Habitat - Indoor :: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:07 pm   Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

So I noticed that despite having a filter, the leftovers from pellets that are rejected by this picky baby can make quite a pile, and I was wondering if there were any tank mates I could bring in as a cleaning crew. I've read about Ghost Shrimp, but I'm not completely sure if they are safe for baby turtles. Any advice is appreciated!

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The Grumpy baby Prickles himself/herself.
ScorchedDragon
 
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Post Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 3:08 am   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

Turtles aren't as helpless as you think ;) Your concern shouldn't be wether your turtle will be fine with them, but how long would your tank mates last. Ghost shrimps and aquairum snails are fine to put with your turtle, even babies. You could provide a hide for your shrimps so they last longer.
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Post Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:10 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

How long do you think shrimp would last in here with Prickles? Btw the lack of a lamp is due to his breaking today, getting a new one along with a Zoo Med Canister filter tomorrow morning.

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Post Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 7:50 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

Shrimp are not as hardy as a turtle they do not survive water parameters that change a lot. Being a small volume of water will be almost impossible to control. They may die before he eats them. Also one ghost shrimp needs 1/2 gallon water alone. If you do try don't get to many they do fight each other in small tanks. Maybe try 3 the most for you size tank. Any more I would keep them in a separate container until needed. The water is not a problem for Prickles and room temp is good on the water. Snappers are as hardy as RES's. On your other post I recommend using a turkey baster to clean up waste and uneaten food this is to help you on water changes . Try to stay away from 100% water changes if you can , partial changes are better. You could also in a small dish take some tank water out and feed him in that and let him poop there to. This is to help keep his home cleaner , may help.
Snappers are not Land baskers , they "water bask" . They get in a shallow area next to surface for the sun and or your light. You can still offer a land area but you will see it truly never get's used. Once in a while just to dry off then back to the water. They are also bottom walkers and hide to ambush food. You may want to give him more room to walk around on under the water just remove some of the rocks. They hide under leaf litter and or plants , you may want a few pieces of floating plants for him to feel more natural. Like the photo you have of him hiding under your veggie leaf . They do that when hunting for food.
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Post Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 12:47 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

What plants would be reccommended? I may take that advice, would that also give more hiding spots for ghost shrimp to avoid being lunch as quickly?
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Post Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 1:23 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

Anacharis and hornwort does well. Most LPS will have them. If you have a city park around you may find something like a wild hornwort for free. As with anything wash well and clean if wild or from a store. I also quarantine plant for a few days for safety to make sure no hitchhikers on them.

Also did you read this good read for snappers : http://ectotherms.net/kyherpsoc/snappingturtlecare.htm

Yes makes a good hide for the shrimp. The shrimp like the bottom but if you offer plants they swim to them and play or pick any algae off as a snack. I breed ghost shrimp in my plant tank and they love it.
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Post Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 6:12 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

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Here is the setup so far, Tetrafauna heater, Zoo Med Canister, and yet to be decided bulb. Looking for a good clip-on the side lamp fixture.

Turns out he's shedding, and that may be why he's been biting himself.

Which should come first, the plants, or the shrimp?
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Post Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:22 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

I would go with getting the lighting down first ! Container that small go with a 5.0 UVB bulb will be all you need and as the heat part , a snapper can handle room temps (normal ambient temps) . You may have to add a heat bulb in winter if room gets cool. The water heater is a must as you got now , snappers will stay in the water 90% of the time. As I stated earlier he is not a land basker but a water basker.

Can't see inlet from that photo , make very sure the strainer at the end is tight or glued. If it comes off easy correct , babies will get caught by the suction and drown ! It happens more than I care to hear.

Would it be hard to rearrange a little to help filter more. Turn spray bar down more and put inlet pipe on the opposite side ( the long side) so spray bar can push all the water to the inlet to clean more of it. Just a thought , with the small amount of water make it easy for the filter to cover better.

Shrimp /plants you could both same time. By me the cost is 5 shrimp for a dollar (ghost) and small bunch of plants $3 .

Shedding is itchy for a turtle shell and skin , he may even rub on rocks , that's normal. Ever have a sun burn , peeling itches ! Observing is key in this hobby never stop !
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Post Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 7:52 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

Is it normal for him to eat the shredded skin? And he didn't get caught in the inlet, but rubs against it to scratch. He somehow managed to climb onto the top of his cave and nearly jumped though. He's gone up onto the land around 6 times since I changed his surroundings a bit to fit the filter. He has also taken his first bites out of the basil leaves!
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Post Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:19 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

Yes they also eat the scutes to.

Snappers like to get on there back legs and jump more than any other turtle , than how lots of people get bit.

Basil not sure about being of any nutritional value ? Never heard of it as turtle food. If its in the "Brassica" family then it would be a No ! Being a baby he is going to grow fast so get a good protein food for now but you can still offer veggies .
Good read here : http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html

On the land a little more , babies don't like change , may of gotten scared of the change . The reason snappers have that little bit of shell on bottom is they stay in the water mostly. They have no predators in the mud under them and nature adapted them for that. Mostly bottom walkers. Once he get's comfortable with his home will stay more in the water that sometimes takes snappers a few months for that.

Sorry , just passing on info about the inlet didn't think he got caught. But watch carefully !
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Post Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:36 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

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right now he is on a pellet diet with the occasional gourmet river shrimp. He's very picky for a snapper, once his food gets soggy he refuses to eat it until a fresh one is put in. I plan on getting some Java moss and hornwort as you suggested.
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Post Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2017 8:50 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

Just remove the uneaten so it does not foul the water that will help.

Also more info : not only can a snapper jump ( goggle snappers jumping and how they swing there heads) they are great diggers and climbers too ! Starting with safety now will help when it's an adult and may loose a couple of fingers. Snappers need to be handled different than say sliders. Always safety first for it's home and you.

It's going to be until it's a juvenile to tell sex for sure 100%. Think of a name yet (unisex name) turtle's do learn there names . My Piggley want to say Hi ! Here's a picture of him and his home.
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litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 2:20 am   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

litefoot wrote:Also more info : not only can a snapper jump


Whaaaat ??? Satan gave them this power !

Your tank is pretty rad I love it ! :)
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 11:33 am   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

What plants are those? And how do those stock tubs handle outside? Looks like something I could use as an outdoor tank when he gets bigger.
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Post Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2017 1:50 pm   Re: Cleaner fish? Baby Snapping Turtle Prickles.

And what was the cost of a stock tank that size? I may look into those.
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