Other Turtle Discussion :: fishy friends

[KatieSmeltzer]

i was wondering if anyone can help compile a list of "safe" fish to add to turtle tanks?

[SSMcLeod]

As in safe to eat?

Or safe from turtles

[vear]

Well, I've kept him with tetras, neon and black, minnows, guppies etc. I used to have cories in there, but I guess I would put them in the "non safe" category. They have that top fin sticking out and it's a potential choking hazard for your turtle. Tomi ate 2 of those.... I don't even know how, but he struggled to swallow them. I took the rest out immediately just in case. No goldfish since they're fatty. Plus goldfish are cold water fish. I only keep him with smaller fish b/c I don't want to come home to fish pieces. eww.

[KatieSmeltzer]

"Safe" meaning able to cohabit with a turtle... and nontoxic if/when a turtle eats them!

[VeipaCray]

I haven't found a fish my turtle would not eat. So the best fish to get are inexpensive ones

[Karawr]

I have bala sharks and chinese algae eaters. They seem to be the only ones fast enough to get away from my turtle so he can't eat them.

As for safe fish for the turtle... avoid goldfish.

[xfallwithmexo]

The cheap ones are safe

[SSMcLeod]

safe for edible: any fresh water fish - not a one is poisonous (some with barbs maybe an issue for digestion but won't be poisonous)

as for fast fish: any sharks (rainbow, red tail bala), most barbs, and the odd cichlids

but really even fast fish will eventually get eaten You want fish that have a certain way of living: Low water range (bottom of tank), eat sunken food, and spend time in hides. They should also be durinal. I wrote a primer in a post somewhere, but I can't remember where

[Reel Girl]

Let me tell you the sad tale of "Snack" the fish.

My husband brought home a bag of teeny-tiny little feeder goldfish as a treat for Sheldon the Wonder Turtle one day. I was not home.

He dumped between 12 and 14 of these feeder fish into the tank ALL AT ONCE - - - NOOOOO!!!!
(Sheldon was still a baby - fit into my palm!)

Well, of course, Sheldon gorged himself, chased and ate almost every single feeder fish within minutes.....but then all of a sudden, he was SATED - - with ONE fish left in the tank.

This little tiny goldfish lived with Sheldon for close to 2 years. After a couple of months, I named him Snack. Snack grew from 3/4" to longer than SHeldon (the fish was as long as my palm and actually started looking like a Koi! lol!) When Sheldon would sleep, this goldfish would hover over his shell, seeming to nap with him!

After reading some information on this site about health/feeding - I felt that Sheldon was getting too much protein, so I started cutting back on his mealworms and other worms that I gathered from my compost, and substitute more veggies - Sheldon was NOT happy.

Apparantly Sheldon hated his new diet so much that he felt he had to attack Snack - - he kept biting him all over his body and chewed off his tail. I had to remove Snack from the tank and euthanize him!

I cried at the loss of Snack (I am peri-menopausel, so I DO cry at the drop of a hat!) my sister TRIED to console me over the phone for about 10 seconds, then had to burst out with "HE ATE A FEEDER FISH!!" Then she couldn't stop laughing. THen I started laughing!!

So yeah, no fish is safe!