General Care Discussion :: Advice on getting a second turtle

[charmcitymango]

I've owned a male slider for a few years and I was thinking of getting a second one. I have him in a 65 gallon tank with plenty of room, good filtration, a regulated temperature, and a warm basking spot big enough for two. The thing is that I want to mix it up a bit and get a different turtle, possibly one with a little more color. I also wanted to get a male since I'm not set up for breeding. Any advice on this? Do different turtle breeds mix well, or will they become aggressive towards each other? (PS - I'm also putting this in "General Care" so as to maximize responses.)

[rsour24]

dont.
unless you can afford two different setups its not worth it.
your 65 gallon is good enough for one male RES. adding another turtle and it is now too small.
plus odds r aggression will start. turtles dont want "friends" anyway. they are not social creatures

[charmcitymango]

Ok, thanks. Good advice. Other question: I really want to see some more life in there. Are there any fish that he won't eat? I had a pleco in there for two years and one day he just tore it to pieces after a lengthy peaceful coexistence.

[prettykitty]

wow, how big was the pleco?

[charmcitymango]

it was like 9 inches or so. i came home from work one day and his head was just sitting on the bottom of the tank.

[steve]

A pleco should have their own hiding space. I think they're mostly nocturnal, so you might not seem it much.

[BiteyBits]

How big is the turtle?

Yes, pleco are nocturnal and need hiding places to feel secure.

[Spike 7.62]

My advice on getting a second turtle is "do not get a second turtle". Search through posts on this site, there are plenty of threads on 1) people asking about multiple turtle set ups, and 2) people freaking out because their turtles are killing each other. Turtles are territorial, they are capable of killing each other, and they do need their own space. Let your turtle enjoy a habitat of his own. If you want more life, get some dwelling fish, but provide hiding places! They are colorful and will survive if given the chance. Same with fish like guppies, minnows, tetras, neons, etc, give them a place to hide. Inevitably, some or all of them will eventually die, but it won't be immediate. I've had fish last for over a year with my turtles, even a snapper.

- Spike

[Cleverking]

I have added fishes to my setup a month ago. I decided to go for small fast ones so he can't catch and seemed to do the trick - he doesn't even attempt to attack them.

I have 4 tetra's and 4 harlequin fishes.