General Care Discussion :: new common musk!

[paulcbz]

So i'm gonna get a pair of musk turtles for my 55 gallon. I was wondering if I can get away with my water height being above 10". My filter wont let me bring the intake any lower. The turtles are at least 3 years old, and around 3-4 inches. Also, do i need a sandy area for them to lay eggs on if they do start breeding? I only have cork bark as a basking spot that's wedged neatly between the sides of my tank.

[Jeremiah]

That setup sounds all right. Be sure to check your temperatures, before adding the turtles.

As long as the turtles have easy access to the water surface (i.e., tall plastic plants or drift wood), then you can go over 10" without incident. I keep mine in 12", and she's doing great. They're far better swimmers than some people would have you believe.

A nesting area is a good idea. You can mix the sand with some peat and/or leaf litter, too. Maybe even a pinch of topsoil.

[steve]

What kind of filter do you have? A lot of brands have extra extension tubes you can by. You might also want to consider making your own because it would be safer.