turtle docks ?

[SuzyA]

Hi having seen the pics of wicked reptiles tank just have a question for turtle owners.

When I had turtles before I had them in small tanks with the glass shelf. I see now that you can get these removable docks.

Are they good and do you recommend them. I am trying to find out so I can either get a glass shelf fitted to my larger aquarium or else will go and buy one of these docks.

Also what are peoples thoughts on turtles sharing with fish. Do they go alright together and if so which fish are they ok with.

Any help will be appreciated. I am hoping to be able to get a turtle in the next few weeks.

Sue

 

[sxc_celly]

Hey there. Ive got 2 baby short necks in a 4ft tanks. Ive got 2 small turtle docks (1 at each end). I reccommend them. My 2 little ones rest on them all the time and love them. You don thave to modify anything and theyre removeable, A++ lol

 

[cris]

sorry i cant read your post can you make the font any larger

IMO a floating thingo like you can get from Universal Rocks(latex type rock making ppl). they make these floating pot plant holders that are far better than a fixed dock that requires a set water level. they also look alot better and dont wreck the tank for other uses.

As for the fish it depends on the turtles alot as to what will survive. With short necks most healthy normal(no weirdo goldfish morphs) fish will be fine provided they have plenty of space and shelter to get away from the turtles. If they do get eaten(unlikely) they make good food anyway

 

[Strange1]

Id recommend staying away from goldfish, they add a HUGE bioload to a fishtank and with turtles you really dont want to do that. I have always keps natives with my turtles. Bass, silver perch, golden perch, tandaus and golden tailed cats have all been fine for me

 

[Ristof]

Id recommend staying away from goldfish, they add a HUGE bioload to a fishtank and with turtles you really dont want to do that. I have always keps natives with my turtles. Bass, silver perch, golden perch, tandaus and golden tailed cats have all been fine for me

I have kept gold fish with mine - Some of them where a bit small and got eaten
I ended up getting 2 large goldfish - about 15cm each. They were fine in the tank and acually made the tank cleaner then without them. I found that they would clean up after the turtles

The ledge that I have at home that I no longer use has 4 sucken caps - 2 top and 2 bottom.
The ledge itself isn't connected to the tank but goes up and down as the water level does

 

[ex1dic]

get feeder fish, who cares if the turt eats them then?

 

[Ristof]

I would say the turtles would - get the fish big enough and they should be fine
Just don't get fish that move really slow - they still need some speed about them

 

[Tatelina]

Id recommend staying away from goldfish, they add a HUGE bioload to a fishtank and with turtles you really dont want to do that. I have always keps natives with my turtles. Bass, silver perch, golden perch, tandaus and golden tailed cats have all been fine for me

What a good idea! where did you get your native fish from? Do they have a different diet to pet fish? How bigs your tank?


When I get my turtle I'm going to get the adjustable docks...put them at an angle and one higher then the other, and even if water evaporates they will still have somewhere to rest.

 

[cris]

Most good petshops sell natives, many will only eat live or meaty foods and need to be weaned onto pellets or flakes. I have kept various rainbows, eels(great pet fish), eel tail catfish, sleepy cod, murray cod, yellow belly(golden perch), barra, banded grunters(these are cool), spangled grunters/perch, purple spotted gudgeons and various other gudgeons, feshwater mullet, bream, swordtails, bug eyed gobies and more that i cant think off with turtles and i never had any unexpected losses. Ideally a fish that is intended to survive should be around the same length of the turtle but with short necks smaller is also fine. Bigger fish could potentially harm turtle when feeding.

Most off my fish were wild caught except those that have size limits and obviously i bought them because i have a lot of respect for fishing laws

 

[Tatelina]

Most good petshops sell natives, many will only eat live or meaty foods and need to be weaned onto pellets or flakes. I have kept various rainbows, eels(great pet fish), eel tail catfish, sleepy cod, murray cod, yellow belly(golden perch), barra, banded grunters(these are cool), spangled grunters/perch, purple spotted gudgeons and various other gudgeons, feshwater mullet, bream, swordtails, bug eyed gobies and more that i cant think off with turtles and i never had any unexpected losses. Ideally a fish that is intended to survive should be around the same length of the turtle but with short necks smaller is also fine. Bigger fish could potentially harm turtle when feeding.

Most off my fish were wild caught except those that have size limits and obviously i bought them because i have a lot of respect for fishing laws

thanks for that. Hmmm I wonder where and if I can get any from somewhere in Sydney..

 

[Strange1]

If your out in western Sydney then St Mary's pet's, Wet and Dry pets, Central pets all have some natives

All of mine eat pellets (and have done since purchase) but they also get fed worms aswell

 

[hornet]

cris, what are good fish shops that sell native in bris? i might catch up with you next time i come down and you can show me round, i want some natives such as archerfish, bullrout and different grunters

 

[cris]

Oh yeah ive kept archers too, Westside pets usually has some natives sometimes more and sometimes less. Pet city would probably have the best range of all fishshops in bris. Availabilty seems to vary alot and grunters and bullrout dont seem to be very common. Archer fish seem reasonalby common but only available occasionally and they can be expensive($15-$50 for small ones). It might be an idea to look in the phone book and ring around most petshops should be able to get stuff in for you(at a price). If i were you i would try to find somewhere as close as possible to buy them, to minimise chances of death and stress caused by transport.

I prefer to catch my own fish as they are often alot healthier and generally you can get a greater variety. You often end up finding things you have never seen before and arnt available in shops. Its also alot cheaper

While on the subject of native fish does anyone know of any native fish forums?

sorry for the partial hijack

 

[Reptizzle]

Tatelina where abouts in sydney are you from? StGeorge Aquariums has an excellent range of Aussie natives most of the time.

I got a murray cod from there a few months ago.. it was only a small thing about 10cm.. but it has grown so fast... now it eats all the turtles food before they even get a chance (now i have to give it a mouse to eat before i feed my turtles!) its also started "hunting" my littlest turtle... think it might be time to move to a new tank

 

[Reptizzle]

also with the dock issue i like the "natural look" so stay well away from glass ledges or floating docks