Turtle tank, what would live in it?

[rockoman15]

I got a turtle tank for xmas, with two baby slider turtles. Im wondering what other fish, crabs,snails etc i could put in it.

i dont mind if my turtles eat them or if i hafta let them go in a bigger environment if they out grow my tank

[Vicious_Fish]

Unless you got a 200 gallon tank for Christmas you're going to need to upgrade in the future to a larger aquarium or pond. As for tank mates, anything you add will get eaten or killed.

[reptech]

nothing that you care about lol

[Tom500]

Maybe some snails but i would say you are stuck with turtles pretty much.

[rockoman15]

y would i ever need a 200 gallon tank for a turtle thats not going to get wider then 5 inches?

[frogman5]

it will get wider than five inches red ear sliders get pretty bit

[andyjs]

Yep, sliders are pretty big turtles. Males stay a little smaller, but you can expect a female to eventually reach a shell length somewhere near 12" (and width not much smaller than that)

[bettagurl]

y would i ever need a 200 gallon tank for a turtle thats not going to get wider then 5 inches?

They get bigger than that, there are a few at my local park who are at least 8" wide and 12+ long.
They also make a mess and a half, which means you will also need heavy filtration.

[HPIZZLE]

the people at petco dont know what their talking about. they get bigger than 5" across.

[krzr3000]

Like i said in your other thread, petco was wrong with the size and DO NOT release them when they outgrow your tank its irresponsible and illegal.

[Tom500]

They wil need a 200G they deserve a bigger tank than that even really they get very big and are quite active as i am sure you know and when you factor in land and water requirements a 200G footprint doesnt leave much room for a large area of either.

[Vicious_Fish]

The reason they need a bigger tank is because they have the potential to get....well.....BIG!

[rockoman15]

alright im still learning here im new to this, trying to be a good owner =/

[Vicious_Fish]

alright im still learning here im new to this, trying to be a good owner =/

No problem, that's why we ask questions we are unsure of. :)

Here's a great care sheet for RES.

http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheet-red_ear_slider.htm

[rockoman15]

Thanks i added a few feeder fish, snails and a frog today

will leave it at that.

[Noto]

Nice Sailor Moon blankets there, Vicious. :p

[Vicious_Fish]

Nice Sailor Moon blankets there, Vicious. :p

LOL, I just caught that. But I honestly can say those are not my turtles or bed sheets.

[katschamne]

I know that you didn't get the hatching's from Petco or any pet store for that fact. It's illegal to sell a RES under 4". I don't know who told you they only get 5" because the signage at Petco says up to 12" and live 20 years plus. When Petco get them in they are already 4"

Hey Vicious that is an awesome site. I've been giving that site out to my customers for 2 years now when they buy a turtle. I try to get them to do research before they buy, but that isn't always the case.

Rockoman, glad you asked questions. I always try and do research now before I get an animal. I say now because that hasn't always the case. It's call being older and wiser and the amount of info available to you because the web is so great. Years ago it was much harder finding info, so books where all there was. I have a whole book self of animal books. I even pick up books of animal I don't have. Research is better for them and you.

A large aquarium and GREAT filtration and lights is a must along with a heater. I think at work I talk more people out of buying them then I sell.

[Vicious_Fish]

Hey Vicious that is an awesome site. I've been giving that site out to my customers for 2 years now when they buy a turtle. I try to get them to do research before they buy, but that isn't always the case.

I agree. I've read lots of turtle caresheets but that site has the most accurate, up to date ones out there.

[evilstreets]

i put a snail in with my snapper that was just as big as she was and she still killed it. waited for it to poke its head out and bit it off. i did some research and found out that snails are part of a snapping turtles diet. as for any thing in the tank with the turtles its not going to work. i keep a few ghost shrimp in my tank because any extra cleaning is welcome but i dont expect them to survive as pets. for now there safe because they are very fast and aware. i would also suggest setting up a feeding spot for your turtle in a different tank. i do this with my snapper and it helps with cleaning a lot.

[Gourami Swami]

you dont need a 200 gallon tank for sliders guys. Id say 75 gallon minimum if you keep the water clean enough.

[Vicious_Fish]

you dont need a 200 gallon tank for sliders guys. Id say 75 gallon minimum if you keep the water clean enough.

Most turtle species are very active. RES are no exception. Keeping them in small tank is like keeping a dog penned up it's whole life. It's not fair to the animal because you want to take the easy route out.

[ryanc2106]

Most turtle species are very active. RES are no exception. Keeping them in small tank is like keeping a dog penned up it's whole life. It's not fair to the animal because you want to take the easy route out.

agreed

[coura]

Biggest is allways best with adult turtles;)

[bfhslilred93]

yea be prepared to get some form of a pond. for tankmates now frogs would be cool i guess, i'd do a ton of fancy guppies and platys for a ton of color. plus if you get enought the turtle wont be able to kill at the rate theyre reproducing

[Gourami Swami]

im usually the one telling people to get bigger tanks, but i just dont agree that you NEED a 200 gallon aquarium for RES'. I have my pair in a 72 gallon bowfront with an external land area attatchment. My turtles are active, and spend much of the day gliding around the tank, and much of the day basking (in the case of my large female). My turtles seem very happy to me, get tons of exercise chasing around fish, and i keep their water very clean. The tank is full to the brim providing them adequate swimming room and they can walk around out of the water as well. I take them outside often in my yard and let them walk around and explore.

I know this isnt a thread about how i keep my turtles, im just stating my opinion that that RES' can be kept successfully in a smaller aquarium.

[Dale D]

Anything you put in with a turtle has the potential to become it's dinner.
I keep different species of synodontis catfish in some of my set ups that contain RES, painteds, cooters, and maps and they have all been fine for a few years now.

The map turtles actually prop themselves up off the tank bottom and wait for the catfish to come along and clean them, like a cleaner shrimp or wrasse will do to fish in a reef tank. :)

[le patron]

Unless you got a 200 gallon tank for Christmas you're going to need to upgrade in the future to a larger aquarium or pond. As for tank mates, anything you add will get eaten or killed.
i agree with vicious fish. turtles generally do not do well with fish, but some have been lucky. go for it if you really want but dont get anything your not willing to lose ;)

[granuccibar]

in my tank i have gold fish larger than all my turtles. the turtles and goldfish leave each other alone. it just depends on your turtles i suppose

[zfoster22]

we have em at table rock lake at big ceder marina that are freaking ginormous there easily 16" long and 10" wide no joke ill get pictures this summer.

[coura]

we have em at table rock lake at big ceder marina that are freaking ginormous there easily 16" long and 10" wide no joke ill get pictures this summer.
Cant wait to see, love big sliders:D