View Full Version : :-I got my Lake Malawi turtle
Kieranuk
06-13-2005, 1:03 PM
I baught him on sunday and he had 25% off :-D. He is really good and I have built rocks up at the back so he can stand on them but this just means he can stick his neck out so I am looking for something else to do as he will be okey like this but it is not ideal. I can make a better basking station out of my breeding net but was wondering if anyone had any other ideas? He hasnt eaten any of my fish yet (any I was told at my lfs that he will only eat dead fish) but has not taken any food yet. He likes bloodworm, chopped mussel and whitebait.
Kieranuk
06-13-2005, 1:21 PM
O and btw pics coming soon :D.
Oddball
06-13-2005, 1:23 PM
There's alway someone selling turtle floating platforms and ramps on ebay.
Kieranuk
06-13-2005, 1:28 PM
I cant find any on the Uk ebay site. I was looking for a basking station though so do you think I typed the wrong thing in? All I want is something for it to get out of the water. In the book about them it said some people keep them without any ramps etc but it is better for them to have the option to get out of the water.
Kieranuk
06-13-2005, 2:34 PM
I have just ordered one of these: http://www.cornishcrispa.com/catalog/images/TurtleDock_SS_Front.jpg.
rayman45
06-13-2005, 3:43 PM
pics
iheartfishies
06-13-2005, 9:55 PM
I love the turtle dock!
It's rocks!:)
Kieranuk
06-15-2005, 2:24 AM
Here are some pictures of my turtle:
WckedMidas
06-15-2005, 2:39 AM
nice turtle
rayman45
06-15-2005, 5:16 AM
nice turtle
yupp
Kieranuk
06-15-2005, 12:52 PM
Thanks sorry it took so long for me tog et pics but he was a bit scared at first and would not come out from under the gravel. My landing station came today but the postman took it back so I am going to collect it at 7:45am tommorow morning :(. Anyway he wouldnt eat anything I tried at first (frozen bloodworm and mussel) but yesterday I fed him white bait and he went mad. He ate 5 of them and was looking for more. Do you think he will only eat whitebait now or can I get him back over to something else. Also I was told to feed him frozen bloodworm , mussel and whitebait but do you think this is a too much protein diet. I do not want him to become unwell and was wondering if you had any suggestions on other foods?
pufferking
06-15-2005, 2:59 PM
nice\
The TRUST
06-16-2005, 1:55 PM
Nice turtle but I dont think that is from lake Malawi. Looks like a North American Softshell turtle of some sort or maybe an Asian species.
Kieranuk
06-16-2005, 2:16 PM
Hmm I was sold it as a Lake Tanjinikan turtle but maby they git mixed up? It has been in the shop for about 4 weeks now with water at a PH of 7.8-8.2. My tank is PH 7.8 so do you think it will be okey if it is not from lake tanjinikan? It really likes white bait but I don't want to give it a protein only diet so do you have any ideas of what else it could eat?
That's a Softshell Turtle from Asia, not Lake Malawi. And they eat fish. My old guy ate my spiny eel and baby Green Terror! This may not be what you want to hear, but you'll soon have to remove it unless your cichlids are its food.
Kieranuk
06-17-2005, 2:11 AM
Are you sure it's a Softshell Turtle from Asia? In the shop they showed me a book about it with a identical picture and it said it would be fine with fish if thye have somewhere to hide. I was told it will eat dead fish but thats it.
The TRUST
06-17-2005, 2:16 AM
I may be wrong but I think there is only 1 kind of softshell found in Africa which is Trionyx triunguis
Here is a pic of it.
http://www.geocities.co.jp/AnimalPark-Shiro/4418/site13/Resources/nail1.JPG
I'm sure yours is a softshell from either Asia or from North America. I'm not a softshell exopert so I can't tell what species it is. BUT YES! THE EAT FISH!!!! Your LFS really lied to you on this one.
Ph0etus
06-17-2005, 4:00 AM
It's a softshell turtle. They lied to you, it will eat your fish.
pufferking
06-18-2005, 9:01 AM
its a still pretty cool
They grow to over 16'', by the way.
Kieranuk
06-19-2005, 4:37 AM
O well looks like if they grow that big I will need a new tank :-D. Do turtles accept a wide ph level just think it could go in my 7ft when I get it which will hopefully have a ph of around 7.0?
lophius
06-20-2005, 6:16 AM
I kept a florida softshell with fish for 5 years - it grew from 2" to 13" carapace length - I housed it in a very large tank and everyso often it would bite a fin or a small piece of flesh from the fish - eventually it turned into a fish killer and then had to go .
Yours could well be an african softshell - very nice if it is too - beautiful - I wouldn't worry about the hi pH, it will do it the worlkd of good - as long as it's not too extreme.
Try and get it eating pelleted food as soon as you can - I have found that turtles that eat pellets are less likely to attack fish - initially
carl
Kieranuk
06-20-2005, 3:08 PM
It was sold as a african soft shell and was £75 so think thats the right price for a african softshell? I bought some mixed turtle food and it ate one pellet then started to just eat the shrimp. Do you think it was use the landing ramp I bought it but I havent seen it using it yet. I am getting a 7ftx3ftx2ft tank soon with arowana's, ray etc in so think it could live with them at a PH of 7.0?
chris_wpww
09-24-2006, 11:03 AM
thats an awsome turtle makes me wanna rush out and buy 7 and a huge tank
Red Devil
09-26-2006, 3:10 PM
He is a beautiful turtle.. and this has been very interesting to learn about.. so what kind did everyone decide that he is??