Turtle Sexing (And Breeding?)

I recently rescued a pair of Red Eared Sliders from a friend who no longer wanted them. They are exactly the same size, pretty small, with carapaces about 4.5 inches wide, so if one of them is a male then its claws haven't grown in yet. The pair are in a tank with four small koi I'm growing out, an african leaf fish, an angelfish, a pleco, and my baby common snapper (whom they get along with very well). From the minute I got them, I noticed they seemed to follow each other around. The other day, one of them started "tickling" the other, by brushing its claws against the front of the other's shell. I once kept two wild painted turtles (male and female), and noticed this "ritual," followed by mating so I let them go in their home pond. So I have a few questions.

Can this behavior mean they want to breed?
If so, any advice on breeding RES's?
And how can I sex my common snapper as well?

If you have any thoughts or comments I would love to hear them. I can provide pictures if necessary.

My bad, I meant to say the turtles' shells are 3.5 inches wide, not 4.5

Anybody?


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Z Trip said:

I also see koi, pleco's and angel fish together? That is so wrong I don't know where to start.

Koi are cold water carp that are fast moving and voracious.

Angel fish are slow moving tropical fish. Pleco's latch onto slow moving fish. Not a good combo at all.

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Well hey, they've all been doing just fine together for a long time, man. I have places to house all of them if anything goes wrong though.
And I totally agree with what you said about breeding RES's. But I have relatives and friends who were all willing to take one or more of the hatchlings, and they are all capable of caring for them.

Z Trip said:

"Just fine" is a point if view. No way will I ever agree with keeping carp and tropicals together. Just look up some of the issues the fish face. Easiest thing I can point out is diet. But that's just one.

RES lay anywhere from 10-35+ eggs. No point in breeding them for just a couple babies. Enough already need rescuing as people give them away. A 40 year animal is not for everyone.

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K, sorry if I was offending anyone, if the breeding idea is irresponsible.
Z, obviously you have your opinions and I have mine. Let's not take this debate too far. Agreed?