CST and Fish

[Brewster320]

Has anyone ever had luck with KEEPING fish with a snapping turtle without them really becoming food? My guy has a 5-6'' shell length and can't catch goldfish for the life of himself..unless they are like half dead already. He's also very relaxed as far as snappers go, I've had luck keeping feeder goldfish and crayfish with him without him really paying attention to them. I can usually put my hands in the tank as well without him trying to eat them(unless hes very hungry, hes hand tame too and is comfortable with basking infront of people and being handled.). I'm just curious because I'm up grading him to a larger tank and I'm thinking of adding some different fish for color although I don't want to throw some relatively expensive fish in there and have them become feeders right away, although I'd expect some MIAs once in awhile.

 

[methos75]

Its a risk, Snapping Turtles are known to go after anything and just because he doesn't go after Goldfish, doesn't mean a different type of Fish is safe. I have an AST and they are vastly more docile than CST's, and it destroys Fish like no other.

 

[Brewster320]

Its a risk, Snapping Turtles are known to go after anything and just because he doesn't go after Goldfish, doesn't mean a different type of Fish is safe. I have an AST and they are vastly more docile than CST's, and it destroys Fish like no other.

Aren't AST more specialized for eating fish though anyways with their lure and everything?

 

[methos75]

That is true, but CST's are more aggressive and more prone to go after anything that moves, so its a toss-up as far as fish go.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

All the common snappers I've ever kept got more aggressive towards fish as they got older. I highly doubt yours will behave much different.

 

[Sylvias]

I am not a turtle person at all so nothing I say here is any sort of good info but I would imagine if you get fish that are much bigger than the turtle (and wont in turn eat the turtle) then the snapper would leave em alone would it not?

 

[methos75]

I am not a turtle person at all so nothing I say here is any sort of good info but I would imagine if you get fish that are much bigger than the turtle (and wont in turn eat the turtle) then the snapper would leave em alone would it not?

Maybe, but Turtles have been known to nip at larger fish till they injure them or kill them out of stress.

 

[Brewster320]

I am not a turtle person at all so nothing I say here is any sort of good info but I would imagine if you get fish that are much bigger than the turtle (and wont in turn eat the turtle) then the snapper would leave em alone would it not?

You also have to picture how big even a common snapper can get, biggest one I've seen in person was well over 50pounds and its shell length over 2feet. And they are know to get even bigger..

 

[methos75]

What type of fish are you trying to put in there, I throw guppies in mine for color. They are quick and it takes a while for the Turtles to catch them, and they are pretty cheap.

 

[Brewster320]

What type of fish are you trying to put in there, I throw guppies in mine for color. They are quick and it takes a while for the Turtles to catch them, and they are pretty cheap.

I was thinking of throwing some guppies(male and female) and maybe some mollys so they could just breed and replace themselves. I'm afraid of him eating all before they really start breeding thought. I was also thinking of other fast fish that could pretty easily avoid him. Or an aggressive enough to not put up with crap from him, I know that maybe be asking a lot for a fish when pinning him against a CST but I've had some cichilids put a beat down on my other turtles before(RES and Painteds) so there are some pretty gutsy fish out there.