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I completely clean my 60 gallon tank (with two baby RES) about three times a month, but why clean a tank if their natural habitat is in filth?

#1 is because we can. If we can provide them with a cleaner than natural environment, why not do so? #2 because nature has it's own way of filtering/cleaning the water with rain/plants/other animals and streams that keep the water moving. Also, dirty water can cause several health problems.

Because they don't live in filth, they live in an open multimillion gallon free flowing water enveironment with plenty of real disinfecting sunshine, whole earth minerals, water cleasning plants, and other beings to keep the areas healthy. Big difference.

Don't think we should hide behind such a rosy picture. Here in Jacksonville, FL they live in man made retention ponds and drainage ditches. Not much in the way filtering or flowing water. On that note we provide clean dry places for cats and dogs to live that they might not have in the wild so why not spoil our turts too?

But are they designed to live in them? No, that isn't what nature intended and I am sure the lifespan has drastically dropped.

Just because they live there, doesn't mean that the majority are healthy.

tY2i, 3 times a month is very frequent. How much water is in there and are you using any filtration (if so, what kind)? Also, I completely agree with Jenaero and Giddy on their points.