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Hello all! My two young RES (1" and 1.5") are adapting quite well to their new tank. They're currently fed everyday, some green leaf lettuce, and rotating between two different types of turtle pellets with the occasional krill. They've also got some aquatic plants that they devour and a cuttlebone that they have no interest in.

Anyways, I bought some feeder guppies over the weekend when I picked up some more plants (anacharis). It looks like one has been eaten so far and the turtles are definitely interested in them, I just think it might be awhile before they can catch them. Do I need to do anything for the guppies? They can hide in the plants and around the filter, heater, dock, etc and I heard they'll eat any remaining pellets and turtle poop.
TIA!

ETA: I guess I should add that we also offer some other veggies (red leaf lettuce, carrots) but so far they're quite content to eat green leaf lettuce and the aquatic plants. We probably won't give any krill until the fish are gone and we were planning on offering guppies once a month.

Sounds like you've got feeding down pat
For the guppies, you don't need to do anything for them. There's lots of stuff in the tank for them to eat, and they may even start multiplying if your turts aren't fast enough

BullDog wrote:Sounds like you've got feeding down pat
For the guppies, you don't need to do anything for them. There's lots of stuff in the tank for them to eat, and they may even start multiplying if your turts aren't fast enough

Thanks! Any idea what size they should be before they'll really be able to catch them?

Depends on how interested the turtles are and how fast the guppies are. Hatchlings can catch guppies, and on the flip side, they may be too fast for some adults. If you see them chasing the fish, then eventually they're bound to catch a couple. I've only given feeders to Ralph once, and he figured out pretty quick if he comes at them from below, then they get trapped at the surface and have no where to go.

Well when I got home from work yesterday I found two more missing so I'm guessing they're not going to last very long afterall!

I started out with 10 feeder guppies last fall when my turtles were hatchlings. 5 of them remain and I have given away dozens of babies since. I have another 30 or so to get rid of now. I guess my turts just aren't motivated enough to catch them.

I've given Bently guppies once and he couldn't catch them. A day went by and he still didn't catch any guppies so i sort of cornered them for him and he ate it. I even held it by the tail and hand fed it to him. Just shows how lazy my turtle is.