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Can anyone provide good recommendations for Pet Stores in Los Angeles area that specialize in Turtles?

I am ready to upgrade my acquarium and am in need of a new tank and filter but want to go somewhere that can really spend the time with me and lead me in the right direction, not a chain store.

Also, any strong recommends for Canister Filters based on ease of use?

I'm afraid I can't suggest any pet stores. But you don't need to go a specific turtle store to get a tank. Basically, buy the biggest tank you can get for the least expensive you can find, and you're set
The rule of thumb is 10 gallons of water per inch of shell per turtle. So for two full grown RES, you're probably going to be looking at the 200 gallon range. You can usually find good deals on craigslist for used tanks.

For a filter, my personal recommendation is the Fluval FX5. I've got two of them myself. They're a bit of a beast to clean, but they've got some nifty features. My favourite feature is the ability to drain the tank using the filter. I can drain about 1/2 my 90 gallon in 2 minutes.

thanks for the advice - appreciate it. i have found it difficult to know what is the right filter to go with as there is so much conflicting advice out there!

quite honestly, unless you find a store that specializes in reptiles, you won't find precise advise on turtles. It isn't the pet that is in most demand, therefore the petsmart and petco people don't really know.

if you have any questions, you could always ask here, and then go to the store to get it. Instead of asking the workers there.

I've come to notice that they don't know much. It's not all pet stores, again if any one of the people on this forum happened to work at a pet store then perfect! but in any case, redearslider.com is your best resource for information on this turtle

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Reptile stores always recommend bad tanks, because they assume turtles don't need a lot of water. You want a true fish aquarium. I would look for a good fish store, that's where I got my tank at.

As for canister filters, check out ebay. I found my Rena XP3 on there for $120 after shipping, it's just about having good timing.