Gatito

meesheely, how are your wee ones going?

Hey guys, am interested to hear what filters we all use for our turtle tanks, as i'm going to upgrade soon and would love some input. When I got my boy I bought an Aqua One H/O, as it doesn't take up space in the tank and it wasn't a good time to spend the money on a cannister. It's kept the water nice and clean, especially with the small water changes i do every day or two with his feeding, but it hasn't really been ideal - have attached a plastic sheet for the waterfall to run down so it's quieter, and had to extend the intake, as the filter sits up on the glass edge. However this isn't very pretty and these modifications have to be re-done every so often. I'm thinking that a cannister is a good idea, but would like to know what you are all using, how you're finding it (pros & cons etc), and any advice you can offer before i go and spend the money

evens gingernuts or shrewsberrys?

Thanks repto. Pinkish? Can you show me where on the pic? I can't see it and haven't noticed anything in person... He has a hutch - on sunny days he goes out in it on the grass with me while i read a book How warm should the heater be turned up to? if he's going to cuddle it i don't want to irritate his skin

Hey fishboi, i can't even see the evidence in the pic - what gives it away? When he arrived he looked just like this, and had small dots of light soft shell, which i thought was rot, which are getting better. Also in the last week or so his shell has been shedding - which are the dark sections you can see on the rim of his shell near the front in the first pic - each of the plates that shed has had a very thin flake slowly come off, leaving the black colour underneath. Omigod, is that shell rot? i assumed he was shedding shell... We have the reptile light, which he spends lots of time under, and the turtle block thing in the water, and nice expensive turtle sticks. This is a clearer pic of his shell - from maybe about a month ago. You can see the original bronzy colour of the plates before they each "shed", and also the tiny soft bits i was focussed on worrying about: HELP!! panicking now...

Lol i miss axies (mum bred them when i was a kid) Vegas' tank is nice and minimal - otherwise any stones get dug into, kicked into the water, then an attempt to swallow them is made. Too much trouble, and too much time to clean the shelf

yeah 'course. will have to get the tank looking tidier tho - i want a background to hide the cords outside the tank, and am waiting on some nice flat river stones for his shelf - he likes to eat anything smaller :roll:

I think it's horrible... I'm sure it's great for the aro tho... but does it have to be wee mousies? I've put little fish in my turtle tank before, so why is this making me sad - i think it's that the mouse is a mammal... :-?

Haha, i've only had my turtle a couple of months, and as it's been getting colder, today he finally got his tank heater. The whole tank hasn't warmed up yet, so.... He hasn't left it since it heated up, except to have a bask for a while, and whenever we come near the tank. Thought i'd share - it's always a celebration when my proud, sullen boy does something cute P.S. In the first pic he also looks decapitated. Clever boy

man, i want a firemouth now!!! :lol: Let's experiment... Put another heater in, so one at each end of the tank - then either let the tank cool a couple of degrees before turning the heaters on, so both lights are lit, or just have them both on to see how he feels about two red lights to keep an eye on

Haha, that would be interesting... Very cute

welcome!!!

I have a Jebo bowfront, 240L - I love it cos i got a good deal on TradeMe, and the stand/hood makes it look nice and schmancy . But i'd probably get a normal shape next time, just because for my next, bigger tank i'm going to want some serious length as well as width for my clown loaches - my 240L is 90cm long. The bowfront makes photos difficult, and if you're not looking straight-on there can be some distortion in the view, otherwise i'm very happy with it, and have had no problems with it at all, despite it being second hand. I suppose it just depends on cost, and what "look" you are after

Try playing some Barry Manilo or Elton John, and have some flowers delivered to the female, and let the male take credit 8) Setting up a candle-lit dinner next to the cave wouldn't hurt either :lol:

Thought i'd share a pic also Vegas and one of my kitties Odin:

subzer0, my turtle is almost never into carrot, but i'd like to try banana if he might like it. How do i give it to him? He's fed in a big bucket with tank water (combines a separate feeding area, and tank vacs/water changes, to keep my tank pretty), will floating banana in his tank make it mucky or should i give him pieces in his bucket when i feed him? Should i freeze it like his dinner, or keep it soft? A little info about my turtle, now that we have a new forum - my 12cm shell, red-ear slider Vegas doesn't like eating out-of-water, and i don't like stinky tank, so we have the turtle-in-a-bucket scheme. I premake his dinner by blending up ox-heart, peas, carrot and other veges, then making little 3cm x 2cm x just under 1cm thick packages, wrapping them in glad-wrap, and freezing them. At dinner time i take one of these and cut it into 6-8 pieces - he tends to be more keen when they're still frozen, as they float - he takes it to the bottom and works at it. The thawed bits sink and aren't as nice unless he catches them sinking past his face.

thanks everyone

Awesome, thanks guys!! Hmmmm, i think i'll go for gravel so it looks a bit prettier, use a hang-on filter, but leave the plants as i don't have a spare light at the moment... or have them in the sunroom as it's not too hot any more!! i like that plan... Cichlid7, how big is your breeding tank?

ooh, freakyfish was too quick for me..

i can now - nope, not a clown loach!!!!!! :lol: spangela you trickster!! just cos we can't see the photos... :lol: But he's pretty, never seen those markings before... I have not a clue - went to a site and searched by picture, no sign. Would be interested to find out though

Thanks Afrikan I'd love to see what their fry would look like Hmmm, may have to get my hands on a 2ft then, i only have small tanks sitting around... (tries to figure out how to sneak a new tank into house) Aside from lots of caves, anything specific? should i use a planted tank? gravel or barebottom? Would they eat algae if i got some growth before breeding? *resolves to google once i get home*

Hey guys, i've had my young krib pair for a wee while now, in my community tank. They shimmy for each other, the female does that weird bendy-sweepy movement with her tail, they guard the tunnel and seem dead keen, but my guess is that the comm. tank is too heavily stocked, which is why they aren't spawning. I'd like to give them their own tank and let them have a go at it, maybe with a baby BN or two to play clean-up crew. How big a tank should i set up? Any help in regard to either dimensions or volume would be very helpfull!!! Thanks!!

If it's a clown loach, be prepared to get a bigger tank for him as he grows 8) And he would be 2000% happier if you got him some friends

i can't see it, it's just a logo...