In this article we will discuss betta fish and dwarf puffer.We will also discuss their relationship & other tank parameters which are suitable for them to survive together in aquarium settings.
Overview
In this blog
- Can a betta fish and dwarf puffer live together?
- Key specifications of betta fish and dwarf puffer
- Where are betta fish and dwarf puffer found?
- How long do betta fish and dwarf puffer live?
- What tank size do betta fish and dwarf puffer need?
- Are betta fish and dwarf puffers aggressive in nature?
- What do betta fish and dwarf puffer eat?
- Are water parameters the same for betta fish and dwarf puffer in aquarium conditions?
- Do betta fish and dwarf puffers need the same aquarium plants in their tanks?
- Do betta fish and dwarf puffers need the same light intensity in their tanks?
- Do betta fish and dwarf puffer need similar substrates in their tank?
- Is it easy to care for betta fish and dwarf puffer together in the same aquariums?
- Are betta fish and dwarf puffer both perfect community fish?
- Are betta fish and dwarf puffer beginner friendly or for experienced aquarists?
- Can betta fish and dwarf puffer live in the same aquariums?
- Summary
- Frequently asked questions
- Reference
Can betta fish and dwarf puffer live together?
Betta fish should not be placed in the same aquarium as the dwarf puffer fish because they are equally aggressive as bettas and will surely grab a bettas fin,as they are popular for their finnipping behavior.
They are even known to release toxins when they are under extreme stress.So,it is advised not to keep them together.They can never be good tank companions.
Key specifications of betta fish and dwarf puffer
| Key specifications | Dwarf puffer | Betta fish |
| Scientific name Types Family | Carinotetraodon travancoricusCarinotetraodon travancoricusCarinotetraodon imitator/ malabar dwarf puffer Tetraodontidae | Betta splendens Dragon scale bettaButterfly bettaMarble bettaKoi bettadumbo bettaDifferent tailed bettasOsphronemidae |
| Temperament | Aggressive | Very aggressive |
| Diet | Carnivore/Omnivore | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Southwestern ,India | Southeast Asia |
Where are betta fish and dwarf puffer found?
Habitat of dwarf puffer
- Native-Endemic to Kerala and Southern Karnataka, India.
- Distribution- Chalakudy, Pamba, Periyar,Kabani,Bharathapuzha, Muvattupuzha, Achankovil and Vamanapuram.
- Water type-Freshwater fish.
- Water movement-Slow to medium moving water bodies.
Habitat of betta fish
- Native- Southeast Asia/ Tropical Asia.
- Distribution- Northern Malay Peninsula, central & eastern Thailand, Kampuchea,and southern Vietnam.
- Water type-Freshwater bodies.
- Water movement- Slow moving water bodies.
How long do betta fish and dwarf puffer live?
Dwarf puffer fish can live upto five years depending upon the right aquarium conditions.Like any fish, their longevity depends on a combination of genetics and quality of care.
The average lifespan of a betta is 2-4 years.The lifespan of bettas is directly related to the environment in which they are raised. Keeping the tank clean and paying attention to their diet can help them live longer.
Lifespan depends on:
- Lots of hiding spaces
- Suitable plants and decoration
- Vital parameters
- Tank-mates selection
- Genetics
- Right tank size and tank type
- Feeding habits
What tank size do betta fish and dwarf puffer need?
Dwarf puffer tank size
- Minimum aquarium size- ten gallons.
- One dwarf puffer fish in five gallons tank
- For each additional dwarf puffer, a three gallons tank is required.
- Three dwarf puffers can be kept in a ten gallons tank.
- Male to female ratio in tank 1 male : 2 or 3 females.
Betta fish tank size
- Minimum aquarium size for a single fighting fish or betta fish is 3 gallons.
- The additional aquarium size for each fully grown bettas is 1 gallons.
- The ideal aquarium size for single male or female betta is 5 gallons.
- Bettas do pretty well in bigger and spacious aquariums.
Are betta fish and dwarf puffers aggressive in nature?
Pea puffer fish or dwarf puffers are very active and aggressive fish and they have no problem fighting other species or each other. That’s why it’s so important to give them enough space to be comfortable and away from other fish.
Bettas are known for their aggression,though they look mesmerizing ,but they are highly aggressive and territorial species and do well in solitary tanks.
What do betta fish and dwarf puffer eat?
Dwarf puffers are carnivores and prefer lots of protein in their diet.
- Frozen food – Brine shrimp, mini bloodworms,cyclops
- Live food – Blackworms,artemia,daphnia
- Snails & hard shelled food items-Malaysian trumpet snails, pest snails,bladder snails and ramshorns snails but don’t feed these food regularly.
- Feed them hard-Shelled food so that their teeth do not grow too large.
- Remove dead snails from the tank,as it can change the water chemistry by increasing ammonia spikes in the aquarium.
Bettas are also carnivores and they too prefer lots of protein in their diets to maintain their health and finnage colors.
- White worms.
- Blood worms.
- Glass worms.
- Daphnia.
- Mosquito larva.
- Fruit flies.
- Shrimp (brine, fairy, opossum)
- Moina.
Are water parameters the same for betta fish and dwarf puffer in aquarium conditions?
Dwarf puffers are durable and can withstand a variety of water qualities. However, they prefer slightly mild to neutral pH 6.5-7.0 and warmer temperatures 75-80F.
Hardness should be low to medium 4-10 KH, but both higher hardness and slightly alkaline water levels are acceptable.
- Ammonia – 0 ppm
- Nitrite – 0 ppm
- Nitrate – below 15 ppm
Bettas prefer mild water and they may appear to tolerate lower temperatures, but they become sluggish and susceptible to illness in such lower temperatures.
So it is very important to maintain correct water parameters in bettas tanks.
- Temperature: 75°-81°F (23.8°-27.2°C)
- Ammonia and Nitrite: 0 ppm.
- Nitrate: <20 ppm.
- GH: 3-4 dGH (50-66.7 ppm)
- KH: 3-5 dKH (53.6- 89.4 ppm)
- pH: 6.5-7.5
Do betta fish and dwarf puffers need the same aquarium plants in their tanks?
Tank plants preferable for dwarf puffers:
Java moss, Java fern anubias, and hardy species of Cryptocoryne such as C. wendtii are recommended.Fast-growing floating plants such as Limnobium laevigatum are also useful to provide shade and cover while helping to remove nitrate.
Tank plants preferable for bettas:
- Sword plant.
- Java Fern.
- Anubias.
- Marimo moss ball.
- Cryptocoryne.
- Water sprite.
- Betta bulb.
- Vallisneria.
Do betta fish and dwarf puffers need the same light intensity in their tanks?
Light preference for dwarf puffers:
- Dwarf pea puffer keepers should keep a balance when it comes to pea tank lighting.
- Pea puffers cope better with diffused light.
- A sudden flash of bright light can frighten them and cause stress. But you need lighting to grow live plants in an aquarium.
- During summers – 12 hours of sunlight.
- During winters -10.5 hours of sunlight.
Light preference for bettas:
Bettas need to be exposed to light for about 14-16 hours minimum in 24 hours.You can buy a timer for the aquarium lights to make sure this is well controlled.
Some aquariums already have timers installed, but if not, you can always install a timer in the plug socket that controls the light. Betta fish can be seen well in muddy water, but eyesight does not work well in total darkness.
In their natural habitat, bettas rest and sleep at night when the water they live in is really dark, so they don’t have good night vision.
Do betta fish & dwarf puffers need similar substrates in their tank?
Dwarf puffer fish conceal themselves in the substrate when threatened.Small sized gravels or fine sand of 1.5 cm along with a layer of aquarium soil will give a proper touch of their original habitat. Avoid pointed substrates in the aquarium, as It can hurt them.
The two best substrates available for tanks are gravel and sand. Gravel is excellent because it makes it easier to fix plants and produce more beneficial bacteria. Sand is excellent because it is easy to keep clean and it may not hurt bettas.
Is it easy to care for betta fish and dwarf puffer together in the same aquariums?
Dwarf puffers are extremely interactive and interesting fish.Although puffers are not the easiest species of fish to keep, they are unlike other species in the hobby. Beautiful and personable, these fish make excellent water pets.
Bettas are very aggressive and do well in solitary tanks.Both bettas and dwarf puffers cannot get along well in the same tanks.It will be very much difficult to care for them together in the same aquariums.
Are betta fish and dwarf puffer both perfect community fish?
Dwarf puffers do well in solitary tanks and community tanks with right male to female ratio.Male bettas are extremely aggressive and prefer to stay in solitary tanks.
Female bettas can stay in community tanks with other female bettas and different species too.But both bettas and dwarf puffers are not community fit.It’s better to never keep them in community tanks.
Are betta fish and dwarf puffer beginner friendly or for experienced aquarists?
Both dwarf puffer and bettas are best handled by experienced fish keepers,as they are sensitive to water parameters, very aggressive, dwarfs are fin nippers and require teeth trimming to avoid its overgrowth.
Dwarf puffers release toxins too,so it won’t be easier for novice keepers to handle dwarf puffers and bettas are very aggressive & prefer their own space and pristine water conditions to thrive,if conditions are not met they might die soon.
Summary
- Both dwarf puffers and bettas are aggressive in nature.
- Both dwarf puffers and bettas do well in solitary tanks.
- Both dwarf puffers and bettas are carnivores and prefer lots of protein in their diets.
- Dwarf puffers and bettas can never be kept in the same tanks because both are equally aggressive and dwarf puffers are fin nippers too,so it is not a good idea to keep them together in the same aquarium.
- Both dwarf puffers and bettas are not suitable for community tanks,because of their aggressive behavior and finnipping behavior.
Frequently asked questions
What is the conservation status of dwarf puffer fish?
Dwarf puffers come under the vulnerable category due to overfishing.
Is it important to trim dwarf puffer teeth?
Tooth trimming should be done depending upon the growth.Tooth trimming is very important.If you don’t know how to trim their tooth as a new owner then please consult a vet.
Can dwarf puffers live with female bettas?
Female bettas and dwarf puffers are equally aggressive and should only live together in much larger aquariums with more decorations to cut off a habitat line in case one chases the other.
