Betta vs Pea puffer? Differences?

[BettasAreSuperior]

Hi all, I had a quick question for you guys: What are the differences between Bettas and Pea Puffers BESIDES the obvious like tank size, agression. etc. I want differences between the two that aren't common and are really helpful in deciding. Thanks in advance.

[Levi_Aquatics]

I have Kept both fish each in a 5 gallon. I love the personality of the pea puffer and it is super cool to be able to say that you own the smallest species of freshwater puffer. it also looks super cool. The downsides are that they aren’t super colorful and you have to feed some more specialized foods. They can also be hard to find in good condition for sale. The betta has much more color and still has some personality. They are also easy to find and there are many color variations to choose from. They are also easier to feed because you can feed them dry foods. I hope this helps. 

[BettasAreSuperior]

On 1/3/2022 at 4:44 PM, Levi_Aquatics said:

I have Kept both fish each in a 5 gallon. I love the personality of the pea puffer and it is super cool to be able to say that you own the smallest species of freshwater puffer. it also looks super cool. The downsides are that they aren’t super colorful and you have to feed some more specialized foods. They can also be hard to find in good condition for sale. The betta has much more color and still has some personality. They are also easy to find and there are many color variations to choose from. They are also easier to feed because you can feed them dry foods. I hope this helps. 

Thank you, it did. One question: is there a difference is personality whatsover?

[Levi_Aquatics]

@BettasAreSuperior it depends fish to fish but pea puffers seem to be a bit more quizzical and definitely are able to recognize people while a betta seems to be a bit more food oriented and not quite as smart in my opinion. Like I said though it definitely depends on the individual fish and they can have wide ranging personalities even within the same species. 

[BettasAreSuperior]

On 1/3/2022 at 4:54 PM, Levi_Aquatics said:

@BettasAreSuperior it depends fish to fish but pea puffers seem to be a bit more quizzical and definitely are able to recognize people while a betta seems to be a bit more food oriented and not quite as smart in my opinion. Like I said though it definitely depends on the individual fish and they can have wide ranging personalities even within the same species. 

Sorry for so many questions 😞. I just had one more: Is there a way to make sure you don't get aggressive puffers at the store other than sexing them? 

[Levi_Aquatics]

@BettasAreSuperior I just picked a lively looking puffer that wasn’t beat up, had a full stomach, and wasn’t actively being aggressive and I ended up with a really great pet. 

[Jennifer V]

@BettasAreSuperior pea puffers are shoaling fish by nature and they do best in groups so that's a huge difference. Pea puffer enthusiasts say that they thrive in groups of at least six and tank sizes of at least 15 gallons, which I wish I had known when I got my little guys. I know a lot of folks here have single puffs that do just fine, so just some food for thought. 

[Chris]

On 1/4/2022 at 5:52 AM, Jennifer V said:

@BettasAreSuperior pea puffers are shoaling fish by nature and they do best in groups so that's a huge difference. Pea puffer enthusiasts say that they thrive in groups of at least six and tank sizes of at least 15 gallons, which I wish I had known when I got my little guys. I know a lot of folks here have single puffs that do just fine, so just some food for thought. 

I've kept them in groups and had fights before. I'm glad groups work well for some people, but I'd really like to know whether the idea that they're a shoaling species actually came from - I'm not saying it's incorrect, but I've had more success with them solo.

IMO, the biggest difference is the amount of time every day you'll spend caring for the fish. A betta can be taken care of with a pellet or two a day and a water change once the water is sufficiently "dirty" or soft. More care can be given, but that's essentially the minimum.

For a pea puffer, you're likely going to be either feeding frozen foods or cultivating live foods - either breeding snails or hatching out baby brine shrimp. In my case, I do both. Not only does it take time to cultivate those foods (or thaw frozen stuff), it takes a bit more time to actually feed an appropriate amount as well. It's not a big difference, but it is there.

[Jennifer V]

On 1/4/2022 at 12:50 PM, Chris said:

I've kept them in groups and had fights before. I'm glad groups work well for some people, but I'd really like to know whether the idea that they're a shoaling species actually came from - I'm not saying it's incorrect, but I've had more success with them solo.

IMO, the biggest difference is the amount of time every day you'll spend caring for the fish. A betta can be taken care of with a pellet or two a day and a water change once the water is sufficiently "dirty" or soft. More care can be given, but that's essentially the minimum.

For a pea puffer, you're likely going to be either feeding frozen foods or cultivating live foods - either breeding snails or hatching out baby brine shrimp. In my case, I do both. Not only does it take time to cultivate those foods (or thaw frozen stuff), it takes a bit more time to actually feed an appropriate amount as well. It's not a big difference, but it is there.

I think you're right, that some are just so feisty that they may have to be kept alone. I know they shoal in the wild, so I think that is where that info comes from. I think the challenge with keeping a single puffer is to keep them entertained so they don't get bored. A lot of people successfully keep them with other species so they have company. They're unpredictable in that some are rather docile, while others are murderous. Mine are the latter. 

And yes! The feeding situation can be a challenge, which I also didn't know when I got mine. We now have a dedicated snail tank to feed them, as well as multiple types of frozen foods we feed them twice a day using tweezers. And we're getting even more varieties to feed them using a pipette. It's not a plop in the tank and suck up the leftovers kind of feeding.

They're messy little beans so maintaining water quality is also a challenge. 

I've never kept a Betta, so I don't know much about their care, and I'm sure there are overlaps. I just know I've spent hours researching pea puffers, dedicated a lot of time to learning from more seasoned keepers and had a lot of trial and error over the last year.