I am buying a small FRT tomorrow and am looking for a little advice. I read that their food shouldnt have more than 30% protein content. What is best to feed at this size(3 inches). The owner now is feeding it cichlid pellets. I found some vegetable wafers at a local pet store that have 30% protein in them. Would this be good to try? Another question is about the tank. I will be getting a 30 gallon tank with the turtle but will need to get a new filter for it. Is it ok to add water from my other fish tank to fill it up and add a brand new filter and put the turtle in right away? Or does the filter need to be established with bacteria and everything like suggested for fish. I read somewhere that turtles are very hardy and dont need to cycle the tank before putting them in. I appreciate any advice you guys have to give me. Thank-you.
FRT ADVICE
- Thread starter CHILLI RED
- Start date
Most turtles will tolerate un-cycled tanks with no issue, but fly river turtles have a very sensitive carapace and high levels of ammonia may actually do some damage.
I would cycle your tank first or simply put the turtle in your already established tank while the new tank cycles.
Algae wafers are the main dietary staple of my fly river turtle, which I supplement with various fruits. Mine doesn't like vegetables, but you can certainly try vegetables such as collard green, carrot, peas, etc.
Ideally, the protein intake should not exceed 30% but it's not set in stone. Since you've already found a vegetarian wafer with 30% protein, then you should be good to go.
I would cycle your tank first or simply put the turtle in your already established tank while the new tank cycles.
Algae wafers are the main dietary staple of my fly river turtle, which I supplement with various fruits. Mine doesn't like vegetables, but you can certainly try vegetables such as collard green, carrot, peas, etc.
Ideally, the protein intake should not exceed 30% but it's not set in stone. Since you've already found a vegetarian wafer with 30% protein, then you should be good to go.
thanks for your reply. I have a big asian arowana and other fish in my other tank now so I wouldnt put the FRT in there. My arowana can be pretty mean. I was hoping that filling the new tank with water from the old tank and doing water changes often adding water each time from the other tank would be ok while the new filter gets established.
It's certainly possible. There are products out there, such as this product that instantly cycles the tank. I've used it myself and it works very well.
Set the tank to slight brackish conditions. A sugar sand bed mixed with aragonite sand will do well for the turtle's digging preferences and help keep the tank at a high pH. Keep small bunches of anacharis plants in the tank so the turt can graze. Offer vegetable greens such as spinach, kale and broccoli since these are high in calcium. Plant material willfill the bulk of the turt's diet for the 1st 2 years. Supplement this diet with occassional offerings of chopped raw shrimp, chopped crayfish tail, chopped mussel meat, etc.
CHILLI RED;3148238; said:
I just wouldnt suggest you to use the water of your fish tank cause the PH of that water and the leve of nitrites can be harmful for your turt.
I once put my gator snapper in some water that I took from my Piranha tank. The water looked neat at sight but soon i have a prob of fungus on my turt...
I think the PH wasnt the best for the turt so i made a water change and used some salt and prob. solved, fortunately I detected it just on time.
So you had better not use the water of your fish tank.
collard, mustard and chicory greens are much better
As for nitrates and amonia, nothing beats water changes regarding thouse