Murray River Turtle Basking Light

[wally3218]

Thank you Flaviemys purvisi , for your message and response, just one question how deep should the water be, the water in my tank is proximately 21.5 cm is that to deep, he sometimes struggles to climb onto the dock.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Unfortunately those tank designs aren't ideal for baby turtles as the dock takes up way too much space and it's at a fixed height meaning the water must be slightly higher than the dock itself.. I personally keep small turtles in water 10-15cm deep with floating docks. The only time I keep teeny tiny turtles in full aquariums is when they have sufficient surface plant material to rest amongst which yours does not.

 

[wally3218]

Thank you, Flaviemys purvisi I wish I had joined this forum before buying a turtle, it’s been a steep learning curve.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Thank you, Flaviemys purvisi I wish I had joined this forum before buying a turtle, it’s been a steep learning curve.

Man 98% of people buy turtles before knowing what they're getting into and yes it can be a costly exercise. It's not as simple as filling a glass box with water and buying some frozen dinners I can assure you... if you want your turtle to live more than 3 months anyway.

Did anyone happen to inform you at the point of purchase what your sweet little Murray will look like when it's all grown up?? Let me deliver you some confronting information... of all the captive Emydura sp available, the 2 LEAST suited for captive aquarium life are the Cooper creek turtle - Emydura macquarii emotti and the Murray River turtle - Emydura macquarii macquarii.
Here's what your little friend will turn into...


And it's subsequently why they've been dumped and introduced into every major waterway outside their natural range on the Eastern Seaboard hybridising with and thus destroying the genetic integrity of the Hunter River turtle, Clarence River turtle, Macleay River turtle, Brisbane River turtle, Krefft's river turtle, Cooper Creek turtle and they are also heavily impacting the Bellinger and Manning river snapping turtles (both of which are endangered.)

Who enabled and allowed this absolutely irreversible shambles to happen?? Those at the very forefront of Australian turtle conservation... the QLD and NSW Governments. Round of applause everyone.

 

[wally3218]

They only said that we would need a bigger tank in 12 months

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

They only said that we would need a bigger tank in 12 months

You got room for an 8 footer?

 

[outback]

Also wally3218 it's hard to see in the pics, but it does look like your turtles shell might be curving up on the edges which can be a sign of shell deformity caused by lack of UVB or calcium deficiency, I could be wrong though as it is hard to see in the pics. What do you feed the turtle and is calgrit present in the aquarium?

 

[wally3218]

I’ve been feeding the turtle juvenile pellets the shell hasn’t changed from the day I bought him/her. No calgrit only large pebbles that were suggested that I buy as the baby turtles could eat the small stones. I would like to change the pebbles for calgrit. But not sure on how to go about doing that as I don’t want to upset the biological filter now everything seems working.

Update after buying a ceramic heater and leaving it on all night, the turtle is now more active and scammers into the water as soon as I enter the shed or is already in the water eating the new plants that I’ve bought for him to hide behind when I go to check on him.

Thanks again to everyone’s help. Especially flaviemys purvisi for his advice and help.
[doublepost=1594606071,1594512535][/doublepost]Does anyone know where to buy calgrit in Victoria from

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Does anyone know where to buy calgrit in Victoria from

Amazing Amazon.
https://www.amazingamazon.com.au/catalogsearch/result/?cat=0&q=Calgrit

 

[wally3218]

Now that my turtle has grown bigger. I bought a 4 foot tank and am in the process of setting it up. Have installed a floating dock and am using calgrate as a substrate
I was wondering what‘s a good filter to use that I can buy. Am currently am using an 103F Aqua One Maxi Internal Filter.

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Aqua one Nautilus 2700 canister.

 

[wally3218]

Wow thanks Flaviemys for that but at $299 it’s way out of my price range

 

[Flaviemys purvisi]

Wow thanks Flaviemys for that but at $299 it’s way out of my price range

I'm not sure how to respond to this without hurting your feelings but the reality is if a one off purchase for an essential piece of captive turtle keeping equipment is way out of your price range than you probably shouldn't have gotten a turtle in the first place as they can live up to and over 80 years, factor in the ongoing costs of UVB lighting equipment, heating, food etc... $299 quickly seems like a small amount. A pissy little internal filter simply isn't ever going to cope with the bio load produced by the largest species of freshwater turtle and the fastest growing species commonly bred for rhe captive trade. Nor is your 4ft tank ever going to be big enough to house an adult Murray.

Ultimately this is what your turtle will become, (as previously mentioned)....whether you like it or not... this photo was taken when this Murray was 7 years old.