Natives with Turtles

[davdev]

Now I know typically keeping fish with turtles is considered a bad idea. I also know that doesn't mean people don't do it. I am wondering if anyone has had success with a turtle in a sunfish tank (longears or pumpkinseeds). I wouldn't consider Red Ear Sliders because I think they would massacre everything in the tank, however, I think Musk, small maps or painteds could work, in a large tank, especially if everything is added as juveniles. I would love to hear about any success stories.

 

[Noto]

I have kept goldfish with all the turtles you mentioned. The turtles will attack dead or dying fish but leave healthy ones alone. Sunfish should be fine with them, just be careful at feeding time. Sunnies are greedy and may prevent turtles from getting enough food, or the turtles may bite fish when feeding.

 

[Zfishies]

ive kept REDEAR SLIDE turtles and parrot fish

 

[Vicious_Fish]

I've kept Stinkpots, Eastern Muds and Eastern/Midland Painted Turtles with various native fish species like Rock Bass, Redear, Bluegill, Bullheads and Smallmouths without any issues. Of course they were in a 700 gallon outdoor pond. Like mentioned they only fed on the dying or deceased fish. Keep the turtles well fed and give the fish plenty of space to avoid them and they should coexist fine.

 

[Chrisplosion]

Heres my experience. When I first added my RES 5 inch turtle Waffles to my tank that had two 2" BP (one orange and one black) and some other cichlids in it, the first thing she did was go for the orange BP. I think this was because I got her from Petco and the only fish she ever saw were feeder goldfish and the BP looked like one. So I moved the fish to another tank and added my 5 inch flowerhorn in with her and she never attacked him. Well the flowerhorn kept attacking her after 3 months so I gave him away and added some new fish (tinfoil barbs, albino oscar, one of my baby convicts, an earth eater, and a severum) and she still hasn't touched them. I think she just needed to be around fish more because she was never really around them and thought of them as food. She hasn't even attempted to eat the baby convict thats under an inch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kpqzXV-s3Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra0Sy3T-LtU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckP3lWFQIUs

 

[zenyoungkoh]

I have a RES with 4 rosy red minnow 2 black neon tetra and 1 convict. my RES tries to catch them but is too slow and now she isnt interested in the fish anymore. Juvis will learn to live with fish. they will chased them in the beginning, but after 3-4 days or so, they'll give up. My RES is sub adult and chased the fishes for 3 days and gave up. I would recommend a painted turtle or RES. Personally i dont like musk and mud. They dont have much personality compared to painted or RES

 

[Moontanman]

The Little Stink Pot Turtles work out really well, not even needing to come out of hte water to bask, i've kept them for many years....

 

[davdev]

Personally i dont like musk and mud. They dont have much personality compared to painted or RES

I actually like Musk turtles, I like that they are almost fully aquatic. In my experience, sliders spend most of the day basking and not really doing anything, plus RES get WAY to big. The biggest tank I can fit is a 5' long, and a single RES will take up most of that. I like some of the smaller painteds and am considering a male Southern Painted, again females get too big. The species I am currently looking into are Stinkpot, Razorback, Missippi Map, Southern Painted, or Reeves (though non native) and all male. I don't really want anything that grows greater than 5-6" because I don't want it to completely dominate the tank.

I am glad to see people have made this work. Every turtle forum I have been on basically says only put in fish that you expect to disapear and while I am not completly against some intratank predation, I don't really want to restock the tank every week either.

 

[zenyoungkoh]

I actually like Musk turtles, I like that they are almost fully aquatic. In my experience, sliders spend most of the day basking and not really doing anything, plus RES get WAY to big. The biggest tank I can fit is a 5' long, and a single RES will take up most of that. I like some of the smaller painteds and am considering a male Southern Painted, again females get too big. The species I am currently looking into are Stinkpot, Razorback, Missippi Map, Southern Painted, or Reeves (though non native) and all male. I don't really want anything that grows greater than 5-6" because I don't want it to completely dominate the tank.

I am glad to see people have made this work. Every turtle forum I have been on basically says only put in fish that you expect to disapear and while I am not completly against some intratank predation, I don't really want to restock the tank every week either.

Whatever floats your boat. I would prefer a Southern painted. Even if u have a female southern painted u will nid at least a 80 gallon tank, so i think your tank is sufficient. My turtle dont dominate the tank. She usually mind her own business. Turtle forum people knows alot about turtle but not fish. Unless they have fish. Fish with turtles are possible if u get the right amount of fish at the same time (about 5+) and make sure your fish are agile or smart.

 

[Chrisplosion]

Every turtle forum I have been on basically says only put in fish that you expect to disapear and while I am not completly against some intratank predation, I don't really want to restock the tank every week either.

I have not lost a fish since I first got her 6 months ago. She doesn't even touch them, not bitten fins or missing eyes.