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Compatibility Report

Can Pea Puffer Live With Sailfin Molly?

GuideMyTank compatibility analysis for Pea Puffer and Sailfin Molly.

Planning verdict

incompatible

Not recommended

Do not plan a shared aquarium for this pair. Choose a different tank mate or maintain separate aquariums.

Data confidence
high
Assessment source
Structured data model
Data completeness
100%

Blocking risks

  • One species is best planned as a species-only setup.
  • Specialist tank style requirements need careful matching.
  • Freshwater puffers are specialist fin-nipping hunters and are poor community tankmates.
  • Fin-nipping risk is high with long-finned or slow-moving tankmates.

Conditions and cautions

  • One species may be semi-aggressive and require planning.
  • Tank size requirements differ moderately.

Supporting factors

  • Temperature ranges overlap well.
  • pH requirements overlap well.
  • Both species have compatible schooling or group behavior.
  • No predation risk detected.
Pea Puffer profileSailfin Molly profileMethodology and limitations

Why This Pair Received Its Verdict

Pea Puffer and Sailfin Molly receive a not recommended verdict from the current structured assessment. Pea Puffer is recorded as semi-aggressive with an aggression level of 5/10; Sailfin Molly is recorded as peaceful with an aggression level of 2/10. The recommendation is based on the combined water, space, behavior, grouping, and predation checks below rather than on species names alone.

  • Temperature ranges overlap well.
  • pH requirements overlap well.
  • One species may be semi-aggressive and require planning.
  • Both species have compatible schooling or group behavior.

Helpful Links

Use the Compatibility CheckerRead the Compatibility Disclaimer

Water Parameter Overlap

Pea Puffer has a recorded temperature range of 74–82°F and pH range of 6.8–8. Sailfin Molly is recorded at 72–82°F and pH 7–8.5. Their shared planning window is 74–82°F for temperature and 7–8 for pH. A shared aquarium must stay inside the overlap rather than merely touching each species’ outer tolerance.

Aquarium Space and Adult Size

Sailfin Molly sets the larger listed base aquarium requirement at 30 gallons; the other listed minimum is 10 gallons. Sailfin Molly is the larger adult by the recorded maximum, reaching 5 inches, compared with 1.4 inches. These figures are starting constraints, not a stocking-capacity calculation, because the complete group sizes and bioload still matter.

Behavior and Social Requirements

Pea Puffer is a moderate species associated with the mid zone and moderate flow. Sailfin Molly is active, uses the top zone, and has a moderate flow preference. Pea Puffer should be planned as a group of at least 6, while sailfin molly should be planned as a group of at least 3. The aquarium must support both social structures without forcing either species into insufficient space.

Husbandry Fit

Pea Puffer is recorded as a carnivore with advanced care, while Sailfin Molly is a omnivore with intermediate care. Their listed preferred tank styles are species_only and planted. Feeding access, cover, open swimming room, filtration, and observation should be planned around the more demanding requirement rather than averaged between the two species.

What Would Change the Decision?

Use these pair-specific boundaries before treating the verdict as an acceptable stocking plan.

  • Do not proceed unless one stable temperature and pH range can be maintained for both Pea Puffer and Sailfin Molly; acclimation does not correct an incompatible long-term range.
  • Treat size, predation, and fin-damage warnings as stop conditions. Extra plants cannot reliably make an unsafe predator-to-prey or fin-target pairing safe.
  • Use broken sight lines and multiple retreats, then separate the pair if either species shows persistent chasing, hiding, clamped fins, or loss of feeding access.
  • Recalculate space using the full adult group sizes—not one specimen of each species—and reject the plan if either species must be understocked socially to fit.
  • A different tank mate is the preferred decision for this pair. Attempting the combination transfers the identified risk to the animals rather than resolving it.

Aquarium Planning Checklist

  • Keep temperature within 74–82°F.
  • Keep pH within 7–8.
  • Use at least the larger 30-gallon base requirement before accounting for the complete stocking plan.
  • Pea Puffer should be planned as a group of at least 6; sailfin molly should be planned as a group of at least 3.
  • Choose separate aquariums or a different tank mate instead of attempting to manage a known blocking risk.

Final Recommendation

Do not plan a shared aquarium for this pair. Choose a different tank mate or maintain separate aquariums.

Sources and Data Provenance

These references support the underlying species records used by this assessment. They do not necessarily evaluate this exact pair together.

  • fishbase.secare · medium confidence
  • fishbase.secare · medium confidence
  • en.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
  • en.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
  • en.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
  • es.wikipedia.orgtaxonomy · medium confidence
Read the full methodology and limitations
Report quality
supported
Analysis version
2026.09.1
Species data updated
Jul 2, 2026
Review status
Structured automated assessment

Related Resources

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