Habitat - Indoor :: too large of a tank???

[chigga24]

I am going to buy 2 baby RES (the illegal kind). I went into a Petco to look at tanks, and I want to start off with a 75 gallon. The Petco guy said 2 things:

1) 75 gallons will be too big for the 2 RES - they wont be able to find food and wont be able to survive.

2) an actual Turtle Tank is better than a regular fish tank.

Does anyone have any thoughts on those 2 things??? What should I do?
I could buy a smaller tank, but I KNOW i'm going to have to buy a 75 eventually. I did see a few nice 36 gallon tanks so I wouldnt mind, but can someone help?? Thanks!!

[Pizza]

That's a load of crap, that Petco guy needs to get slapped.

If anything, they would thrive in a larger tank, more swimming space for unrestricted growth, less stressful conditions, clearer water (the more water you can put in, the less dirty it gets over time), and more privacy for each turtle. If you really worry about them not finding food (which they most likely won't), drop the food close or next to them, but either way, if they are hungry, they will eventually find the food, even if its sunken (my turtles are quite fond of soggy and sunken food).

There are very few actual turtle tanks, and let me tell you, they blow. They're just another way for companies to cash in, increasing the price of a cheap small tank just because they cut a hole halfway through the tank or glued a small platform of glass. Most of the ones I've seen are only up to 30 Gallons, and even so, Red-Eared Sliders, as well as most aquatic turtles spend MOST of their time under water, hence they are classified as aquatic turtles. They only surface to nest or bask, but they live, and sleep under water, so the more water, the better. The hole cut in the middle of the tank where you hang your filter is useless, since turtles produce far more waste than fish, and require a bigger stronger filter (canister filters are the perferred choice), plus it limits how much water you can put in, only half way. Go with a regular fish tank.

On a side note, if that guy also offered you to buy a turtle-specific filter, don't do it, they are also a market scam, they're expensive, weak, and don't do their job.

[cam722]

how can they not find food in a larger tank. Their food would float on top and that's how they'd see it. Turtle tanks are a waste of money. You can barely put any water in them and I guess the worker at Petco isn't aware that RES are aquatic turtles.. ???

The only concern I'd have with putting them in a larger tank is that you'll have to make sure there are plants or some things that are easy for them to hold on to floating around so if they get tired of swimming they can rest while still in the water. Depending on what type of filter you plan on using, you could also start but keeping the water level lower and then slowly increasing it until you feel ok with them being in that deep of water. I'd say if you can afford the 75g.. go for it.

and ditto what Pizza said on the turtle tanks/filters

[industrial_girl_2000]

I totally agree with everything that was said here. I mean, what does the Petco guy think the baby turtles do when they are growing up in a 100,000 gallon pond??? A 75-gal tank is great for them. They will love it.

Not to mention, I have never seen a healthy turtle "not find food." Yeesh. Sheba could be living in a 10,000-gallon tank and she would still NEVER miss a meal.

That Petco guy has obviously never had a pet turtle.

[scripta_elegans]

I also second, third, and fourth these opinions. If I were close enough I would go in to Petco to personally slap that guy, per Pizza's suggestion. It is really scary that someone that ignorant about aquatic turtles is giving people advice.

[scripta_elegans]

I did mean to add, I have had baby turtles in a 75 gallon for most of their life, and they haven't had any trouble. They find even the smallest scraps of food via a super keen sense of smell, and they don't seem bothered by all that lovely water to swim around in.

[missibsu]

75 gallons is a great start. Tell the Petco guy he's full of crap, that he just wasted is opinion on a larger sale, and then walk out and take your business elsewhere. I start with two small turtles and quickly upgraded to a 75 gallon. While really small, your turtles may lack some of the energy to swim to the top, or tired quickly. You may not want to fill it completely when you first get them, but it will be nice to have the extra space. My 75 gallon is only going to last me about 2 years, so start planning for upgrades as well!

[Muirner]

I'll tell you to check craigslist.com or freecycle.org to find a better deal then petco on a tank. I bought a 55gal with stand for 75$

[chigga24]

you guys are all awesome with advice. i will certainly go with a 75 gallon tank now. whats funny is, the petco guy DID have an RES... i guess he just wasnt very smart, or they didnt have 75 gallon tanks and wanted to make a sale on another tank. either way, i'd rather pay a little more to keep my future pets happier for a longer time.

after reading all your responses, i'm still unsure how much water to fill up. the turts are gonna be small, probably around 2 inches. i dont want them to exert too much energy if i fill it up too much - but approximately how many inches of water would be appropriate in a 75 gallon tank?

thanks once again!!

[mkoby]

As long as you provide underwater resting spots such as plants or large rocks you should be able to fill it up enough so they can't escape. They are very strong swimmers. Mine likes to sleep in the water close to the surface usually holding on to something.

[Pizza]

As much water as you can put in without your turtle climbing out the top (turtles are very crafty and strong, they can extend their front legs pretty well and have enough muscle in them to hoist their whole body up over the tank). If you have more than one turtle in the same tank, turtles have also been known to climb on top of one another and climb out. For one two inch turtle, I'd say filling it up and leaving 3-4 inches is fine. For two or more, you make your best judgement.

Oh, and it's a good idea to check if your stand (or floor for apartments or new houses) can withstand the weight of the tank and water. Glass is pretty heavy, and one gallon = roughly 8.33 pounds of water, so expect your final weight to exceed 450 pounds, maybe go as much as 600.

Red-Eared Sliders are aquatic turtles, they spend most of their time in and under the water, they eat, sleep, and live in the water, and only enter land to bask or lay eggs, so you don't need to worry much about them not knowing how to swim and drown, even hactchlings have the basic instinct to swim and dive. Only exceptions are say if the filter is too strong and sucks the turtle in and it can't escape (generally not a problem for normal turtles bigger than 3 inches), or if they get lodged in a tight space and can't get out (the plastic black bars on a Zoo-Med Turtle Dock for example).

[cam722]

after reading all your responses, i'm still unsure how much water to fill up. the turts are gonna be small, probably around 2 inches. i dont want them to exert too much energy if i fill it up too much - but approximately how many inches of water would be appropriate in a 75 gallon tank?

I know you didn't ask about this.... but... are you thinking of getting mroe than one turtle? If you've not already gotten then, you may want to rethinking getting more than one. Turtles are solitary creatures and don't need a "friend" for company. By getting more than one, you are looking at potentially doubling the costs of everything. If you end up with a sick turtle or if they don't get along, which quite often happens, you'll need 2 complete setups. Just something to think about if you've not already purchased them

[industrial_girl_2000]

Hatchlings are already natural swimmers & will have no problem with a deep tank. Feel free to fill it up like Pizza suggested (as high as you can without them crawling out).

Are you going to go with a taller rectangular tank? That is what I would suggest since you have to allow room for a basking AND swimming area. So definitely check out the different rectangular dimensions of the tank and see if you can find out that is around 18-20 inches tall. If you have a store around you that specializes in saltwater fish, take a look at those tanks. Many of those are taller & wider than a standard freshwater aquarium. You can get some good ideas from places like that. Saltwater fish-keepers are very dedicated to their fish & *very* particular about aquarium dimensions. I'm happy to say this has worked out well for my 11" adult RES because she has no trouble turning around in a tank that is much *wider* than the standard 12 inch width (it's 20 inch width). It's also taller so she can't touch the bottom of the tank with her feet when she is all stretched out in the water. She LOVES it & so will your turts! Have fun shopping. I shopped around at various pet stores for a month before making a decision about my tank when I bought it. It's fun to explore your options!

[marisa]

If you're concerned about water depth and they're really small, you could start lower and raise the level more gradually as they get used to the depth. Have some fake plants for them to rest on if they tire of swimming.

[chigga24]

Hatchlings are already natural swimmers & will have no problem with a deep tank. Feel free to fill it up like Pizza suggested (as high as you can without them crawling out).

Are you going to go with a taller rectangular tank? That is what I would suggest since you have to allow room for a basking AND swimming area. So definitely check out the different rectangular dimensions of the tank and see if you can find out that is around 18-20 inches tall. If you have a store around you that specializes in saltwater fish, take a look at those tanks. Many of those are taller & wider than a standard freshwater aquarium. You can get some good ideas from places like that. Saltwater fish-keepers are very dedicated to their fish & *very* particular about aquarium dimensions. I'm happy to say this has worked out well for my 11" adult RES because she has no trouble turning around in a tank that is much *wider* than the standard 12 inch width (it's 20 inch width). It's also taller so she can't touch the bottom of the tank with her feet when she is all stretched out in the water. She LOVES it & so will your turts! Have fun shopping. I shopped around at various pet stores for a month before making a decision about my tank when I bought it. It's fun to explore your options!

thanks for this info.
actually, b/c of measurement issues i am having... i have decided to go with a 72gallon Bowfront tank. it's 48" wide, 22" high, and 18" from front to back (deep?, lol)... but the good thing about it is, the actual sides are only 12" which is great for my apartment. bowfronts are a lil more money and they are more for fish, but i do like the design a lot and dont mind the extra buck. actually, right now petco is having a sale for tank and stand for about $360. i havent seen much better than that but i am aggresively shopping around. any thoughts on a bowfront? i put a separate posting on that issue itself =)

in response to cam722 - i am planning on buying 2 little turtles. i know they are solitary and could even hate eachother, but i guess i'm going to do it anyways... i just think 2 is cool. haha... thats why i'm getting a large tank from the beginning.