Habitat - Indoor :: Tank mates?

[Hatchling71]

I'm sure there is already a topic on what kinda of fish you can put in with your turtles but I couldn't find it. I was thinking of sprucing up my tank a little bit with maybe some fish? I've put molly fish in there before and they lasted quite a while, I put an algae eater in there and they ate it.

[BullDog]

Usually just minnows or guppies are recommended. Anything you put in there will most likely get eaten. I think some people have put snails in there too, but again, there's a good chance they'll get eaten.

[Rubicon]

Ate an aglae eater? How big was it? I've watched my guys eat roseys and they usually just swallow them whole? What do they do, rip the thing to peices?

[terpythemessyturtle]

i had a pleco in with my turtle i placed an upside down crate in the tank with a hole big enough for the fish to get in but not the turtle. the fish lived in their for about a year untill i decided to move it.

[scripta_elegans]

It is usually a matter of time before "tank mates" become "convienient snacks". I have 2 rosies from March with one turtle, and the other is death to anything that hits the water. I really want snails, but she eats them before they can do any algae eating.

[Hatchling71]

All righty. Yeah, I had a pleco in there, I got the biggest one Petsmart had and I saw that they were fast and figured it'd be fine, and it was for a couple days and then one day it just disappeared... *sigh. There was nothing I could have done. Lol. I don't know how they ate it, it was about 2 inches long, they must have just tore it apart, poor thing. I bought a little log thing so it could hide in in but my turts must have ambushed it. Every time I get roseys a few of them last for quite a while so I guess that'll do.

Thanks guys.

[Linus]

I have a 4" Pleco with my 3.3" Belize slider who eats 10 large minnows in 30 minutes and my turt usually leaves the Pleco alone. Every once in a while a part of his fin will be missing but it grows back fast.

PS: Yes my turtle is healthy, his shell is perfectly smooth with no spreading or Pyramiding. He is a different species with a faster metabolism.

[Hatchling71]

haha don't worry, sfmmfreak, I'm not one of those people who is going to analyze everything you say about your turtle and pick apart every little thing that is wrong or may be wrong... drives me crazy when people do that.

[terpythemessyturtle]

i think the reason why i didn't have any trouble with my pleco and my turtle was the pleco was about 7" no way the turtle could eat him

[actorial]

erm...i do not know how come plecos are always a victim in everyone tanks but my two plecos are totally fine tank mates for Emil and Gmil i have quite alots of tanks mates and they are all fine cause i pick the "elite" from the aquarium shop haha!! just go to a aquarium and get those fish who got fast respond and they will be fine. and remember to feed the fishes too or else they will be too weak to escape for turtle attack.

i have :

2 x clown loachs
3 x bloody gourami
1 x silver shark
1 x rainbow shark
2 x plecos
1 x spectral tetra
2 x neon tetra
1 x barb tetra
3 x black tetra
2 x apple snail ( actually 4, turtle do not attack them but they are stupid and got suck up by the power head and died. now 2 left. )

these are all the tank mate i have for Emil and Gmil and they are fine in there. Emil and Gmil do chase them around but fishes ALWAYS out run them.

Cheers!

[scripta_elegans]

The fish could be fine forever. Or they could disappear overnight. I know that size and tenure don't really matter to the turtles. As long as you aren't really attached to the other critters in the tank, as they could be eaten without warning.
I am guessing that your turtles are hatchlings actorial? They do develop improved hunting skills with age as well. My hatchling ate a minnow that was longer than her at 6 months. People don't keep even large Koi with turtles because they will eat them piece by piece. I purchased golf ball sized apple snails in the hope they would last, but Spike got them open.
I am not wishing ill upon the fishy pets, but please don't be lulled into a sense of security by the size of the fish, or the idea that the turtles will give up after a given amount of time.

[Rubicon]

What you guys think will happen if I buy the 10" Oscar that they have at the local pet store? Survival of the fittest?

[Rubicon]

erm...i do not know how come plecos are always a victim in everyone tanks but my two plecos are totally fine tank mates for Emil and Gmil i have quite alots of tanks mates and they are all fine cause i pick the "elite" from the aquarium shop haha!! just go to a aquarium and get those fish who got fast respond and they will be fine. and remember to feed the fishes too or else they will be too weak to escape for turtle attack.

i have :

2 x clown loachs
3 x bloody gourami
1 x silver shark
1 x rainbow shark
2 x plecos
1 x spectral tetra
2 x neon tetra
1 x barb tetra
3 x black tetra
2 x apple snail ( actually 4, turtle do not attack them but they are stupid and got suck up by the power head and died. now 2 left. )

these are all the tank mate i have for Emil and Gmil and they are fine in there. Emil and Gmil do chase them around but fishes ALWAYS out run them.

Cheers!

IMO you're little guys will grow and take out their tank mates. When my two were that small they didn't pay any attention to Roseys. Now they'll hunt for hours until they're all gone.

[Linus]

What you guys think will happen if I buy the 10" Oscar that they have at the local pet store? Survival of the fittest?

If your turtles are hatchlings it could eat them.

Fish aren't always the victims people. Fish can be very territorial against other creatures, including turtles.

For example Chinese Alage eaters will attach themselves to other fish or turtles that can be fatal.

[megcornell]

Rubicon- why would you want a 10" oscar in with your turtle?

Not to mention, a 55 gallon isn't sufficient for the oscar on it's OWN, let alone with two turtles.

A 10" oscar is a beast, as are two hungry turtles. They shouldn't be anywhere near each other. It's inhumane to put your "pets" together and assume "survival of the fittest."