Keeping Semi-aquatic turtles and Monster fish together?

[FrancisFloe]

I know this is not a fish but I just got a pair of Southeast asian box turtles (Cuora amboinensis) around 5-6 inches but they can still grow upto 8-12 inches and I wanna put them in a 500g pool.

I was just wondering if it would be possible to keep them with some pacus, and gar thats like 1-2feet long. I let them swim for awhile and I notice the pacu hanging around the turtles behind and the gar looks like he boutta bite, does anyone have experience with keeping similar semi aquatic turtles like red eared sliders with monster fish? rn they are in a different enclosure I might just grow out the toortles alittle bit more.

 

[tlindsey]

I let them swim for awhile and I notice the pacu hanging around the turtles behind and the gar looks like he boutta bite,

The fish are trying to figure out what the turtles are
The turtles have claws that could scratch up your fish. If you decide to add them more water changes and filter maintenance will be needed. Also provide a basking area if you didn't know that.

 

[Deadeye]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t most box turtles a more terrestrial species? If these are like the box turtles I know they would never work out with fish long term.

 

[Gpdriftwood]

I tried keeping a large jag cichlid (about 12") w 2 red eared sliders years ago, the turtles completely consumed the jag almost immediately. That was my only attempt at fish w turtles. Lol

 

[FrancisFloe]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t most box turtles a more terrestrial species? If these are like the box turtles I know they would never work out with fish long term.

This species of box turtle is highly aquatic. they live in the jungles and rivers of Southeast Asia

I tried keeping a large jag cichlid (about 12") w 2 red eared sliders years ago, the turtles completely consumed the jag almost immediately. That was my only attempt at fish w turtles. Lol

Red eared sliders are very aggressive so it might depend on the turtle species and their size when you put them with the fish. My fish rn looks more like the threat than the turtles themselves

 

[Deadeye]

This species of box turtle is highly aquatic. they live in the jungles and rivers of Southeast Asia

Red eared sliders are very aggressive so it might depend on the turtle species and their size when you put them with the fish. My fish rn looks more like the threat than the turtles themselves

I’d agree about the threat of the fish - pacu and gar have a strong jaw and sharp teeth, it wouldn’t take much for a turtle’s foot to become a meal.

 

[FrancisFloe]

I did some searching and gars do in fact eat small turtles in the wild and some forum says that pacus will sometime nip or even kill turtles, so yeah, I wouldn't risk it. Maybe when they grow bigger but right now I let the turtles swim with my surveillance.