Arrowhead Puffer Tank Mates

Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive, so its tank mates need choosing with care. Here are the 47 freshwater species that pair well with an arrowhead puffer — plus the 219 to avoid — with a live checker you can tune to your own tank.

By The Aquarium DB Team • Updated June 8, 2026 • Full Arrowhead Puffer care guide →
Best matches

The best tank mates for an arrowhead puffer

  • Axelrod's Cory ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Bandit Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Japanese Trapdoor Snail ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 10–28 °C (50–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Julii Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Masked Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Skunk Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Rust Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Agassiz's Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Elegant Cory ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • False Julii Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Corydoras Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Spotfin Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6.5 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Peppered Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Spotted Corydoras ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Black Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Burmese Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 9 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Porthole Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Upside-down Catfish ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 10 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Bristlenose Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Rubber Lip Pleco ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 12 cm · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Marbled Hoplo ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 14 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
  • Moonlight Gourami ✅ Compatible
    Easy care · Peaceful · 15 cm · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
With caution

Arrowhead Puffer tank mates that can work with care

  • Amano Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Adult Amano Shrimp might survive with Arrowhead Puffer, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
  • Amazon Puffer ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Amazon Puffer at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Assassin Snail ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 3 cm · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer may bully the smaller Assassin Snail, though its armour makes it a hard meal — give it caves and driftwood to retreat into.
  • Bamboo Shrimp ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 8 cm · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Bamboo Shrimp at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Blackline Rasbora ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 6 cm · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer clearly outsizes Blackline Rasbora and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
  • Bloodfin Tetra ⚠️ With caution
    Easy care · Peaceful · 5.5 cm · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer clearly outsizes Bloodfin Tetra and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
  • Boesemani Rainbowfish ⚠️ With caution
    Medium care · Peaceful · 11 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Boesemani Rainbowfish — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Bright Diamond Tetra ⚠️ With caution
    Hard care · Peaceful · 7 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Bright Diamond Tetra — plant heavily and break up sight lines.

+ 66 more “with caution” pairings — see the interactive checker above.

Avoid

Fish to avoid keeping with an arrowhead puffer

  • Mekong Giant Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Semi-aggressive · 300 cm · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer and Mekong Giant Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Wels Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 300 cm · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Alligator Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 250 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Redtail Catfish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 120 cm · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
  • Fire Eel ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Arrowhead Puffer and Fire Eel will hold territory and clash.
  • Clown Knifefish ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Arrowhead Puffer and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
  • Koi ⛔ Avoid
    Medium care · Peaceful · 90 cm · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 12 cm Arrowhead Puffer whole.
  • Spotted Gar ⛔ Avoid
    Hard care · Aggressive · 90 cm · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    Arrowhead Puffer and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.

+ 211 more to avoid — the checker above flags every one.

Interactive tool

Check any fish against an arrowhead puffer

Dial in your exact tank size and filter by result — the checker scores every species in our database against an arrowhead puffer, with the reasoning for each verdict.

Tank-mate checker

Will it live with a Arrowhead Puffer?

We compare each fish against your arrowhead puffer on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.

  • Banjo Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Bearded Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Black Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Bolivian Ram✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Bristlenose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Burmese Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Clown Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Giant Glass Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
  • Giant Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Kuhli Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Leopard Frog Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Marbled Hoplo✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Medusa Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 26–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Moonlight Gourami✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
  • Pantanal Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Pantanal Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Peppered Corydoras✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
    • Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Porthole Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Rubber Lip Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Spotted Rubbernose Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Spotted Talking Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Striped Eel Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Upside-down Catfish✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Zebra Loach✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Medium care · 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
    • Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Zebra Pleco✅ Compatible
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Hard care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
    • Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
    • Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
  • Amazon Puffer⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Amazon Puffer at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Amazon Puffer in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Bamboo Shrimp⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
    • Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Bamboo Shrimp at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Adult Bamboo Shrimp might survive with Arrowhead Puffer, but expect the young to be eaten — plant heavily.
  • Boesemani Rainbowfish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 11 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Boesemani Rainbowfish — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Boesemani Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Brilliant Rasbora⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Brilliant Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Brilliant Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Clown Rasbora⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Clown Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Clown Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Denison Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 15 cm · Medium care · 18–25 °C (64–77 °F)
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Denison Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Giant Betta⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Giant Betta at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
  • Giant Danio⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 20–27 °C (68–81 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Giant Danio — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
    • Keep Giant Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Keyhole Cichlid⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Keyhole Cichlid — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Mascara Barb⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Mascara Barb are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add mascara barb in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
    • Keep Mascara Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Molly⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Molly are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add molly in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Murray River Rainbowfish⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 11 cm · Easy care · 15–26 °C (59–79 °F)
    • Expect Arrowhead Puffer to harass Murray River Rainbowfish at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
    • Keep Murray River Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Pearl Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Pearl Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
  • Silver Tetra⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Silver Tetra are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add silver tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
    • Keep Silver Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
  • Snowball Pleco⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 16 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~150 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Thick-lipped Gourami⚠️ With caution
    Peaceful · 9 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Thick-lipped Gourami are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add thick-lipped gourami in a group to spread the pressure.
  • Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Arrowhead Puffer is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Arrowhead Puffer and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
    • Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 12 cm Arrowhead Puffer whole.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Fire Eel⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
    • Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Arrowhead Puffer and Fire Eel will hold territory and clash.
    • Size gap is too large (100 vs 12 cm): Fire Eel will treat Arrowhead Puffer as food.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Koi⛔ Not recommended
    Peaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
    • Koi (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 12 cm Arrowhead Puffer whole.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Mekong Giant Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Semi-aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Mekong Giant Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~100000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Size gap is too large (120 vs 12 cm): Redtail Catfish will treat Arrowhead Puffer as food.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 12 cm Arrowhead Puffer whole.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
  • Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommended
    Aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
    • Arrowhead Puffer and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
    • Size gap is too large (300 vs 12 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Arrowhead Puffer as food.
    • Your 132 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.

Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.

Setting up an arrowhead puffer community tank

Give the group a stable, planted 132 L+ tank with a gentle filter, a reliable heater and plenty of cover — broken sight lines and hiding spots let mid-water and bottom dwellers keep out of each other's way. Cycle it fully and stock gradually.

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How to choose

How to choose the right tank mates for an arrowhead puffer

Arrowhead Puffer is aggressive and territorial, so most community fish are unsafe; any tank mate must be large, tough and able to hold its own. It mostly occupies the bottom of the tank, so it pairs naturally with species that use the other levels.

Arrowhead Puffer grows to about 12 cm, so avoid tank mates small enough to be seen as food — as a rule of thumb, skip anything under roughly 6 cm. Match its water, too: aim for 23–28 °C (73–82 °F), pH 6.7–7.7 and 5–15 dGH. Fish needing very different conditions — coldwater species, or hard-water lovers against a soft-water fish — rarely thrive side by side.

Arrowhead Puffer doesn't need its own kind to feel secure; think twice before keeping more than one if it is territorial. Whatever you add, introduce new fish slowly, watch for bullying in the first days, and have a backup plan if temperaments clash.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can an arrowhead puffer live with other fish?

Yes — with the right companions. Our checker finds 47 compatible freshwater species for arrowhead puffer. Pick calm, similarly-sized fish that share its water needs and add them to a mature, well-planted tank.

What is the best tank mate for an arrowhead puffer?

Easy, peaceful, similarly-sized species top the list — for example Axelrod's Cory, Bandit Corydoras, Japanese Trapdoor Snail. Use the checker above to match against your own tank size.

What fish should you avoid keeping with an arrowhead puffer?

Avoid Mekong Giant Catfish, Wels Catfish, Alligator Gar and similar — usually a temperature, size or temperament clash. The full "avoid" list below gives the reason for each.

How big a tank do arrowhead puffer tank mates need?

Start from Arrowhead Puffer's own minimum and scale up with every addition. The checker above defaults to a 132 L community tank and flags pairings that need more room — drag the slider to match your setup.

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