Turtles hunting

[bump73]

Noticed some weird behaviour in my turtles over the past couple of nights...

As soon as it's dark outside the turtles move to underneath the UV flouro light and go into hunting mode. If my window is open moths and all other insects come in for the light and inevidably end up in the water where the turts pounce on them They even try and take the larger moths in mid air. :lol:

They spend about 2 hours a night doing this and the tank ends up with moth bits everywhere. Anyone else got turts that hunt like this???

And is this a problem for them ??

I'll try and get some pics tonight or tomorrow

Ben

 

[pedro]

Sounds perfectly natural to me.

 

[Radar]

Thats awsome, we used to hang a fluro leadlight over our old pond for the same reason, we also had a few archerfish (the ones that could outswim and outmanouver the turtles) that would have a field day.

 

[PilbaraPythons]

rednut
Do you know how big archer fish get to ? I was thinking I would like to see some of those in my pond .

Cheers Dave

 

[Radar]

rednut
Do you know how big archer fish get to ? I was thinking I would like to see some of those in my pond .

Cheers Dave

I've seen some at Lawn Hill National Park at around 20cm, but that seems to be the really big end of things. 10cm is a nice size, pretty average from what I've seen, appears to sort of the 'peak' of the curve, but I'd say if fed up and given a while they'd have no trouble getting to 18-20cm. Actually got a photo of one thats jumped out of the water and latched onto my fingers (I was teasing it, it was spitting water everywhere, lol), but its not a digital, so I cant stick it up -its a really cool shot.

 

[$NaKe PiMp]

your turtles are displaying a natural feeding response,and they
prob have fun in the process

 

[PilbaraPythons]

Thanks for that, I will see if I can buy some.

Cheers Dave

 

[cris]

Yeah sounds like a good way to give them a nice feed. I also used to do this in my pond but i doubt the turtles got any because i also had archers. The common species of archer fish gets up to 400mm and there are a few other smaller species too. Great for for a pond as you can see them easily and watch them shoot stuff(also awesome in a tank with room for bugs to fly and a decent lid).

I also currently feed my frogs using a similar method.

 

[Radar]

yeah chris, your right (just looked it up, lol): Seven spots archer fish get to 45cm, Mangrove archers to 20cm, and theres probably a few others as well.

 

[Magpie]

I've caught archerfish to about 30-35cm in the saltwater creeks.

 

[Radar]

I've caught archerfish to about 30-35cm in the saltwater creeks.

Well don't blame me, blame the QLD museum, lol, its their book. :lol:

 

[Tsubakai]

I have feeder fish in the turtle tank. During the day the turts completely ignore the fish but at night (with a small blue led) they go into full on hunting mode. They don't catch many but it gives them something to do.

 

[Spinipes]

on day we put 10 feeder fish in, the next morning all gone!