turtle tank...what to do?

[twistedimage92]

i just got a 80 gallon tall tank, not sure of the dementions off the top... i would really like to put a turtle in it... i am planning on getting a turtle ramp and other stuff for it this weekend, hopefully including fish. i have read a lot about the downfalls of having turtles like they eat the fish and that they have lots of waste... i think that i may have a few options here...

1. get a bunch of bottom feeders to "clean up" after the turtle and only have a few fish in the tank. i have a source to get me some florida gar to put in there. or maby a silver arrawana or 2.

2. just get fish and be happy, maby a frog?

what kind of fish could i mix with the turtle(s) to keep my tank clean and what kind of fish could i have swimming around with the turtles? i have sources to get pretty much any fish or crab or snail or w/e for the tank. would a crawfish help? please help me

 

[OCCFan023]

well a arrowana or a gar will get way to big for the 80 especially if its only filled up like 3/4 with the turtle.

Id say get some fish and make sure theres enough hiding spots for them to hide incase the turtle gets hungry.

 

[twistedimage92]

what kind of fish do you suggest? what about filtration and everything?

 

[OCCFan023]

well my turtles are in a 20 long and I have a spong filter.

On your 80 though hmmm, id suggest maybe 2 internal filters or one big one, or maybe even a canister filter since its such a big tank and it would be big enough to keep the bar under water. Youll need a heat lamp and if your keeping fish a heater.

as for fish Im not quite sure, maybe some tiger barbs or something along those lines, there hardy and wont take guff from the turtle (guff being a simpsons quote )

 

[Mushroomman]

Waht type you have in mind? The turtles will eat any fish it can, if you get fish a bit bigger it should be ok if you feed the turtle like every other day. I have 5 turtles, each a different species.

Agree with OCC, Id get a canister filter, like an eheim. I know someone with a turtle tank that has native fish in it and he runs an eheim, it works great.

Maybe you could go for natives?

 

[twistedimage92]

well... if i cancle out the idea of a turtle... would 80 gallons be big enough for a gar or arrowana? there is a canal benind my parents house that i would let a gar go into. there are many of them in ther but no way could i catch one small enough for my tank. how long would it take for a gar or arrowana to get to big for my tank? if i did somthing like that, i wouldnt want the gar to eat all of the other fish in my tank including the cleaner fish and stuff... i also have a 10 gallon tank that i could raise my own guppies and food for them... i would not like for my tank to only have one fish but i would like to have an agressive fish and some other fish that it could live with and not become food.

 

[JNevaril]

.............cichlids....ahem....

 

[twistedimage92]

yea i went to the fish store today and thats what they thought too... they kinda talked me into going saltwater... not sure what i am going to do...

 

[f8fan]

Well, I dont know if this will help, but in my hometown LFS (I dont live there now) they have a huge turtle pond/interier display that has gouramies in the pond part.

 

[Mushroomman]

80 gallons is too small for an arrowana I beleive. It might or might not be depending on what type of gar though.

If you have the money, go saltwater hehe

 

[twistedimage92]

well the dude at the store said that it is not much more expensive, but i have herd that it cost a lot to maintain...

 

[twistedimage92]

i thik that this thread is dead... turtle tank is out of the ? i think

 

[Mushroomman]

Well for me the initial costs of my saltwater tank were a killer more than anything. After that its easy to maintain.

It would either be the turtle or the fish, I dont think its wise to mix them unless the fish are large

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I vote with mushroomman... initial costs (and stocking) saltwater is much more, maintainance isn't bad.

 

[dana307]

Had a turtle tank myself. He ate everything he could, including the head of a 3" pleco. Cory cats and similar scavenger fish will not clean up after the turtle, they clean up extra food only and a turtle produces a TON of waste. I finally gave him to a LFS. He did not eat a pike cichlid or other large cichlids. Everything else though, forget about it. Plan on cleaning frequently with good vacuuming. If you still want to go ahead, I have a turtle ramp and maybe some other stuff that I am not using and could sell to u for little money. Let me know. They do need very good filtration so two filters would be ideal. They are fun to have so as long as you know what u are getting into, go for it. Although a non tall tank would be better. I had him in a 50 gal low. Let me know any othe questions - send a private message if you'd like.