Lake Tanganyikan Turtles

[Kieranuk]

I was buying some cichlid's today for my malawi tank upstairs and saw this turtle in with the type of fish I have. Apparnently they only eat bloodworm and not other fish. I really liked it and was going to buy it (it was £100 ($190)) but then I realised I would rather have monsters for my 7ft tank. I am going to check how much money I have in one of my accounts and if I have spare I will probably get this turtle. It was so cool it dug holes then burried with its head sticking out. It also swam around the aquarium. It grows to under 1ft but cant go in with too agressive fish as it is softshelled. I will let you know if I am getting one. Also does anyone else have one and if so are they good pets?

Thanks,

Kieran

 

[Vitaliy]

Do you know whats the name of the turtle?

 

[Kieranuk]

No it just had on the cardboard thing 'Lake Tanganyikan Turtle' Imported from Africa.

 

[Kieranuk]

I think a african soft-shelled turtle. It was definatly different to the chinease soft-shelled as the shell of this one was square with the back of it pointing up.

 

[Caveman]

I remember seeing a video that National Geographic did on Lake Tanganyikan and they showed a Emperor Cichlid fighting a turtle. Not sure if it is the same kind of turtle you are talking about though since I saw the video like 5 years ago and just have vivid images of it in my head.

 

[rayman45]

go
get
pics

african side neck

 

[Kieranuk]

It probably is the same as these turtles live in Lake Tanganyikan. I think they might be quite rare as it is the first I have ever seen of them. They were in with the smaller cichlid's that I have not the frontosa's etc as I think they would be killed as they don't have a hard shell.

 

[Kieranuk]

It dosent look like the african side neck. It also feeds on bloodworm if this could narrow down which turtle it was? If I do get it, I will get it next saturday and will post some pic's. I will probably know by tommorow if I am getting it so I will reserve it tommorow. I am starting to move towards getting it now as I will always be wishing I had bought it if I don't.

 

[Jason]

Some of the african soft shells get HUGE i'll check my book that i have at work on turtles tomorrow and see what species have ranges in that area. Would be a truely neat find, i was drooling over a nile softshell on the net weighed in at 100lbs now thats a turtle . I'd still be careful about mixing it with fish, most any turtle will eat anything if deems food even if it takes awhile to make up its mind.

jason

 

[Kieranuk]

Well this one shouldnt get over 6" which would be okey. At the shop they said it dosent eat fish just bloodworm. It's neck streatched from about 1/2" to 3" which looks pretty cool.