General Care Discussion :: Size requirements for two turtles in one tank?

[finns86]

So, I went on vacation to Hilton Head Island in July and got conned into buying two RES from a hole in the wall gift shop by my fiance. Of course we needed two of them because they were our "love" turtles... lol

All kidding aside, 6 months later I have discovered this site and have realized I was incorrectly caring for them on pretty much everything. (i.e. gravel in tank, feeding only pellets every day twice a day, no heat lamp, and 2 now 3.5in turtles in a 20 gal tank). I do however, have them with a submersible filter, heater with water at 82 degrees, and a nice basking pad. (so it isn't all bad) Anyways, I'm slowly upgrading things to get these guys in a better environment and I'm looking for a new tank.

Long story short, I found a beautiful 75gal bow front tank complete with stand for $300 on craigslist and wanted to know if 75 gal is good enough for two 3.5in turtles? (and while I'm at it, do you think it's a good deal?)

Thanks in advance for the help, I've read probably 100 posts and this seems like a great community of turtle enthusiasts.

[joeybsmooth]

Welcome to the site.

I would keep looking for a bigger tank .. and a cheaper one . 75 gal for 300 is too much.

My 60 (something ) was just 40.

[TheComputerGremlin]

A 75 gallon tank is good for right this moment, but they will outgrow it in a few years. However, a 75 gallon is probably a good life tank for one turtle, so if you need to separate them at some point (which if you've done your homework on the board, you know that probably 75% of turtle multiples need to be separated at some point due to aggression), that size tank will work for one of them.

Depending on the state of the tank, a 75 gallon bow front with the stand is probably worth the $300, but I would definitely look at the tank before any money is exchanged and make sure it is watertight still. Otherwise, you can buy a bigger upgrade (200 gallons isn't unreasonable) and save yourself some money in the middle. Check out places like glasscages.com for standard prices and custom tanks.

[finns86]

Thanks for the replies!

This is a pic of the tank in question:



@TheComputerGremlin

I will check out some of the multiple turt posts. Right now they seem like good buddies. A couple days ago I unknowingly filled the tank too high and one of the turtles climbed out (and fell 4 feet). However, the only reason I knew was because the other turtle started going crazy in the tank splashing water and running against the wall. All the commotion woke me up and I found the other turtle in my closet! (fortunately in one piece) Maybe the other one was just jealous... anyhow I'll keep an eye out for agression.

Also, I checked out that site is there any benefit to acrylic over glass?

[javablog]

I agree that $300 is too much for a used tank. I got my 75 gal for $150 and the tank was a gift but I know it cost $130 (so a netcost of $280) and it was brand new.

As for the turtle escaping, Bubble did that a few months back. I attempted to build an ATBA on his 10 gal and I didn't make the walls high enough and he climbed out one night. I found him under my bed covered in feathers from the pillow my dog tore open a few days before. He look like a little bird turtle. It was really cute and lucikly he did not get hurt. He only fell 2 feet though onto the carpet.

[finns86]

@javablog

lol sounds like a photo-op to me? I'm glad Bubble is all right.

I have a 33 gallon (shaped like half of a hexagon) salt water fish tank and that one set me back at least $300 without the stand. So, I figured this one might be a steal, but apparently not. I should have been looking into these used deals!

[TheComputerGremlin]

I think people are neglecting the "bow front" aspect of the tank. THOSE COST MORE. Plus the bow front stand ... Check out a local aquarium store and see what they cost there. I mean, ultimately, larger tanks aren't the easiest to come by used, so the numbers you are hearing are likely lucky finds on their parts. Up here in Albany, our Craigslist has 55+ gallon tanks listed for well over a few hundred dollars, and that's just the tank and often a filter or some fish or something. And I don't see a lot of tanks listed. So it really will depend on your individual situation. You can always counter-offer. Try out $200 or see if they'll go lower.

[mccuen]

I agree with TheComputerGremlin, large tanks are not easy to come by, we looked for months for a good deal. We did finally find a good deal on craigslist, we got a 60 gallon tank with wooden stand for $50. The tank in the picture looks like its in good shape and I personally like the bow front and would rather have one. The one we got was originally listed for $200 so I am sure they will go lower, you can always go up if they won't take what you offer. The tank and stand look worth it to me. Good Luck.

[BullDog]

As a couple people said, $300 for a 75 gal + stand + hood can be good or bad, depending on what else in in your area. I know where I am, lots of people sell their used 30 gal for $150+ Needless to say, I haven't bought a used tank from my area.

Keep in mind that a 75 gallon will really only last a year or two, so if you don't mind spending another $300+ in a couple years, that's fine. Although your arrangements are tight right now, another month or so wouldn't hurt if you think you'll be able to find a bigger tank. However, as Dr. Jax said, if in the future you have to separate them, a 75 gallon would be perfect for one turtle. It's really a half-dozen of one, six of the other.

For your question on glass vs. acrylic, I'll sum up what I know: Glass is more common, heavier, and usually cheaper than acrylic. Acrylic is much lighter (especially when you get into the large (100gal+) tanks, but you usually pay more for it. Also, acrylic scratches more easily, so there's a good chance your turtle's nails will scratch the surface up. That's not a problem, it's just a matter of aesthetics.

Finally, to answer your initial size requirements question, the rule of thumb for turtles is 10 gallons per inch of turtle. So two 3.5" turtles would ideally have a 70 gallon tank.
That rule is sometimes relaxed for multiple turtles, to 10 gallons/inch for the first turtle, and 5 gallons/inch for additional turtles. So that would mean a 52 gallon tank. But in general, more space is better.

If it turns out you have two maximum size females, you'd want at minimum a 180 gallon tank (if they get along). BUT! That's the maximum size for females (12"), and not too many reach that size. Males stay smaller (7-9"). Just to give you an idea on what size of tanks you'll want to be looking out for in the future

[finns86]

Wow thanks for all the good info everyone. I'll look into seeing if the seller will come down a bit on the price. I'm sure I could snag a better deal on another one....but.. that... bow front... looks so.. good.

@BullDog

Thanks for the tank info. I was taken aback at how much the price increased from glass to acrylic and had to ask.

I must say this is the most active and helpful forum I've signed up for. I noticed that I had posted a post about my turtle eating gravel and realized later that pretty much the same post was stickied in bold at the top. I was expecting to get a bunch of replies saying "repost" or "search the forum next time you #@#$&#@*" Instead I got a bunch of genuine replies. Really amazing and count to the normal culture of the internet these days.

[nT)Gauss]

Just since this thread works, was my 112 gallon tank for $200 good? It came with a nice pine stand, with shelving.

[Caphits]

I think the stand is a big bonus. At least in my area, not many tanks come with one.