Turtle Recommendation

[Big Jay]

OK, before i get blasted for this let me disclose i understand 2 things:

1) My fish may be in jeopardy

2) There are no fully aquatic turtles

I have a 55 gal. with the following specs:

- 600gph filtration (60% Wet/Dry, 40% Canister)
- UV Sterilizer
- Heated (shielded in overflow box) 80F
- 2x 48" Fluorescents, 1 power glo, 1 UV

The tank has a hood which gives about 6" clearance for whatever i decide to get with his turtle dock/ramp

Having said all this, FRT's are out of the question...way too big.

I was think Musk/Stinkpot? Any thoughts?

 

[Big Jay]

In theory any SMALL semi-aquatic will work, but i am looking for one that doesn't COMPLETELY DRY BASK as much as others.

I had muds/musks when i was a kid and they seemed to not leave the water much.

Tank is REALLY over-filtered.

 

[Noto]

Stinkpots or other Sternotherus would be ideal. Kinosternon would work, though Kinosternon seem more inclined to bask.

 

[varanio]

In theory any SMALL semi-aquatic will work, but i am looking for one that doesn't COMPLETELY DRY BASK as much as others.

I had muds/musks when i was a kid and they seemed to not leave the water much.

Tank is REALLY over-filtered.

I see musks crossing the roads quite often here in S fl to get from canal to canal.....I would think they would need a platform wait for the turtle maniacs to come on and chime in.

 

[Noto]

He said he will have a dock. Some stinkpots like to bask, others don't. I always give them a basking spot just in case. But they don't need a basking lamp like emydids or batagurids do.

 

[varanio]

He said he will have a dock. Some stinkpots like to bask, others don't. I always give them a basking spot just in case. But they don't need a basking lamp like emydids or batagurids do.

wouldnt the dock contradict the whole dry basking preference? I really dont know how it works since I am by no means interested in turtles to that extent. But the functionality of the dock seems to show that it would be used as a completely dry basking area.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

My pair of Stinkpots never come out to bask. Neither does my Red Check Mud but he does seem to come out of the water to explore a little more than my musks do.

 

[coura]

You can allways build a above tank basking platform wich has the advantage of giving the entire tank as the turt´s water area and so duplicating the avaible space A male map turtle would also fit in there nicely some are really small