A Red-Eared Slider Turtle In A Fish Tank?

[robertmarda]

My wife bought a 1 inch long turtle in New York City Last Saturday. This sent me scrambling to learn about turtles.

One of the first things I learned was that there is a federal law prohibiting the sale of turtles under 4 inches in length. I searched for and found the regulation and learned that there is no problem in owning the turtle , just a problem for the person selling the turtle if caught.

Next I found a picture of the turtle and so learned it was aquatic and that a PH of 7.0 and water temp of about 80F was preferred by the Red-Eared Slider. So, my next logical leap of thought was to put him in my 10 gallon tank until I can make better arrangements.

So there he is swimming around with four of my breeding mollies. Sometimes I find him hanging on the divider. He seems to be longing for a taste of my baby fish on the other side. But don't worry, he won't get them. I'm not raising feeder fish. I just caught him sleeping between the divider and the plastic container I put in there so he would have a place to surface. I have been leaving the lights on in this tank now in the attempt of having his surface area warmer than the water temperature. I opened the lid and his eyes popped open. He started turning his head toward me as if wondering what was happening.

Now I think I will get some additional lighting and something better for him to surface onto and a submersible heater so that I can house him in the 10 gallon tank until he out grows it. I am considering putting him in my 55 gallon tank once he grows an inch or two. However, I am concerned that my convict chiclid will bother him (or the rainbow chiclid or firemouth I am planning to get). Does anyone know if I can mix him with these kind of fishes?

Has anyone ever put a turtle with their fish?

[Ramrebel]

i was under the impression he'd eat the fish - but i'm likely wrong

Ed

[Somethingfishy]

From what I have read on the turtle, they prefer brackish water, not quite sure what that means but I do know it is very different from freshwater:

(1a) What is brackish water?

Brackish water is water which contains more sea salts than freshwater but less than the open sea. Moreover, brackish water environments are also fluctuating environments. The salinity is variable depending on the tide, the amount of freshwater entering from rivers or as rain, and the rate of evaporation. As a result many brackish water fishes are tolerant of changes in salinity, and in fact many positively benefit from similar periodic changes in aquaria.

But I don't think that there would be too much harm in keeping the turtle in the same water conditions as the cichlids. I am not too sure what their compatibility would be?

I would try and confirm that they will be OK together, I also read that the turtle gets to about 11 1/2" when an adult??? Although they are mostly omnivorous I think they will still try and get at your fish?

[robertmarda]

For now he seems to be doing fine. I've also read and been told that Mollies need brackish water. But mine haven't seen a sprinkle of salt since I got them. I've had a couple of them for about a year now.

Unless he turns aggressive there is no way he's going to eat the mollies he is with since they are all about his same length and they won't fit in his mouth. You are right though, I've read or heard that he will eat fish if given the chance. I'm planning to keep him on a diet of turtle pellets. When he is big enough to threaten the other fish I'll keep him with a few larger ones or in his own tank.

Right now, he doesn't seem to sure about those mollies and when they first encountered each other I thought the mollies were going to bite him. I am now beginning to wonder if he is hiding from them.

Yes, the turtles potential size had me worried at first. However, I read that a 100 gallon tank for a 1 foot long turtle should be fine and since my wife is the one that bought the turtle she'll have to let us buy a larger tank when needed. :P As I understand this could be a long way off since turtles can live for 20+ years and don't grow fast. I'm hoping he stays at 4 inches or under for a couple years. In any case, we'll get him larger accommodations as he grows.

My main concern right now is that if I put this turtle in my 55 gallon tank that the convict chiclid will attack it. I may put him in there after I do a partial water change and move everything around and see how it goes. Another concern is my 6 inch crayfish. I don't know how he'll react to a turtle. Anyone heard anything about this size of crayfish co existing peacefully with a 1 inch long turtle?

[Somethingfishy]

The convict will not attack the turtle unless it is breeding, and being a single 'mum' she won't breed, I assume it is a female . As long as when you rearrange the decor you leave enogh hiding places for the convict all shall be OK.

From me, give it a go and let us know. Also not too sure on the crayfish? Don't know how compatible they are?

True I forgot they grow slowly

[Ramrebel]

i've never heard of a cray existing with anything

I just lost mine - see blue crayfish post

what do you have with yours?

Ed

[robertmarda]

I have a 6 inch convict chiclid, an 8 inch pleco, 15 or so mollies, 1 platy, 1 swordtail, a few tetras of various types, 1 tiger barb, 1 rosy barb, a few marble sized clams, a glass painted fish, and two common minnows. I've had most of these fish at the time I got the crayfish on the 4th of July. He was a bit shorter then.

I had other fish in the tank some were smaller than an inch long. These mysteriously vanished and I am guessing that the crayfish was responsible, possibly aided by the convict chiclid.

So these are all the fish the turtle would be living with. I know the crayfish is very industrious and can move lots of rocks at a time. I am concerned that he would flip the turtle over and try to break through the bottom of the turtle. Same with the chiclid. Once the turtle is bigger I doubt I would need to fear for his life. The chiclid and crayfish either give way and run from the pleco (since he is bigger than they are) or get pushed away by the pleco. The convict chiclid and the crayfish have faced off from time to time but never come to blows. Generally speaking they avoid each other. I'm hoping to integrate the turtle into the mix without problem.