Both my FRTs (Fly River Turtles) have started attacking and eating my fish.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
V

VLDesign

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Mar 20, 2007
1,845
11
1,843
IL
Not sure if this is an age/size thing but both are around 16" long from head to tail and the shell dimensions are about 12" long x 9" wide at the shell.

One is in the 2700 gallon tank and is trying to bite the larger catfish, and the other is actually killing all the smaller fish in my 300.

Pretty sure I am going to have to re-home them both now that they are no longer acting fish friendly.

Anyone else with a FRT seen this?

Just curious if this is a natural progression or not. I mean I guess that they are still reptiles and had the potential to fish, just didn't expect it to happen with the FRT.
 
FRTs get more aggressive as they grow.
 
The only person I know of on here that has enough experience long term with multiple FRT is Oddball. It will be interesting to hear what he says. This could be a good thing for you though. Just build another 2700 gallon on the other wall.:thumbup:

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
I have one in three hundred gallon tank his shell is about 17 inches long my tank is two feet wide by eight feet long and he just about reaches the two feet from head to tail I took out of my 420 gallon tank a long time ago because every once in a while a fish had a nice u shaped bite mark on the back tail. dont try putting the two in the same tank they will get messed up.my turtle is very friendly towards me I can pet him and rub his head and flippers. he will be more of a pet if you keep by himself and feed just him or both of them full grown they are suppose to get close to forty pounds Good luck Noel
 
According to notes from zoo kept FRTs, the species need for meat proteins increases with the age of the turtles.
When I first brought my 4 FRT hatchlings home, they fed on mainly live plants, fruits, and algae wafers and ignored the school of shiners I kept in their tank. At a year of age, they became less tolerant of each other and had to be separated to individual tanks. Their diets still consisted primarily of vegetable proteins but, they occassionally tried earthworm sticks. The shiners were still ignored. At their second year of age, shiners started slowly disappearing. Usually when a feeding of wafers or live anacharis, or fruits came late. By age four, all four of the turts were actively chasing shiners when they were placed in the tanks.
By their second year of age, all of my FRTs became a risk to my fish, ...mainly bottom dwellers. A male 5" FRT bit a wedge section out of one of my 16-18" AULs. The AUL didn't survive the little turtle's test bite.
 
That's gotta really be tough to have one uber rare pet take out another.
 
krichardson said:
That's gotta really be tough to have one uber rare pet take out another.
Click to expand...

x2...

and my experience w/ turtles ( never an FRT.. I wish lol) was either they tend to become more predatory/meat eating or more herbevorouse/ veggie loving as they age... depending on species ect but every species I've worked with (softshells,snappers ( commons and gators), red ears,painteds, musk, ect...) lived Omnivorouse and during different stages of life leaned more heavily one way or the other during transitions. Just like w/ fish I've also seen this when nutrient deficiencies played a role ( but these are "usually" pretty obviouse turtles)

GL w/ your turtles OP! I'de get rid of most my fish before I'd part w/ an FRT.
 
Moved to reptiles forum.

VLD, I'm sorry for your troubles. You have an amazing setup! It sucks that you're probably going to have to rehome the turtles. :( I hope things work out well for you, however.

I just wanted to say also that I find your 2700 to be very inspiring! I downloaded the plans and plan to use it as a template for when I put up my big tank someday! :)
 
I feed my turtle HBH algae grazers I buy in bulk for 39 dollars for 2.2 kilos and my turtle has been doing well and is quite large. It has fish meal spirulina algae shrimp meal and lots of vitamins and minerals the break down is 28% crude protein, 6% crude fat 6% crude fiber 10%max mositure makes feeding cheap and simple Noel
 
Thanks for the confirmation on what I had feared to be true.

Can't justify an entire 2700 gallon tank just for a single turtle, so the choice is pretty obvious that I will need to find them new homes.

Too bad since they are very cool turtles.

Thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom