Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just set up a new 30 gallon tank for my 2 red ear sliders. Can they live with other living thing without swallow them? such as fish, frog, mini lobster etc. thanks!

I wish I had an answer too. But I sorta have the same issue as you. I guess it sort of depends on how big your turtles are, if they're small, there is a smaller chance something bad would happen in the next...o, maybe week? lol. Also, plants aren't a good idea either. My two small turtles can eat about a cup of duckweed in less than 10 minutes. lol good luck!

The short answer is NO. RES's eat everything they can catch, definitely including slow goldfish, frogs and shrimp, and of course plants. Best bet if you want some biological diversity is feeder guppies---they will eat some and not be able to catch others, and the guppies will reproduce as fast as they get eaten.

how big are ur turtles?

You know-if this gets read-you can add a whole lot to a tank with res's! I have, many a time. Here are some "tank mates."

Gold fish, preferrably comet goldfish.
Snails
Bullfrogs
Minnows
Blue gill/bullheads
Oscars
Map turtles

You have to, however, provide all of these animals a place to hide, or to escape, the route for the bf being land. Res's sleep at night. Bf's are nocturnal.

The gold fish will grow with a heater and soon outsize the res's.

Minows are too fast.

Snails aren't all that tasty.

Oscars, bluegills and bullheads are all too strong.

Map turtles are great swimmers.

Try these and see. I've successfully had this kind of setup with such creatures for many years.

I had sucess with bullhead catfish which are to fast

and now i have a 9 inch black crappie swimming around with them.

My turtles are 5 and 6 inches. Never had luck with shinners, it was a massacre.