General Care Discussion :: What would/could happen?

[RiverChubbs]

Some of you know, that my 2 RES Turtles are now 5" each. They have grown so fast. I am excited to say that I am picking up there 135 gallon tank today! It will be so nice for them and me to wacth them swim a round in a bigger tank. They are still in their 20 gallon tank and don't have a lot of room to swim around. I feel bad but have finally found a very affordable 2nd had aquarium for them.

I also have some Barb fish that are outgrowing their 20 gallon tank, they are very hardy fish and fast jumpy and full of energy. When I bought the Barbs 8-9 months ago, they were 1 inch each, now the 3 of them are 4 inches each, they can get to 13 inches.

Would it be allright if I put them in the big tank with my turtles (one of my turtles doesn't like to eat fish -he likes worms for live food, the other likes to eat them ok but will only chase the slow ones and if he has no other food source). My Barb fish are almost as big as my turtles and I think they would be fine with them.

Should I try it out and keep an eye on them? Or should I just continue to look for a new home for my fishes? We don't have the room in our house, or enough money to buy another bigger tank and even if we did, it would be salt water. Thanks for any advice/suggestions.

Click on the link below to see a pic of the fish I am talking about:

http://fins.actwin.com/fresh-pics/schwanenfeld_barb.jpg

[jenaero]

Those are too pretty to end up as dinner. The turts will eventually eat them. It's never a matter of 'if', it's only a matter of 'when'. If you want to keep your fish, don't put them in with the turtles no matter how big they are.

[Turtle addict]

I second that, it will happen.

[RiverChubbs]

All right thanks. I will continue to try and find a new owner for these fishes.

[industrial_girl_2000]

All right thanks. I will continue to try and find a new owner for these fishes.

I don't know if this helps, but I took my betta's small plastic container and put it into the same tank as my hatchling turtle. That way my betta can have some social interaction, but also still have the "isolation" he craves. Bettas can get a bit depressed if they are "too" isolated, but in this case, he can view all sorts of other animals around him & still be safe in his container!

Some pet stores also sell partitions that you can install in the tank to keep animals separate from each other. That might be another solution.

[RiverChubbs]

Thank you...This is a great idea. However my main concern is giving my barb fish more space...and that wouldn't really help..that is a great Idea though. For other approaches.

[Kallistos]

The only solution I can think up is using this.... http://www.aqua-bridge.com/index2.html

Then put a screen in the aquabridge, but cut a hole just large enough for the fish. Also, provide hiding spots inside the tank...

[RiverChubbs]

Wow that is intersting..Thanks

[kikicool]

Riverchubbs, I bought feeder fish for my turts about.... 5 months ago. REalized they would never eat them. Now I have a pleco, a fancy goldfish, some mickey mouse platys, dalmation fish (?), a beta, and two guaramis in the tank with the turts. Have had them all in there for almost 2 months, and no eating going on! They are all still there. The FIRST day, one of the turts chased the goldfish and got a fin. But after that, he could care less. ALmost like saying "I own this place!" and after it was said he was done. So maybe it IS possible...

I don't know... if your guys are full, maybe they won't chase the fish. Mine don't. That said, I'm also okay if one or two DO go "missing...." You may NEED to be if you mix them together.

And now, I'm sure I'll be scolded for this advice So I add that this is just my experience.

[kikicool]

one more thing--the 8 rosies I got?? they were tiny little feeder fish. I'll be darned if they aren't about 2-3 inches each now!

[RiverChubbs]

is I had 3 goldfish tiny, when mine were babies and 2 were eaten then One got huge. I had him up until about4 days ago (I had put him back into a seperate tank some months ago cause the tank was too icky. He got from1 inch to 4 inches in 8 months. Regular feeder Goldfish can get huge. My Aunt had a Goldfish (fancy tail) for 11 years it got from 1 inch to about 6 inches in a 2 gallon tank...Then my cousin...when he was 11 months took it out of the bowl and smashed it on the coffee table (poor fish). Yeah I think they are way to fast for my turtles and I can provide hiding spots...But I think I found a new owner for them already...so Oh well. It should be better. Thanks.

[da sAUCE!]

if its in the tank, and it's defenseless, it's food.