General Care Discussion :: begging and overeating

[ragasssd]

i've read countless times that RES are ardent beggers. mine is no exception. i've also read they will eat till they throw up and then eat the vomit.

i am concerned about this because i'm considering getting live plants such as "pistia" in my tank for one to provide some natural shade from the sun and two to provide for some healthy food that the turt can eat at his own discretion. however, knowing that RES don't have much "discretion" when it comes to eating, will i be actually harming him by providing him with too much food? will he ever learn to leave the plants alone? and also, how in the world do wild RES keep from overeating?

thanks

sagar

[BullDog]

I would recommend getting a few inexpensive plants, and see how he reacts to them. If you find he leaves them alone, then by all means add some more. If he tears them to shreds in minutes, then you may have to find some other way to shade the water.

Wild RES don't over eat because they are in competition with other RES and other animals for the same resources, so there is not enough food for them to eat in abundance.