Turtle for the pond?

[Nepen]

Hi all,
I saw someone in my town is selling turtles... I'm wondering if my pond will be suitable for it. It's a raised pond (about 3 feet tall) and it has a little waterfall with rocks that might be a place for the tutle to come up (but wont be able to climb up and out of the pond. Is this enough?

Will the tutle eat my fish?
Thanks,
-A

 

[HARO]

Will the tutle eat my fish?
Thanks,
-A

Is the pope Catholic?
John

 

[Nepen]

Is the pope Catholic?
John

haha obvious question! yea I was hoping for some co-exist tip... If the fish is way bigger or something like that...

 

[HARO]

In a best-case scenario, with large fish and a small turtle, you will get some nipped fins or a torn gill cover. I have four 10" or so RES, and every once in a while they get 50 feeder fish. Half will be eaten, and the rest will co-exist for months, until I remove them. The fish will swim around and between the turtles, and never even get nipped! If you are willing to sacrifice your pet goldfish,..... hey, it's YOUR pond! But I'll keep mine separated. :dunno:
John

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Nepen, I know how you feel. I'd love to have a turtle hang out at my pond. but turtles naturally eat fish, so that wouldn't work out so well.


If you ever have the option, a second pond specifically for a turtle or two would be decent, just make sure they wouldn't have access to the fish pond. That may be the route I go someday when I have the land and money.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

I'm sure a lot depends on the type of turtles as some are more aggressive then others, but I've never had a problem with my turtles eating, or even nipping the fins of, my fish. (other then tiny fry) The fish are generally bigger, and much faster than my turtles, and we provide and easier source of food for the turtles. We hand feed our turtles and our koi have got big enough now that they will budge in and push the turtles out of the way as we are trying to feed them. I'm sure the turtles get irritated, but I've never seen them bite at the koi.

 

[Nepen]

Thanks for all the replies that give me some hope. The one that's for sale is small turtle but I don't know what kind it is. May be should do some research about different turtles before I feed any turtle my fish . I wouldn't mind if it will eat some goldfish though, but I know I won't be able to just tell the turtle to stop eating my favorites ones lol.

I'll just settle for frogs and toad for now until, like JB, I have more land and money

 

[Ruben Miranda]

Hello
I have 8 red ear sliders with my fish.
I have had no real issue with them biting the bigger fish most of the time
The fish the turttles a side at feeding time. Lol
Problems
They will eat (if they catch them) fry or eggs.
If you have plants such as Lilly's or hyathias they will eat them.
Specifically as they get older or mature they eat more green then meat.

They are escape artist and very smart.
I would be a little concerned since your pond is that far off the ground
And the turttles gets out and falls and gets hurt or cracks his shell.

I know for sure I enjoy mine and have went to extremes to keep mine.

Ruben

 

[Nepen]

Thanks Ruben. That's a good point about them falling out from the pond edge and hurt themselves. More the reason to wait for when I have a better place for them...oh well, it's good for me to take this hobby slowly anyway

 

[Mmathis]

As you can tell by my name, I'm fascinated by turtles, but alas, not obsessed! I have box turtles, which are not aquatics, however, they do require a good water source. In fact, my entire pond was conceived because of and designed around their needs (what spoiled critters these are).

Have thought about adding an aquatic turtle, but not sure I'll ever go there. And it's not so much about losing fish, as it is about the turtles' safety. As was just mentioned by Ruben, turtles are escape artists -- climbers and diggers! It's their nature to want to roam. In my case, I would need to fence in the area around the pond to keep them safe from wildlife, traffic, and neighborhood kids if they were to get out. In your case, yes, falls could be fatal.

 

[dieselplower]

Every time I put a turtle into a pond the little bugger escapes!