My son brought home a baby snapper from the river. Its quite small (only an inch and a half in diameter). Now I know these guys grow quite large, up to 60 lbs in the wild but I thought it might make an iteresting addition to a 100 gallon tank in the basement. I figure it can over winter, get some size and then go back to a local pond or the river. The tank is well filtered with three sponge filters and an XP3. I keep it warm with a 300 Watt heater. Illumination is a 2 lamp 4' flourescant fixture with grow lamps. The tank is 1/3 rock pile (limestone) by volume and contains about 25 assorted African Cichlids, fry, and an 8" synodontis petricola as well as a few plecos.
I would like to let my boy keep the turtle in the tank over winter but I'm a little concerned that the set-up described may not be ideal. There is a lot of turbulence on the surface. Does he need something to climb out on? I understand that these are fully aquatic turtles.
Is the water too warm at 78 degrees F?
I imagine that he will eat fry, trout pellets, snails and some shrimp that I use to feed my fronts. Are there any other dietary requirements I should be aware of?
How long before he starts eating the Africans?
I would like to let my boy keep the turtle in the tank over winter but I'm a little concerned that the set-up described may not be ideal. There is a lot of turbulence on the surface. Does he need something to climb out on? I understand that these are fully aquatic turtles.
Is the water too warm at 78 degrees F?
I imagine that he will eat fry, trout pellets, snails and some shrimp that I use to feed my fronts. Are there any other dietary requirements I should be aware of?
How long before he starts eating the Africans?
