AST tank

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summer_rain

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 2, 2007
160
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philippines
Hey guys, i might get a AST baby, around 3 inch diameter i think... i have a 30 gal tank with a EHEIM canister filter. i took out the fish, and getting it ready for the turtle :D question is, should i take out the gravel? its the normal white gravel. im also going to put an upturned pot for the turtle to stay on. im planning to move it to a 75 when the right time comes... help me out here guys.. thanks :D
 
I'm just curious but is this your first turtle? Because these guys are not for beginners and can turn you off turtles real fast. Just so you know that 30 gallon tank won't even last a year. The 75 maybe 2 years. Plan on something around 600-800 gallons for life. A pond is the best choice for an adult.

I've never kept this species of snapper but I know they like to feel invisible in their tanks so provide plenty of driftwood, logs, large smooth river stones and live aquatic plants. I think gravel will just be a pain to clean because these guys are very messy and plan on doing a 50-100% water change once a week. You're also going to want to invest in some kind of powerful filtration system. The water shouldn't be too deep, just enough for the turtle to comfortably reach it's head to the surface to breath. On a plus side, unless you're breeding them you don't have to provide an area for them to get out of the water.
 
i've kept turtles before, the closest i think was a softshell... :D wont the snapper ingest gravel if ever there is?
 
I personally don't like to keep turtles on gravel. Some people do and I'm sure they can pass small stones but I don't like to risk an impaction. Sand might be a good choice if you want to keep a substrate. That or larger river stones too big for your turtle to eat. Many people though keep them in bare bottom tanks. It's much easier to keep clean that way.
 
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