Feeding and Nutrition :: Feeding guppies.

[SINI5T3R]

My turtles used to not be able to catch fish but now they can get what ever feeder fish they want. they cant get any cichlids or anything and the bigger cichlids will fight back which really freaks the turtles out because they are not expecting a fish to stand up for its self. its pretty funny.

[DrexelTanker0712]

my 2 new little RES' have been in their tank for a week now, with a plethora of guppies and swordtails. i don't think they've caught any of them, nor have i ever seed them make any attempt to. I hope this won't kill their instinct to catch live fish, sometimes when animals are raised from a young age with other animals they would normally eat, they become accustomed to them, and won't eat them.

Anyone have any insight?

I know this to be true with certain species of fish, but reptiles, no.

[SINI5T3R]

turtles will catch what ever they can. they are opportunistic hunters, iv seen my turtles stare down a fish thats just sitting there and RIGHT before the turtle trys to bite after looking at it for like 6 seconds, the fish swims away and the turtle just goes back to looking for more food. I dont think a turtle can lose there killer instinct. thats like saying you feed a snake frozen thawed rats for half its life but then it forgets to eat a live rat. Iv fed most of my snakes frozen but when i dont have them, they can kill a live rat like its nothing, and with frozens, they dont strike they just go up to it and start eating so its not like they think its alive, they know its dead already.

[DrexelTanker0712]

alright, thanks for the insight. I guess my turtles will be well fed once they learn how to catch the guppies/swordtails

[Samm]

When we first got Crush he wouldn't chase the feeders at all he would just swim by them as if they weren't even there.. After awhile I felt bad because the other turtle would chase the feeders and eat them but not Crush so I grabbed one and healed it by its tail for Crush to feed and every since that day he has been chasing the feeders and catching them.

[DrexelTanker0712]

I fed one of my turtles, "Zombie Kid", a guppy last night, we'll see how the fish population is holding up when i get back form work tonight.