Pea Puffer vs Swordtail
Side-by-side care comparison to help you choose.
| Pea Puffer | Swordtail | |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| Adult size | 1-1.5 inches | 4-5 inches |
| Lifespan | 4-5 years | 3-5 years |
| Min tank size | 10 gallons | 20 gallons |
| Water temp | 74-82°F | 72-82°F |
| pH | 6.5-7.5 | 7.0-8.0 |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive; can be nippy, especially among conspecifics; best in species-only tank | peaceful |
| Tank mates | Best kept alone or with fast, small fish (e.g., danios, rasboras); avoid long-finned or slow fish | Peaceful community fish like mollies, platies, tetras, corydoras. |
| Diet | Carnivorous; requires live foods (snails, bloodworms, brine shrimp) daily; may accept high-quality frozen foods | Omnivore; feed high-quality flake or pellet daily, supplement with frozen or live foods like brine shrimp and daphnia 2-3 times per week. |