puffer fish food includes small animals such as crustaceans, insects and near microscopic organisms. But also eat plants such as diatoms commonly called brown or black algae in aquarium culture. Breeding pygmy puffer fish is somewhat difficult.
How often should I Feed my dwarf puffers?
Feed you dwarf puffers two to three times a day, so they have gently rounded but not bloated abdomens. Overfeeding them will result in constipation mostly manifested as swollen abdomens in fish. Eventually, remove uneaten food from the tank after a short while to keep the water quality in top condition.

What do I feed my puffer?
What do puffer fish eat? Puffers should be fed a carnivorous diet of pellets and freeze-dried and frozen foods, along with chopped squid, clams, shrimp and krill. Larger puffers should be offered shelled foods, like mussels, to help wear down their continuously growing teeth.
What do dwarf pea puffers eat?
What Do Pea Puffers Eat? These hardcore carnivores are best fed on a diet of frozen foods (like frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp) and live foods (like little pest snails or blackworms).
What live food can I feed my pea puffer?
0:002:52What to feed Dwarf Puffer Fish - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo I'm going to talk about their main diet their main diet consists of live aquarium snails bloodMoreSo I'm going to talk about their main diet their main diet consists of live aquarium snails blood worms brine shrimp anything of that matter these guys will eat.
How often should I feed my dwarf puffer fish?
Aim for a two a day feeding schedule. Another reason why it's bad to overfeed your pea puffer is the effect the extra food can have on water quality. Uneaten food will settle in the tank and begin to break down.
Will pea puffers eat flakes?
Do Pea Puffers Eat Flakes Or Pellets? Pea Puffers are meat-eaters through and through. They won't eat prepared foods such as fish flakes or pellets.
When should I feed my pea puffer?
0:455:52Feeding my Pea Puffers. SO CUTE - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipUm today's sunday uh well the day doesn't matter rather any day for you because it's just uh everyMoreUm today's sunday uh well the day doesn't matter rather any day for you because it's just uh every day is a good day to be doing fish tank madness. Sorry about the glare. Sorry not sorry let's deep
Can pea puffers eat mealworms?
Mealworms are OK in moderation. Pea puffers can be trained to eat thawed frozen bloodworms from the end of a toothpick. They will also eat thawed seafood (in small chunks).
How long can a dwarf puffer live without food?
How long can Dwarf Puffers go without eating? Dwarf Pufferfish can go for 5 – 7 days without eating. A healthy Dwarf Puffer can go even longer. If your Dwarf Puffer has stopped eating, try tempting them back into feeding by offering live bloodworms, blackworms, or small snails.
How long can pea puffers go without food?
Pea puffer fish can go without food for up to 10 days before they die. They are very resilient and will find ways to survive, even if it means eating what you don't want them too!
Will dwarf puffers eat freeze dried bloodworms?
But there is good news—they will eat frozen and freeze-dried bloodworms, as well as finely ground frozen and freeze dried krill and brine shrimp.
What plants do Pea Puffers like?
For a pea puffer tank, include dense and tall aquatic plants, such as Java moss, Java fern, hornwort, and anacharis. Floating plants with long dangling roots, such as Amazon frogbit and water spangles, will also work wonders.
Are dwarf puffers hard to keep?
Dwarf puffers may sometimes nip at them, but these catfish are fast swimmers and quickly learn to avoid trouble. However, Otocinclus aren't especially easy fish to keep. Their mortality level immediately after import is high — being prone to starvation and sensitive to poor water quality.
How long can pea puffers go without food?
Pea puffer fish can go without food for up to 10 days before they die. They are very resilient and will find ways to survive, even if it means eating what you don't want them too!
Can pea puffers eat betta food?
7:1613:37PEA PUFFERS with BETTA FISH?!?! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBecause sometimes they won't take anything but live food. And you know the the frozen bloodworms areMoreBecause sometimes they won't take anything but live food. And you know the the frozen bloodworms are dead and so they just kind of sink. And that's not interesting to them so they won't eat them.
Can pea puffers eat mealworms?
Mealworms are OK in moderation. Pea puffers can be trained to eat thawed frozen bloodworms from the end of a toothpick. They will also eat thawed seafood (in small chunks).
How many pea puffers should be kept together?
How Many Pea Puffers Should Be Kept together? Pea Puffers can be kept alone, but they do better when placed in groups of at least 3 fish. While they are territorial, they do shoal as well.
What Do Puffer Fish Eat In the Wild?
Puffer Fish are cute and funny looking with their front teeth converging together like a beak. They are omnivores that feast on:
Can I Feed My Puffer Fish Pellets or Flakes?
Puffer fish don’t want to eat pellets or flakes. They resist and remain intact with their original ways of eating in the wild. They want shellfish, snails, clams, shrimp and anything they can crunch with their durable teeth.
What Type of Foods Should I Buy My Puffer Fish?
Puffer fish can crack open shells in most cases. The larger the puffer, the bigger the live or frozen food you can try feeding them. Let’s make a list of foods to look for. Don’t forget about adding some veggies too!
Should I Feed Vegetables To My Puffer Fish?
Puffer Fish consume algae in the wild as they graze on it in small amounts. Adding too many veggies will affect their digestive systems. Some fishkeepers feel that veggies should be given only 1-2 times a week at the most.
Are Puffer Fish Fussy or Picky Eaters?
Puffer fish have personalities that display themselves when it comes to the food they wish to eat. You may notice them begging for food when they see you approach the tank.
Why Do Puffer Fish Like Shellfish?
Puffer fish need some teeth maintenance. We don’t want to bring them to the dentist so we should help them out in other ways.
Why Should I Thaw Frozen Food For Puffer Fish?
We know that puffer fish like to crunch on hard food so why can’t we just throw frozen food into the tank?
How big of a tank do pea puffers need?
Tank Size. The minimum pea puffer tank size is 10 gallons. These are active fish that like to have room to swim and hide. If you can manage it and want to give them the best habitat possible, we recommend something closer to 20 or 30 gallons.
What diseases do dwarf pea puffers have?
Instead, you’ll want to follow the recommended guidelines for preventing and looking out for common freshwater illnesses. The most common disease to be aware of is Ich.
What is the cutest fish in the world?
The pea puffer (aka dwarf pufferfish) could be one of the cutest freshwater species on the planet. We absolutely love how these little creatures look! And we’re not alone. More and more aquarists are starting to consider getting a pea puffer. Their popularity has really skyrocketed in recent years!
Why is it bad to overfeed a pea puffer?
Aim for a two a day feeding schedule. Another reason why it’s bad to overfeed your pea puffer is the effect the extra food can have on water quality.
Why are pea puffers so aggressive?
This is why it’s so important to give them enough space to feel comfortable and stay away from other fish. Cramming them in too close to each other is a recipe for disaster due to their territorial nature.
What does a pea puffer look like?
The pea puffer has a very unique look that led to the origin of their name. These tiny little fish that look like chunky swimming pea! Their bodies are rather thick and dense looking. The front starts off a slightly pointed at the mouth and gets thickest near the middle of their bodies.
How long do pea puffers live?
The average pea puffer lifespan is 4-5 years. As is the case with any fish, their lifespan relies on a mix of genetics and quality of care. If you don’t provide them with the quality of care they need, then the chance of them hitting 5 years of age is slim to none.
What is a puffer fish?
Also called pea puffer fish or pygmy pufferfish, they are tiny fish that can be kept in small freshwater aquariums.
What temperature do dwarf puffers like?
A total hardness around 125ppm and a temperature in the mid to upper 70s F is quite Ok. That said, dwarf puffers are considerably sensitive to ammonia and nitrate content in the tank water.
What is the biggest challenge in keeping pufferfish?
Traditionally, the biggest challenge in keeping pufferfish was size and salinity. Then this hurdle was solved by the introduction of the adorable pygmy puffer fish to aquarium fish keeping. The fish are tiny and entirely freshwater, plus quite subtle given their family’s reputation.
What temperature do puffer fish like?
Dwarf puffer fish are endemic to Southwest India hence prefer a tropical fish tank with temperatures anywhere between 75°F and 80°F. They also like neutral to alkaline water between 7.0 to 7.8 ph.
How long do puffer fish live?
The average lifespan of dwarf puffer fish is about 4 years. Of course, this will depend on how well you take care of your pet. Given the best conditions, the lifespan can even be extended a few months or a year above the average.
How hot should water be for a dwarf puffer?
Overall, fill your dwarf puffer breeding tank with slightly soft, acidic water with the temperature anywhere from 77°F to 82°F. The ph should range between 6.5 and 7.5.
How long does it take for a fish to hatch?
Normally, the eggs will hatch within 48 hours to 5 days, but you will need to remove other fish from the tank or use a breeding tank to ensure the fry survive. The fry start swimming within a week or two and should be fed with tiny live foods such as microworms.

Overview/Origin
Appearance
Behaviour & Temperament
Lifespan
Size
Dwarf Puffer Care
Diet & Feeding
- What do Dwarf Puffers eat?
Dwarf puffers may have a small size, but it does not mean that they eat small! As carnivorous fishes, owners should give them a lot of protein-based foods: 1. Tubifex 2. Brine shrimp 3. Mysis shrimp 4. Bloodworms 5. Any frozen and live foods In their ecosystems, puffer fishes also cons… - How often should I feed my Dwarf Puffer?
Feeding the fish two times a day is advisable. Once during the day, and one at night. If you have larger or adult ones in the tank, sometimes you can even try to serve them food to eat every other day. If there are young underlings in the tank, those are the ones that need more binge-eating! T…
Tank Mates
Breeding
Summary
Species Summary
Appearance
Size
Pea Puffer Care
Food & Diet
- Dwarf pea pufferfish are carnivorous and despite their cute appearance, they have quite a fierce appetite! In the wild, these fish mostly ear small insects, larvae, and algae. In captivity, you’ll need to give them protein-rich food with a good mix of variety. These aren’t fish that you can get away with feeding pellets and flakes. Frozen and live ...
Behavior & Temperament
Pea Puffer Tank Mates
Breeding
Wrapping Up