devilduck, I thought I had put a type of media in my filter to absorb excess biomatter. I will have to double check I guess. I do a water change about every other week, but being 9 months pregnant its getting to be a bit of a challenge. I actually got a pleco before reading your post. Its about 4" long at the moment, and I have a friend with a pond that I can release it if and when it gets too big for my tank. I also bought suppliment tablets for it. I used to breed freshwater fish, so I am familiar with their needs and how large they can get. My husband also brought home 2 medium sized Oscars as he wanted some interest in the tank beyond the turtle. So far the turtle has chased them a bit, but decided they werent worth it (they are already almost as big as he is, and much quicker).
Steve, there are still some minnows in the tank from when we rescued the turtle back in March. He chases them, but never catches them, which is why I mainly get goldfish now. He still has a hard time catching the goldfish, but he is able to catch them a bit easier. I like knowing he gets live food more often than not. It feels more natural in my opinion. His diet includes fresh veggies, live aquatic plants (which I need to find a good online supplier as my in town supplier went way up on their prices), live fish, earth worms, mealworms, freeze dried shrimp and crickets, and then "commercial" turtle food (little green disks), frozen beefheart (as a treat), and the frozen "turtle diet" from petsmart. I like to give him a variety as best I can.
Since adding the Oscars we have added a bubble "curtain" and it has become the turtle's favorite thing in the tank now! He loves to play in the bubbles and swim through them, as well as just lay across them on the bottom of the tank. Its rather entertaining to watch him enjoy the bubbles so much!!