Aquarium Turtles

[snake007]

What type of turtle can live in a 60 gallon tank? and with what tank mates?

 

[kevin82]

I'm sorry to be a bore but I don't like the idea of captive turtles. My cousin has a yellow belly slider in a 6x3x2 foot tank and it still looks cramped, swimming into the glass all of the time

 

[three-fingers]

A musk turtle or possibly even two could be OK, I would agree the all sliders are unsuitable though. IMO they shouldn't sell yellow bellies, red ears etc. the way they are currently sold, since as adults they need very large tanks (ideally an indoor pond).

60gal sounds big but dimensions are more important than volume, you ideally want a large floor space, as the depth would be shallow anyway for musk turtles tall tanks are pointless. Even though they don't really bask like sliders, IMO musk turtles should still have a heat spot bulb and a UV source, so make sure you cant fit these in the tank and make sure you read up at least a little bit on why reptiles need UV .

Any turtle will also require an over-sized filter and more water changes than fish .

 

[claymashu]

Well I have a 140 gallon fresh water aquarium. I have a Mississippi Map turtle. Its HUGE!! I actually HAD 2 turtles. Anyway though my dads friend who got me into liking turtles told me that for each inch on your turtle there should be 5 gallons per inch on a turtle

 

[three-fingers]

Volume means nothing alone. Actual dimensions are what matters .

 

[Binge]

I know very little about turtles myself. However i recently asked an aquaintance that breeds all kinds of reptiles this question. He said to look for a turtle called a "Stink Pod" because they stay about the size of a baby slider. Dont quote this as gospel as I have not researched it since speaking with him.

 

[micko]

Turtles are great, amazing wee fellas to watch but do require a huge tank, I've had yellow bellied sliders in a 5ft tank and to be honest, it was too small, I did rehome them to a friend who made a dedicated turtle tank that was 15 ft in length and access to a land area rather than a floating dock. I took on more as someone was going to throw them in the bin and my friend also has them now. I think you need the huge tank prior to getting them, the first two I got were given to me along with the tank so I always had the intention of passing them on.

Think long and hard before you go ahead with getting them.

 

[creeker]

I know very little about turtles myself. However i recently asked an aquaintance that breeds all kinds of reptiles this question. He said to look for a turtle called a "Stink Pod" because they stay about the size of a baby slider. Dont quote this as gospel as I have not researched it since speaking with him.

"Stink Pot" is another name for Musk Turtle that Three-fingers mentioned already. However, they do get bigger than a baby slider.

 

[GaryE]

Just think it through. I inherited my mother's red eared sliders. There are three of them, all females, purchased as cute little one inchers in 1984. If you take on care for long-lived turtles, you'd best be prepared for them living long.

 

[Binge]

I know very little about turtles myself. However i recently asked an aquaintance that breeds all kinds of reptiles this question. He said to look for a turtle called a "Stink Pod" because they stay about the size of a baby slider. Dont quote this as gospel as I have not researched it since speaking with him.

"Stink Pot" is another name for Musk Turtle that Three-fingers mentioned already. However, they do get bigger than a baby slider.

Ah thank you for the correction the guy who told me about em implied that they stayed like 2-3 inches across when he showed me the size with his hand. I have been conmsidering researching them if they stay that small two of em in a 55 ish gallon tank would be viable I would think. I will of course do a fair bit of reading first.

 

[Twinklecaz]

There's a lovely River Turtle in one of the aquariums at the Blue Reef Aquarium near me. Not sure how big the tank is - huge.

Lol that's my knowledge on the subject.

 

[tropicaltime]

Musk Turtle?