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I was wondering if it's possible for my 5½ in RES to eat too much of the anacharis floating in his tank. I've only had this little guy for a week, and he likes being hand fed, finally started basking after I re-arranged his house and is very personable and adorable.

The only thing that bugs me is he constantly picks at the anacharis and eats it and rips it to shredds and I am having to clean the filter every other day and go around with a fish net scooping up the shredded anacharis every day.

I'd put less in the tank, but they only sell it in those 3 dollar bunches which is like four 6" long strands.

I might start picking dandilion greens and only give it in single serving portions instead. He's too messy with the anacharis and I'm afraid he may be over-eating. Any advice? I'm kinda new at this.

Theres really no going wrong with eating to much of a plant. Its not gonna hurt him in anyway. Its not unhealthy or fatty.

My turtles have access to plants 24/7 and eat alot of there plants. dont look in anyway like there getting fat.

Since plants have probably one of, if not the lowest fat content in the world, I agree with Painteds4Life completely.

If you want to maintain water quality easier, then maybe you could get a different kind of aquatic plant. Duckweed and water lettuce are very easy to grow, and trimming the roots before they go in the tank (keep a bunch of them in a separate water container so you don't run out) will help keep the tank cleaner.

Thanks for the replies. I don't know if he's tearing off all the leaves that are laying on the bottom, or if they are just falling off. Will he make a mess with the Duckweed or Water lettuce or would he keep that a little neater?

You guys did answer my biggest question which was if there was a such thing as him eating too much of it, and since there isn't that's a relief.

Turtles are pretty darn messy. I haven't had experience with those particular plants, but they'll still manage to tear pieces off and make the tank a mess.

Turtles are like kids, give them anything and they will find some way to make a mess out of it =P

Your best bet is the water lettuce for being the cleanest but its still gonna end up in pretty many peices.

I was thinking about making a cage (like I've seen someone post here before), and letting the plants grow out of the cage so the turtle can snack on it. But hopefully the cage will prevent turtle from completely shredding the whole thing. Plus I'll be able to plant the roots in some gravel that will be protected from the turtle as well.

That sounds really interesting! I'd love to see what you come up with!

Yeah, it is a good idea. I'd be interested to see too.

I just ordered a Rena XP3 from Petmountain. We'll see how that baby deals with his messy plant eating.

Honestly, the best thing for you to do to manage the pieces is to leave them there for a while, and take out what ones don't get eaten at the end of the day.

My turtles usually rip up their lettuce, and find the little pieces they missed later on and gobble them up.

I have 2 xp3s and they aren't that great at cleaning it up. A lot of the debris gets trapped on the trap at the end and slows the filter down. So, if I get any, I have to use the turkey baster to blow the plants off the intake then net them all.

Thanks guys. That's what I've been doing is cleaning up the remaining plant pieces off the floor with the fish net right before bed time.

It's funny, Squirt chases the net around like it's a game. He'll actually go around in circles. The kids think it's hilarious.

I know someone who claims her turtles got fat constantly chomping on anachris. It would take a lot, but eating too much of anything over time will put on weight.

Anachris is messy. When I buy anachris, I only give a strand or two (depends on the size) at a feeding. The rest I keep in a separate little aquarium to take from as needed. I also vary the anachris with other plant matter as part of the daily diet.