Small Turtle In A Big Pond  3/30/07
Hi, I just built an outdoor pond (4 X 9)  and am unsure of whether I should put my RES in.  It is the size of a half dollar and I have him in a 25 gallon  tub right now.  Is it too small to be put in a pond? Should I wait? Thanks. Michelle
< At that size he could be eaten by many predators, like birds, raccoons, possums and snakes. I would recommend waiting another year.-Chuck>

Re: Turning A Turtle Loose In A Pond   8/21/06
Ok Thank you. Do you  think the turtle I already released is still alive or not?
< Adult turtles are pretty tough and have few predators. Smaller turtles are preyed on by just about everything. If your turtle was released early in the year, close to being an adult size and in good health, then I think he probably made it if the winter was not too severe.>
I don't have a  picture of the turtle but I was told its a Cooter or something like that.
< Lots of turtles go under the name of cooters or sliders.>
Also, I do want my turtle. I just think it would be better off with other  turtles then in my little pond. It is about 2 feet deep and 6
feet long and 3  feet wide. It is actually a kiddie pool and I have fish in there with it and it  kills them all the time and also bugs so I think it could
survive in the pond  but I'm worried about if it could survive there in the winter. Thank you for  your answers and help.
< Many people think that turtles get lonely and need other turtles to be around. Other turtle are looked at as competition. If your pond has a mud bottom and your winters are not too bad then your turtle may be OK outdoors. In the northern part of the country where winters are pretty long and winter temps are pretty severe they do not overwinter well.-Chuck>

New Turtle Questions  12/16/05
Hi there, I have 2 RES's that I purchased at a mall kiosk (my 1st mistake, I know), but I have been able to figure out most everything by now and they are doing well.  However, my 20 gallon tank is being overrun by green algae, and I have been cleaning out the entire tank repeatedly for 3 weeks, but it keeps coming back and just keeps spreading.  Your site doesn't seem big on it, but the people at PetSmart said as long as at wasn't brown algae it wasn't harmful.  But now its spreading onto their basking rocks, and the water is even turning green!
< Turtles are pretty messy eaters. Excess food and turtle waste breaks down to ammonia that is loved by algae. Filters help by developing bacteria that break the waste down into less toxic substances such as nitrites and then nitrates. Just like in a fish tank. The algae really doesn't hurt anything, it just looks bad. Feed your turtles a little bit in the morning and a little bit in the late afternoon. All uneaten food should be removed after a couple of minutes.  Get a filter and plan on changing water a couple times a week. One turtle would be about 1/2 the work. Two in a 20 gallon will get pretty crowded pretty quickly as they grow. Scrape the algae off the glass with a single edged razor blade. Don't worry about the algae on the rocks. Too much work to keep clean.>
Also, I read the water pH is supposed to be at 7.8.  Mine is at 6.8.  What do I do to raise it?
< You can go to a local fish store and get some powder to raise the pH. I currently use the turtle floater thing, the de-chlorinating fluid, and Turtle Clean.  Lastly, one turtle was opening his mouth (gasping?) this morning on the basking rock, could he have gotten a chill, and if so, what should we do to keep them warmer at night when the basking light is off?  We have the water heater set at 80 right now.  Thanks for all your help!!!!!!
< Turn the heater down to 70 F. Check the temp of the basking spot. It should be around 85 F. You turtle may have a respiratory infection. The temperature changes will help. The spot may be hot enough already. Reptiles sometimes cool themselves by opening their mouths to let moisture evaporate and cool them down. Down worry about keeping them warm at night . They are use to big changes in water temp.-Chuck>

Red Eared Sliders Changing With The Seasons  12/13/05
Should I adjust the basking and UV lamps for my sliders with the changing light conditions as the seasons change outside?  I keep my 3 RES's in a large indoor pond that is heated all year round.  Should I keep it spring and summer all year (maybe 12-14 hours of light), or should I shorten their days to reflect the fact it's winter coming on?  
Again, the air and water temp will remain the same all year.  Thanks!  
LARRY in Los Angeles
< As long as the water temperatures don't change then I would not change the lighting. If you were trying to breed them then I might try a different diurnal period along with a cooling period. Then in the spring I might try to increase the water temp and the lighting to simulate spring.-Chuck>

Turtle With Little Worms  12/2/05
Hi, I have recently noticed tiny white parasites that are swimming in my RES habitat. I have a 55 gallon for him. They look to me to be round and mostly on the glass, but they are throughout the environment. I was wondering if you have any info as to what these are and how I can get rid of them? Could they be some sort of worm, like I have read about on your forum?
< Treat the tank with Fluke-Tabs to remove them. Take a fecal sample to a qualified veterinarian that deals with turtles and see if there is an internal parasite problem.>
Chubby has had a great appetite but I noticed today that these parasites are eating his pellets, in turn my RES is ingesting them also. What could come of this?
<Hopefully they are really not parasitic and just a by product or contaminant that came in with some food or substrate.>
These parasites are so annoying and disgusting. I have been looking for some answers but haven't found anything that really sounds like what I'm dealing with here. My turtles health has been excellent and I would like to keep that way. I'm not sure what ingesting these could do to him. Please help ASAP!!
I do have some big rock on the bottom that I'm going to take out, to hard to get the yuk out of the bottom. What would you recommend for the substrate, I would like to put some sand down, if so what kind and where should I purchase it?
< I would recommend a very fine well rounded non-abrasive sand. The small size means a smaller pore space between the sand grains and less junk getting trapped in there. Get it from an aquarium shop.-Chuck>
Also, I don't have any live plants or fish in with him.  Thanks for any information that you could give me. Tammy 

Turtles and Copper  11/30/05
Dear people; Thanks so much for your time. I need to get rid of invertebrates. I have been told too use a copper treatment in my tank. Is this safe for my water turtle? Thanks, Tracie Lundahl
<I would not get rid of inverts by using copper in your aquarium...unless they are parasites...Also the copper should not harm the turtle if dosed properly. good luck, IanB>

Worms in the Turtle Tank  11/16/05
Hello, my name is Bill Glueckert and I have a question about my turtles. I have two tanks set up with 3 baby turtles each. All are still relatively small (2-3 inches), and appear to be healthy and growing at a normal rate since I got them (they were about 1 1/2 inches in August when I got them). I have three Softshells in one tank, which I plan to separate eventually, but are getting along just fine for now, and the other tank has one red eared slider, a yellow bellied slider, and a Mississippi map. 
The real reason I'm writing is because I am experiencing a similar problem to one that someone already brought up on your site. However, my situation may change the response that was given. The problem I'm referring to is dated 10/31/05 on the site and is titled "Wormy Turtle Tanks (He Means EVERYWHERE) 10/31/05". I am having the exact same problem this guy was having, but I don't have any plants in either tank so that can't be where the worms are coming from. 
They are the same size he described (about 1/8 an inch), and are all over the walls of the slider tank. I have noticed a few in the other tank but its only about 10 per wall, as opposed to everywhere on the walls of the other. The real problem however is this is the second time I have seen them. I noticed them two cleanings ago in the slider tank (I clean the tanks once a week with a Clorox spray), and at the time I had gravel in the tank which I assumed was where some type of larvae from a food product or some external source was hiding and reproducing. 
So I cleaned and bleached the tank and removed the gravel, and did not see them again until now. Now that I've been reading a little more about parasites that can come from these and other reptiles while trying to find out what these worms are, I'm getting the creepy crawlies just looking at them. Is there anything else you can tell me about these worms or how to get rid of them? My turtles all appear very healthy and eat regularly. I do feed them in tank however and there is sometimes small food remnants left at the bottom that I can not skim out with my net, could that be the source of the problem? Thanks for your time.
< Take a fecal sample of each turtle to a vet to be examined for parasites. If the critters are coming from the turtles there are plenty of things a good turtle vet can prescribe to get rid of them. I think a more likely culprit is some sort of insect that lays its eggs in the water. The larvae feed on the turtle waste or left over food. If they were on the turtle s themselves I would be thinking fish lice. Treat with fluke-tabs to take care of all the invertebrates in the tank. Retreat in a week to get rid of any new larvae that just hatched.-Chuck> 

UVA/UVB For Turtles - 11/07/2005
I posted this question on the forums a week ago, but no one has replied, so I hope you don't mind my asking you directly.
<No prob.>
I read an answer that y'all posted on your web site, that suggested using a plant light for turtles to bask under, because it provides almost the same type of light as the sun. If I get a regular plant light bulb from Wal-Mart will that provide both heat and UVA/UVB rays for my Red-eared sliders?
<Mm, no, highly unlikely.>
I've read the packages and they don't mention UVA/UVB at all.
<I very much doubt that they would provide UVA/UVB.... but you can always contact the manufacturer and ask!>
Thank you. You have a great web site.
<And thank you for your kind words!>
Rebekah
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina> 

Messy Turtle - Dirty Tank 10/31/05
Hi, I know a lot of people already asked if turtles and fish could co-exist. I kind of have a similar question, but I just want to be more specific. My turtle is very messy and I just don't have the time to keep up with it weekly. I was wondering if I could put cleaner shrimp or cleaner fish in the tank with the turtle to help pick up the mess. He's a North American wood turtle. I'd appreciate it if you could help. otherwise bongo's going to have to find a new home. :-( thanks. God bless, Roxanne
< Putting cleaner shrimp or fish would not really be practical to keep you tank clean. Check out the filters at Drsfostersmith.com. Get one that will be easy to clean and at least move three times the volume of the tank water per hour. Add carbon to remove odor and color from the water.-Chuck> 

Wormy Turtle Tanks (He Means EVERYWHERE) 10/31/05
Hello, to all of you - Hope you can help me out or point me in the right direction - as you have in the past. I have three red-eared sliders all in separate tanks. One sighted female in a 75 gallon, a blind male in a 55 gallon and a second blind male in a 30 gallon (I adopted these turtles from a rescue so I took what they had and am quite fond of them) . 
I feed all three in their own plastic bins. All three tanks are filled 2/3rds with water. The only substrate I have in any of the tanks is a few handfuls of calcium carbonate gravel. A couple of pieces of small driftwood sitting on the bottom of the tanks and a basking area. 
A few days ago while doing a water change I noticed, what look to me like tiny white worms [1/16 - 1/8 of an inch long (nematodes ?)] EVERYWHERE in two of the enclosures. And when I say EVERYWHERE, I mean everywhere. The 55 gallon enclosure without the worms has two silver mollies as permanent occupants. 
The reason I bring that up is I am not sure if the worms exist in the 55 and are being eaten and kept at bay by the mollies. I do buy and keep live plants in all the tanks at all times. 
Do you have any clue as to what these worms might be and where they may have come from? Do you think they are parasitic? Is there a medication you think I should be adding to the water? Should I even be concerned at all about these critters? 
It is buggin' me out a bit - especially the part of not knowing what they are or where they came from. Thanks for your input - always a pleasure to read. - Thomas
< I think they probably came in with the plants and are harmless to the turtles. Take a turtle stool sample in to a vet that knows turtles and check for internal parasites. I would treat the tank with fluke tabs to get rid of the worms in the water.-Chuck> 

Baby Red Eared Turtles 8/13/05
Sorry, I tried to find the answers to these but there were way too many entries to look through and no web search would bring them into focus for me.
< Thanks for trying.>
So, here are my questions: I have 2 red eared sliders that I have had for about a year now ("adopted" them as hatchlings) I have been told that for being as old as they are that they are really small (they were about the size of a half dollar when I got them, are now about 2")...how big should they be after a year?
< Depends on temperature and conditions. Somewhere in the two to 4 inch range.>
I would also like to confirm that I have adequate lighting so what I am using currently is the Exo-Terra Day Glo 150W (is that too high?
< That is fine.>
Does that cover the "sunlight" effect as well as the fluorescent lighting?)
< That's all you need.>
and it is used in the lamp that glows at night to give them the effect of the moon...how long should I leave
it on during the day?
< I would put it on a timer and set it for 12 hours per day. Set it so you will be home to watch them. I would try 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.>
Right now I just have it set to come on shortly after the sun comes up and go off just before it goes down. It is on a timer so it's pretty accurate. Any help on the lighting issue would be greatly appreciated, this just seems to be the one issue I can't get a straight answer on! Thank you for your time!!! Rhea
< Sounds like you are doing everything right.-Chuck>

Red- eared Slider, Changing Habitat
Hello,
I have a few questions that I have not seen answered here and have found very little info elsewhere. I have a 5 year old Red eared slider that I found as a hatchling and am building him a new habitat since he is outgrowing his current one. Let me start off with saying that he is very healthy and active in his current environment even though it is sub par--and that is why I am concerned about putting him in his new habitat. Currently he lives in a 20 gal tank with only florescent lighting and a rock to crawl out of the water. The water is not heated and is usually 65-70 degrees and was only filtered by a BioWheel. I know this is several degrees under what is suggested but he seems fine and has a voracious appetite. His tank was next to (not in front of) a window and even though he could easily climb out of the water onto his rock he rarely spends more than 20-30 minutes at a time basking. He has never had any signs of illness other than occasional
dead skin clinging to him.
With his current setup I am going with a 55 gallon tank, UV-A, UV-B and a basking light, water heater, canister filter and will provide a larger land area then what he currently has. I am currently cycling the tank with several goldfish that I will leave in for him to eat and expect to do 25 percent water changes every week and complete changes about every 2-3 months but will adjust the frequency if things get too bad. My concern is that since he has adapted to his current environment pretty well over the years, would putting him in the new environment put too much stress on him or should I not worry about it?
< Don't worry about him, he will be fine.>
If you think this would stress him too much how would you suggest that I acclimatize him. As it is I plan on setting the thermostat to about 70 degrees and raise it a degree or so a week until about 75 degrees but what about the ambient temp in the tank?
< Don't worry about the water temp. You room temp should be around 65 degrees in the winter. You can set the water temp for 70 and leave it there if you like.>
Should I slowly adjust this as well?
< Not needed. They come from areas where the water temp changes all the time.>
I have also found very little info about proper water pH and what I have found is contradictory. My tap water runs about 8.4 but with a cinderblock in his tank for support of his basking area it raises it a little bit. The carbonate hardness of the local water makes it extremely hard to lower the pH unless I constantly monitor it and add chemicals almost daily--any suggestions for this or is the pH fine since he has already adapted to it?
< Don't worry about the pH. The additional calcium leached out by the cinder block will benefit the turtle.>
One last question, about two weeks ago I noticed a small yellowish/white spot smaller than the size of a match head on his carapace. The spot is not symmetrical and is not a fungus. At first I just thought it was a scratch but after reading several sites on proper care and seeing how bad I have been treating him, I am concerned. Could this be from a scratch
or is it most likely from the years of inadequate lighting and heat?
< It could be the start of a bacterial infection. Adequate basking under a heat lamp should take care of it.>
He doesn't suffer from soft shell and I do not believe he has a vitamin deficiency because we feed him a varied diet of vegetable, protein and store bought turtle food and keep a calcium block in his tank. I have called several vets in the area but none of them really seem interested in seeing a turtle and would probably be a waste of time. I have looked on several sites and read up on several diseases and checked out the photos but nothing seemed to match. Are there any signs you would suggest to keep an eye out for as in changes or discoloration? Anyways, thank you very much for your time and any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Robert Bernier
< Watch for it if it starts getting bigger . A sulfa block in the water would be beneficial during the transition.-Chuck> 

Freshwater Filter Selection, 5/27/05
I have two small red-eared sliders (3 - 3 1/2 in long) in a 10 gallon tank. I will be moving them to a 30 gallon long sometime in the next few days. Currently I have a Whisper in-tank filter, and I was thinking I could just get a bigger version of the same filter for the new tank, but apparently (from what I've read) in-tank filters don't really cut it in aquariums that big. My tank doesn't have any holes in it, either to let a filter hang down lower on the edge, or to come up through the floor of the tank. What are my options without having to find a way to cut a hole in the tank?
<Hi Rebekah, Ryan with you today. There are plenty of filter options that will work for you here- Your best non-drilling option is a sump wet/dry filter with what's called an OVERFLOW. This uses suction to take water from the aquarium over the edge, rather than through a drilled hole. Hang on filters are capable of filtering a 30 gallon tank, however. I'd go with a large hang-on style power filter if all this seems a little overboard. Good luck, Ryan> 

Red Eared Slider Setup 7.24.05
I have read the questions posted on your site and did not specifically see these.   If I missed them, I apologize. My daughter received a red eared slider for her birthday (her idea; she researched it first).  It is in a 40 breeder tank with a heater, filter, and a reptile light that gives off both UVA and UVB light.  She cleans the tank regularly.  Since we have had the slider, it eats well, defecates regularly, and is an active swimmer.  We have never seen it climb onto the basking rock.  It remains in the water all the time.  Is that okay?  Should it want to get out to the water daily? Additionally, it seems to have eaten the Dr. Turtle block that came in the starter kit. Since then, it seems to defecate a lot.  Could the turtle get diarrhea?  We removed the block.  Please advise.
<Sounds like a great setup, I am not sure the ingredients in the Dr. Turtle block but I think removing it was a good idea.  The diarrhea should pass.  I recall having the same problem when I added one of these turtle blocks.  If the water is warm the turtle does not feel the need to leave the water to bask, you might try turning down the heater in the water if you have one to see if this encourages the turtle to bask.  Otherwise you can take him out from time to time to walk around outside, the sunlight is good for him and drying out helps to prevent shell fungus and rot and similar nasties.  Best Regards, Gage>  

Slider Care Continued 7.24.05
Thanks for replying.
Yes, the water is deep enough so that the water covers his back. About 3 quarters of a inch above his back. So do you think that the temperature of the water in the day time(76-78F) is a good temp. for a young slider turtle?
What about the night time temp. (about 72F). I have to turn the lamp off, so the temp. goes way down. Is that too low of a temp. to keep the tank at?
<72 is hitting the lower end of the scale, when winter time rolls around this could definitely become a problem, I would add a small aquarium heater to keep the tank around 75-78.>
I feed him Reptomin Baby pellets. He gets sun-dried shrimp 3 times a week, the Reptotreat brand (b/c it's too fatty to feed everyday.) I just started to feed him gold fish flakes (like 2) once a week. I noticed that on his plastron, he has pale pink lines (like where the shell seems to join in the middle). When I lightly touch it, it turns white for like a second and then it turns back to pink again. It's kind of like when you have a sunburn and touch your skin. I'm thinking it is because he's growing too fast. When I first got him, I fed him about 15 pellets 2 times a day. I know that was way too much now, so he only eats 7 pellets 2 times a day. I heard goldfish food was okay for turtles as a treat, am I right?
<I have not heard that, I doubt it will hurt him, I like to stick to turtle food.> So you think in about another year, I'll have to invest in a 20 gallon tank?
<I say the sooner the better for a few reasons, you will have improved water quality with a larger body of water, the temperature will be more stable, a warmer side and cooler side of a tank allows reptiles to thermo regulate as needed, more room to swim and exercise, and you can provide places for him to hide.  In a year I think he will definitely have outgrown his current tank.> Is it okay to feed him a blueberry once in a while? <Blueberries should be fine, you might also mix in some salad greens and freeze dried crickets from time to time.> He seems to enjoy munching on it throughout the day. Thanks for your help. Please respond ASAP. Thanks again! Is it too early of an age for him to be showing mating behaviors? Like wiggling his toes and puffing out his neck? I put a stuffed animal by the cage and he showed lots of interest in it. <He might be a little young yet, off the top of my head I cannot recall what age they become sexually mature.  Best Regards, Gage>

Ammonia Problems in a Turtle Tank 7/16/05
I have a yellow belly slider. We have had it for about 1 1/2 years. About six weeks ago we cleaned the filters and the water all in one day. since then  we have had trouble with the water. It has too much ammonia. We are doing 10% water changes daily. We have 2 canister filters in a 90 gallon tank. I also have put some Zeolite granules in the filter that I have been changing weekly. The water is mucky and a dirty brown. The water did have a smell to it but that is gone. We tested the water and it just shows that it has to much ammonia. Today I notice the area around the turtles mouth was yellow and his shell looked a little yellow. Any suggestions?
< When you cleaned everything you removed the good bacteria that breaks down the waste from ammonia to nitrites and then nitrates. The ammonia is the worst. It gives off the smell and odor. Bio-Spira from Marineland will put it all back together in no time at all. To prevent this in the future I would recommend a 50% weekly water change and change each one of the filters every month two weeks apart. So clean one filter on the first of the month and the other on the 15th. Try this and see how it works out.-Chuck>

Turtles
Friends at Wet Web Media,
<Howdy Gage>
I just got my new turtle tank up and running about 10 min. ago and I needed to share my excitement with someone. I noticed your sites section on turtles was a little slim. Understandably so considering they are not fish. My new tank:
<Actually... some of us are BIG chelonian fans... not to mislead anyone, we just haven't gotten about to any real coverage of this one of four living orders of reptiles (along with a few thousand other topics, make that tens of thousands...) just yet>
125gal (wish I could afford to make it a reef)
Filstar XP3 [350ghp]
Full spectrum lighting [not set up yet]
some Plexi glass, some silicone, and a heater The stand is a classic design; 6 cinder blocks and a piece of plywood covered with a sheet (shh don't tell my mother).
I did not have time to make a swanky webpage, but you can find some pics here:
http://mexicanmusk.com/turttank/
the 10gal above houses my Mantis "Bug"
http://mexicanmusk.com/bug.jpg
<Nice>
I was wondering... Once my site is up and finished and looking sassy with my 125gal turt tank, 55gal freshwater tank, 100gal pond, 29gal reef (which may soon be converted into a 50gal reef with a 29gal sump and a 20gal refugium [more reading to do :-)] and of course my red footed tortoise; what would I need to do to make it onto your links page?
<Just send us the URL and a short description my friend... and any "write ups" you'd like presented to the public. Bob Fenner>
Best Regards,
Gage

Turtle Enclosure.
Dear WWM Crew,
I'm hoping that you could help me with some information on Eastern Painted Turtles and a suitable enclosure for them. I understand that this site is for fish related topics, but the categories are more diverse here and I'm sure that you could point me in the right direction.
<I am sure we can be of assistance. I actually have two Yellow Bellied Sliders (pretty similar) that are native to Florida. They summer out in my 1500 gallon pond, but I have to bring them indoors once the water temperature hits 60*F. They are stinky if you do not clean their tank often and filter it hard.>
I own an aquarium maintenance business in Southern N.H.
<I own one in Pittsburgh, PA.>
and usually deal with fish.
<Me too!>
I got a call from a construction company that is remodeling a Veterinary hospital that had over the course of the summer, somehow obtained some Painted Turtles that they rehabilitated. I'm not yet sure what was wrong with the animals.
<Probably shell rot from poor captive care conditions.>
Currently the Turtles are being kept in a small aquarium awaiting a new home. The Animal Hospital would like to make a large display tank for the Turtles as a focal point for the waiting room area.
<Sounds like potential for a lovely indoor pond display.>
I am not very familiar with Turtles and would like to learn more about the specific needs of these animals beyond the "Warm water, heat lamp, rock to climb on." basics that I've been able to find. From the limited information that I have found, it's apparent to me that a short and wide enclosure is more desirable and that to feed them properly is a water quality nightmare.
<Yes, I just upgraded my 75 gallon turtle tank to a trickle filter.>
I was thinking of a short hex shape with about a third of the area built into a land mass.
<Mine rarely get out of the water except to "sun", either artificial or real. I use a small driftwood island in the pond and a piece of driftwood tied in place with plastic cable ties indoors.>
What recommendations might you have in regards to a land to water ratio and Turtle "Furniture" I've also read that they do cut themselves easily and that sharp objects are not suitable.
<I have not had any troubles with driftwood, but would also strongly consider the indoor pond idea with a small area for them to climb out of the water but not out of the enclosure.>
Lighting seems to be a very important issue as well, would Metal Halide pendants be too much?
<Probably more than they need but they would appreciate it. I would go for 6,500 K Iwasaki's, a 150 watt lamp. Otherwise, ceramic heat lamps with fluorescent lamps for vitamin production.>
Would they not be of the right quality of light?
<The full spectrum lights more geared towards live plants would be ok.>
What type of lighting would you recommend, I would really like to recreate the environment as perfectly as I can.
<Either of the above options.>
From my reading I can't see any real consistency with the way "Turtle People" keep their water quality.
<Massive and regular water changes>
Is pH and water hardness a concern for Turtles?
<I never measure either.>
I assume that the same rules would apply for biological filtration.
<Massive>
And what is a suitable water temperature. to keep the Turtles from hibernating?
<Room temperature should be more than adequate with the lighting for additional heat.>
Do you recommend chemical filtration?
<Activated carbon would help reduce odors.>
Many of the articles that I've read mentioned that no substrate is best for the water portion of the enclosure, but I don't think that the client will go for that, is there any preferable substrate for Turtles?
<They will dig and generally make a mess of any gravel you put in their. Strongly consider those black, hard plastic ponds. You should get a good deal on them this late in the season. Two would be great. One for them to swim in which drains down to a trickle filter, which then pumps up to the second smaller pond run as a bog filter, which lastly flows back to the turtle pond. Now that I think about the MH's would be best for the indoor pond and bog filter idea.>
And, of course, I have to ask (as I'm sure the client will ask me) if there are any suitable tank-mates to keep with Turtles maintenance critters and/or display animals?
<They will try to eat most other things. You maybe able to house a gold fish or two depending on the size of the turtles, size of the goldfish, and size of the enclosure.>
Lastly, what type of skimmer do you recommend for this tank? Just kidding, been a long night of research! Although, I would be interested in any suggested reading.
<Take a look at Bob's article here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/pdturtles+.htm the linked FAQ file and the bibliography at the bottom.>
Thank you very much for your time and I appreciate your letting me bombard you with all of these questions, that is if you're still reading after all that! Again, thank you very much for your time.
Sincerely, Michael P. Gillespie
<Good luck! -Steven Pro>

Algae control (Simazine use and turtles)
To whom it may concern,
I am inquiring on the toxicology effects of a product called algae destroyer (Simazine) liquid on a red ear slider turtle or if you know of a product that can be used.
<I am not familiar with this particular product, but I would not recommend any of them (algaecides) except for extreme situations. The best thing is a little elbow grease. Scrub down the tank and drain it. Turtles are not like fish. You don't have to worry as much with changing water. I put my turtle's tank right beside a floor drain and sink and perform a 100% water change every other week. They are stinky, dirty buggers that need it.>
Thanks, Jeff
<You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Turtles to fish
Hello,
I just discovered your site--maybe just in the nick of time.
Here's what I'm doing:
I kept two rather large Red-eared Sliders in a 90-gallon tank for several years. About a year ago, they were adopted by someone else. Since then, my system has been running with no livestock in it, no heater and no maintenance other than topping off the water. Last week I decided to set up the system for fish.
In addition to the existing gravel in the tank, I dumped some dry gravel from a second tank (also formerly a turtle tank) into the 90-gallon tank. Then I vacuumed the bottom, cleaned the Fluval 304, filled the tank with all new water and turned on the heater.
I haven't tested the water. Is this likely to be a safe environment for fish?
<Should be>
Is it possible that it is a still a "cycled" system?
<I would certainly think so. Test the water and add fish slowly>
What should I do now?
<Start doing those weekly water changes and add some fishes...slowly>
Thanks for your help.
<No problem! David Dowless>
Charlie Stricklen

Green water in turtle tank
<Hi, Mike D here>
I am sorry if you have had to answer this question already, but I am still a little lost.<no problem> I have one red eared slider that is 5-6 inches. I keep him in a 10 gallon tank.<This is too small. Does he have someplace to bask where he can get completely out of the water?> I use a Duetto 100 submersible power filter. The filter has a carbon container that I have long since disposed of and have not been able to buy another because the fish stores seem to never restock.<OK, you've moving water, but not filtering it. Without floss and carbon, all you have is water movement.> I have a sucker fish (I don't know if this is the correct name of the fish but it is what I have heard it to be called.<Probably one of the Plecostomus catfish> Either way it eats algae.) I feed my RES zoo med's aquatic turtle food once or twice every 2 weeks (is this too little?<You bet it's too little. WAY too little.> I don't want to feed it too much and have it grow too quickly.<How'd you like it if you were allowed to eat once a week so as to not get fat. My money says you would not be a happy camper, and neiotheris your turtle. That borders on cruelty, and I may be going easy on you.>) And I also sometimes give it zoo med's turtle treat (dried ocean krill)<Not a great food as it contains salt, which Slider's can't excrete.>. I have a basking light that is on for 7 hours and a UV light that is on for 8 hours. Not much direct sunlight hits the tank since I keep my blinds closed. Every time I completely change the water in the tank (every 2-3 weeks due to the greenness of it) the water will be green again within a week. Use filter floss and activated carbon and your water quality should improve. As it is, it's just stagnant and should be cleaned MUCH more often.> I read in the fish forums that the nitrate levels and stuff should be checked for this kind of question but I am not sure if this applies to turtles.<Turtles, no, fish yes.> My main questions aside from how to keep my tank water turning green are if I need the carbon stuff in my filter<Definitely>, do I need to buy algae pellets for my sucker fish so that it won't starve<The fish would be VERY appreciative, I'm sure.>, and do I need to cut back on lighting?<NO, the lighting is fine.> Thank you for whatever help you can give me.<Someone has given you really bad advice on animal care and I truly feel sorry for both the Plecostomus and the turtle. One thing animals of all types respond to is an owner that tries to treat them the way they'd like to be treated.>
~Wendy

Turtle Habitat and Pool
<Hi, Mike D here>
   I was wondering if I could bring my yellow bellied slider in the pool which has chlorine in it.<If you're asking if you can take it into your swimming pool with you, occasionally, for short periods probably wouldn't do any harm, but long term exposure to higher amounts of chlorine will eventually do eye damage and possibly cause intestinal problems as well.> I was also wondering if it was ok to have the fish rocks that are at the bottom of the fish tank in the cage with the turtle and I have one last question will my turtle be ok without having another turtle in the cage with it- can it be alone??<Regular aquarium gravel would probably be alright, with sand being a better choice, and as to keeping it alone, that often the best way for the animal to stay the healthiest, as it can't fight with other turtles over food.>
Thanks!!
please reply soon!!!! and how am I going to get your reply can you email it back to me thanks so much !!!!
PS. How deep should the water be and what should I feed him?<The depth of the water isn't overly important as long as there is a good basking space where it can easily get out to sun itself. You'll also need to invest in a good broad spectrum reptile light, aimed at the basking area only> I found him in lake Travis-- is it ok to feed him store bought food<Yes and no...there are some commercial turtle foods that are satisfactory, with the old fashioned dried insect type completely useless. Adding occasional pieces of lean fish or chicken will help, and even better, try to dust it with a good reptile calcium supplement.> and how big does the tank need to be?<That depends upon the size of the turtle. A small juvenile can be housed in a 2-5 gal. tank, with an adult animal needing an enclosure large enough to allow plenty of movement.>  Is it ok for the tank to be bare with just gravel and water or does it need something else? If using a regular aquarium, it will need a float or piece of wood large enough to allow it to get completely out of the water, thus the basking light. Keep in mind as well that reptiles need to be kept warm, with a minimum of 72 degrees f and never allowed to exceed the high 80's.> please please reply soooonnnn!!!!!!!!
thanks soo much <Michaela>