Habitat - Indoor :: Edible Floating Plants and Feeder Fish?

[marilynjean]

Clyde has a new tank but I like to keep bare, except for the stone turtle nothing else is in tank with Clyde. I'd like to possibly add some floating edible vegetation and wondering if anybody has any suggestions.

It's fine with me if he eats them, in fact I'd almost encourage it because he's a picky eater and turns up his nose at lettuce, dandelion leaves, etc. I don't want a substrate so hoping there's something that would be OK just free floating.

Also thought about adding a feeder fish or two but really torn. Have read that you have to be careful about parasites possibly being in the fish and to stay away from pet shop "feeder" type fish. Does anybody have any recommendation for suitable fish?

[Linus]

Floating plants like duckweed, hyacinth and water lettuce would be your best choice.

[marilynjean]

Thanks, Went to pet store and they'll order up some water lettuce for me. They suggested Elodea so have a few bundles of those floating. Clyde took to them right away and had some fun testing them out.

[ljapa]

I'd add frogbit to the mix. Tobi loves duckweed. I grow it in a separate tank and she gets duckweed two or three times a week. If your turtle decides it's food, be prepared to see it disappear quickly.

[Linus]

Where in Southern California are you? There's a great pond plant store in Sunland. Also, people on craiglist are giving away pond plants for super cheap this time of year.

[VeipaCray]

Don't forget anacharis. You can find it at any petstore and it's cheap. It absorbs all of it's nutrients through the water so it can be a floating plant or anchored to the bottom. It grows like a weed so if you have a lawnmower turtle like I do then you have a chance of keeping some greenery in the tank for a while.

[Mr.Shenanigans]

Just avoid hornwort. It falls apart and makes a nasty "needle" like mess of the substrate. Feeder wise I'd only add feeder guppies. Minnows and goldfish are unhealthy and they are not part of an RES's diet in the wild. Optimal feeders would be little sunnies, catfish, frogs, whatever they can catch in fairly warm water (72-78 F). Since most people would rather not spend a couple bucks on ONE feeder fish, smarter keepers won't add them. But if you must, guppies.