Any turtle out there that will stay small and live with fish?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

Asianleful

Candiru
MFK Member
Nov 24, 2010
345
0
46
Florida
I have a 1300 gallon pond. 10 feet long x 5 1/2 feet wide x 3 feet deep. There's a ledge that goes all around the pond and from that ledge to the water surface is about one foot. The pond is currently stocked with one 5 inch RTC, two 4 1/2 pangasius catfish, one 5 inch blue channel catfish, tons of guppies, and 5 or so goldfish. I just want an aquatic turtle that will live in the pond and not try to eat or nip at my fish. I don't really mind him eating my goldfish and some guppies but I don't want him nipping or eating my catfish. Anything out there that stays small?
 
I have a small stinkpot with fish and he doesnt bother them but im not sure how one would do in your pond. They arent very strong swimmers so it might be too deep. Research them a bit and see if it would work.
 
I think you would be better off going with a turtle that gets a little larger rather than stays small. I would say look at map turtles (males stay pretty small), but that RTC will surely eat them up since a RTC will grow a LOT faster.

Look into sliders, painted turtles, or river cooters. Plenty of selection out there and they aren't going to mess with the catfish, might nip at the goldfish once or twice. They generally don't mess with anything that they can't swallow.
 
My friend TLkmDN has two fly rivers in his pond with a 48 inch RTC but I have no where around here that sells FRT and even if I did find one it owuld probably be out of my price range. I'm not worrying to much about the RTC eating the turtle as he doesn't like to move and only does move when I have some shrimp in hand. I'll try a map turtle, how fast do they grow?
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com