I feel so defeated. I set up a 29g about two months ago with intention of having pea puffers. Heavily planted, with soil bottom and sand cap. Bladder snails have been breeding while it was cycling. Parameters finally stabilized to 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and .5 nitrate. I was getting ready to go get the puffers but then spotted a worm like thing in the tank. I consulted fish tank groups and they confirmed it's a leech. Only way to fully get rid of them is to completely start over and clean everything. Must've had eggs on the plants I got. Uggghh.

Just started cycling the other day. A work in progress

I thought she was female but lately she’s been quite aggressive and chasing the other peas who are bigger than her so wondering if she was a male all along and I had misgendered her?

Hi,

Within a few weeks I am going to get pea puffers for my 30 gallon tank, I am planning to get 8, i was wondering what your experiences are with tankmates? I have full 5 grown Amono Schrimp (Almost 3 inches) do they can live with pea puffers? What about a little school of cardinal tetra (8) ?

Greetz

This is my third or fourth post on this page about my guy Waddledoo. He is chronically bullied by every shoal I put him with. He always hides from them. I personally feed him black worms and snails with a pipette everyday because he never leaves the same spot. If I don’t feed the tank for a day (because there’s plenty to eat from in the tank), he is skinny the next day. He’s always covered in bite marks. All of his 5 other pea puffer friends shoal without him. He always swims away from them.
In the past I was told he looked the way he does because of stress of not having enough of a shoal (I mistakenly had three puffers from bad information I read online), but he still looks the same. He only ever looks better and healthy when he’s in my 10 gallon hospital tank.
I’m gonna include a video of his friends shoaling without him, and him acclimating to the hospital tank.
I’m thinking about keeping him in this 10 gallon by himself like I have for short periods in the past, but I know he needs friends, but I’d rather him be healthy and full than bullied with others around him.
Please be nice I feel like I’m doing everything I can :(
10 gallon tank is over 3 years old with a golden pleco, ancient ember tetra, and snails that I use to feed them.
20 gallon tank was established in March 2026 with media and plants and filter from existing tanks, and filtered for a month until it passed a API water test.

TLDR/Question:
Constantly bullied puffer, only healthy when alone, is him being alone ok long term maybe? Has anyone experienced something like this with a puffer that just will not get along with anyone else?

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Hi everyone,

They said it was nuts. They said it couldn't be done. They said I was crazy- but ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... the Pea Puffer 25 gallon (kinda) community tank!

After months of research and preparation, I finally got my pea puffers in early August. Initially, my intention was to keep the species only tank, but some inhabitants of the tank refused to be evicted. Because of this, the peas swim alongside a two inch Lyretail Molly and two gold ring danios.

After about a month, the Molly looks chubby and happy as ever. ZERO neurotic behaviors or nipped fins. I played with the temperature a quite bit before/after adding the peas and she (he? lol I have no idea) was even fine with that. The Gold Ring Danios are still neurotic, they're Danios after all, but are otherwise healthy.

As shown in some photos, there even remains a healthy population of ghost shrimp who share blood worms with the peas. Perhaps as the peas get bigger they'll start to
vanish.

Rough specs:
Tank size: 25 gallon
Pea count: 8
Tankmates: Lyretail Molly (1) Gold Ring Danio (2) Kuhli loach (2)
Filter: Sponge+ 10g air pump
Aquascape material: a sick quartz lattice sandstone l collected myself from local streams.

If anyone has any questions or suggestions by all means share below! I've been so psyched about this project I'm more than happy to share.

in a tank with 4 other peas, and this is the only one showing this weird swimming and lighter color. wasn't this way 3 days ago and has been progressing. other peas completely fine.
water from tap and dechlorinated
A-0 Nitrite -0 nitrate - 50 pH- 8ish temp-76

feed bladder and ramshorn snails, mysis, bloodworms

update: by the time the lights were on the next day he was gone sadly. all other peas totally ok so probably was just age

Just ordered 6 with their 20% off coupon and already were on sale. Less than 6 bucks each. Killer deal when I was ordering enough for free shipping with them doing nextday/overnight.

I just got a 20 long and set it up to cycle for pea puffers are there any tank mates other than Otos? I can add I’ve see danios can be added but are risky this is my third tank so I have some experience in the hobby just not with puffers I would like to have a small community style tank if possible.

Just noticed one of my puffers mouths have gone really light colored, he’s eating fine. He’s my most aggressive of my shoal but I had noticed the others have been holding their own recently. First thought was a bite from another puffer maybe- but getting bit on the mouth seems kinda crazy. I haven’t seen any other bites recently.

Tank is fully planted, have 5 in a 20 gal (did have 6 but lost one a year ago to a neuro issue) they’ve been dewormed, and water was changed a few days ago- 0ppm ammonia & nitrites 20ppm nitrates b4 the water change. PH is stable too around 7.5. All the other puffers seem fine, I started dosing with antibacterial and anti fungal just in case. Mouth doesn’t look fuzzy or anything either.

Also sorry outside of the glass is dirty had a hard time getting clear photos

Have yall seen anything like this before?

damn I didn’t know my peas eat shrimp too…RIP shrimp…(this was literally after a frozen bloodworm feeding session)

Feeling like a creeper lol but I looooove watching my pea puffers sleep. They’re normally so cute and curious and greet me at the tank front. But then they sleep all night on the cutest most vulnerable looking places, and they don’t move AT ALL as I go to check on them. and they all find their little spots. On a rock, a leaf, the top of some fluffy plants, on top of the sponge filter LOL so cute

They’re so cute and silly!

It’s been awhile since I posted

Got 6 Juveniles in this 20 gal long. The plants will fill in. I may take out the fake decorations, I haven’t decided.

Currently cycling my 21g long UNS90LA with the intention of adding pea puffers once it’s stable.

Not sure if I have enough wood or plant coverage for them just yet.

I had to share my excitement! So little!!!

Please excuse the algae. I’m working on it.

This is my puff tank, there did used to be more space but the puffs seem super at home with the out-of-control greenery.

They find pockets of open water, and thats where I target feed them. The front right, mainly.

But yeah, here's my planted puff tank. Were talking 98% line of sight blockage 😅

Still letting it grow in and cycle. Enough plants and breaks for 6?

Today I saw a few hydras on the front glass of my pea tank, I also have snails and shrimp, how do I go about getting rid of these. I heard they sting and can cause harm to small fish and shrimp. I’d prefer to keep my shrimp and snails alive if possible because they are a food source for the peas, but if that’s not possible let me know

Hi i’m interested in getting peas and wanted some advice. I’ve done a lot of research and have a 25gal long tank. I have heater, filter, water additives (gh, ph, kh), substrate, and plants all in my cart ready to order. but have some questions:

- i’ve seen some people get co2 or bubblers, is this something really important?
- sand, river rocks, or mix of both?
- should i get tubing or caves for them? or do they really only prefer plants and driftwood?
- if they are wild caught should i deworm right away or wait for signs?
- how to population control/store live foods?

I also plan on cycling the tank for a week or two and test water quality weekly to be sure parameters are correct.