Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had my (4 inch) RES since November of last year in a 25 gallon rubbermade container with a heat lamp and a UV lamp, a filter and a basking area. This was only intended to be a short term (quarrantine) situation. He currently eats two types of turtle pellets, shrimp, and gut loaded and dusted crickets. I have yet to get him to eat any vegetables of any kind. He occasionally bites the carrots I put in there, but won't eat them. I have even tried taking out of the water to feed him salad type stuff. NOTHING...

My actual question is... We have two possible tank upgrade situations available... One is a 65G wide tank that is currently habitated by an oversized Midas Cichlid. (Foot long and several lbs) The other is a 55 long, that is full of smaller sized fish and a monster pleco. I've heard you can put turtles in with your fish, but I don't know that... The turtle is very mild tempered and I don't think very aggressive where it would eat the larger of my husband's fish but who knows? I am open for suggestions.

I am hoping this will just be a winter situation and plan on putting a kiddy pool on the back deck for him in the Summer months.

Turtles can't eat out of the water, so if you want to feed him salad you have to toss it in the water.

Turtles eat fish. They will even attack fish that are larger than they are, and it is not a pretty sight. My turtles were hatchlings when they tore apart a 4 inch goldfish alive, it was horrible. Sometimes they will ignore a fish for a long time, and then suddenly it will disappear. I would be leery about putting a turtle in with a huge fish, I would imagine that would be terrifying to him.
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A mans got to do what a mans got to do. A woman has to do what he can't.

Mom to:

1 little boy born 7/19/04
2 male RES, born 1999
1 ribbon snake, age unknown
3 FBT, ages unknown
1 female bearded dragon, born 5/2002
1 male lab mix, born 5/24/03
1 female calico cat, born 6/7/04

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sig file edited 1/29/05 [phw]

turtles and fish should not be kept together.
tht mild mannered wild animal will try to eat the smaller ones or tht midas cichlid might try to eat him!

get another tank, if it's a girl you'll be needing a HUGE tank or a pond.

I don't know about fish, but I successfully hibernated my 3 2.5 year old red-eared sliders in their very large wading pool by putting a livestock water heater in their pool.

Just a thought in case you'd rather not deal with cleaning an indoor tank all winter.

I guess it would depend on your climate. I'm in Oklahoma and mine would come up and bask on mild winter days, eat a little, but would spend the cold days at the bottom of the pool.
I dumped the water and put in fresh water 3-4 times, on warmer days.