Can Gold Fish Keep Turtle Tank Clean?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Some fish, like

Otocinclus catfish (“Oto's”) and Hypostomus plecostomus (“plecos” or “plecs”)

, can help keep the water clean by eating algae and scavenging for leftovers on the bottom of the tank.

Do goldfish eat turtles?

Can you put goldfish in a tank with turtles?

Can turtles live with ?

Turtles and goldfish are never a good mix up

. Even if your turtle doesn't eat the goldfish, it will certainly harm it. Goldfish are slow and clumsy fish, putting them in a tank with turtles will most likely end with the death of the fish.

Do turtles eat fish poop?

Turtles eat their own poop, older turtles' poop, and

sometimes, even fish poop

. The technical term for this act of eating feces is coprophagy. They usually resort to this behavior to consume healthy bacteria and leftover nutrients left in the poop.

Why is my turtle tank getting dirty so fast?


Dirty Tank Filter

Not cleaning your filter at least monthly (but preferably bi-weekly) may cause a buildup of waste and other organic material. This waste will sit in your filter and rot, which can fuel algae and a foul odor, as well as cloudy water.

Can goldfish hurt turtles?

Although often used as feeder fish, goldfish, in particular,

can be quite dangerous for your turtles to consume

, as they have spiny bones which can cause damage to your turtle's throat and intestinal system when eaten. As you know, turtles don't often swallow fish, particularly larger ones, whole.

Why did my turtle eat my fish?

First, the turtles are eating the fish

because fish are food, not friends

. Turtles are omnivores and fish make up part of their natural diet. There's absolutely nothing you can do to stop it other than separating them from each other. You cannot train turtles to treat food as anything but food.

Can a turtle drown?

Yes, absolutely. Although turtles can remain underwater for long periods of time, they cannot breathe underwater.

Under the right circumstances, turtles can drown

.

Can turtles eat dead goldfish?


Turtles and fish are always a bad mix

. Goldfish are dirty and turtles are dirtier. Fish cannot survive in an environment high in organic waste. Fortunately, turtles have cast iron guts and can eat just about anything.

What can turtles play with?

  • Shells – Turtles love playing with empty shells. …
  • Rafts – Your turtle will also love it if you put a small raft or other floating objects in their tank. …
  • Small kid toys – Any brightly colored kid's toy can be a fun turtle toy, as long as there aren't any parts that can come off easily.

Do turtles pee a lot?

Except for the situation mentioned above,

it's almost impossible to see a turtle pee

, and there are two good reasons for this. The first one is that turtles are really small, so they will have a bladder of appropriate size. So the quantity of pee that gets out is very small, which makes it very hard to see.

Is tap water safe for turtles?


Do not use tap water for your tank, as tap water contains chlorine and possibly fluoride which can upset the pH balance of your system

. De-chlorinated water needs to be used for the swimming area and filtered water for your turtle to drink.

Do turtles need rocks in their tank?

Gravel substrates are aesthetically pleasing, but they tend to trap waste and debris, which slowly pollute tank water. Excessive amounts of gravel exacerbate this problem.

Captive turtles may eat small gravel, so the best option is to provide a 1- to 3-inch layer of large, smooth stones in the bottom of the tank.

How do you wash a turtle?

Can you put an algae eater in a turtle tank?


It's not a good idea to put other living beings in a turtle tank

. To answer can algae eaters live with turtles, some owners have reported success with Plecos, Florida flag fish, Otocinclus, and Chinese algae eaters. However, you should know that no algae eater can be the perfect solution for your algae woes.

Can I put a cleaner fish in my turtle tank?

The one catch to keeping ghost shrimp in a turtle tank is that eventually, the turtles will eat them. The shrimp are pretty good at evading the turtles, but eventually they'll get caught off-guard and become turtle food. If that's not okay with you, then

you shouldn't use them

.

What can live with goldfish?

  1. Rosy Barb. Rosy barbs are colorful freshwater fish that do just fine in slightly cooler environments. …
  2. Platy Fish. Platies are another group-oriented species that do well as goldfish tank mates. …
  3. Bristlenose Pleco. …
  4. Hillstream Loach. …
  5. Hoplo Catfish. …
  6. Cherry Shrimp. …
  7. Banded Corydoras. …
  8. Mystery Snail.

Can turtles get sick from fish?

Fish also can be a good source of calcium for turtles, as long as they eat the entire fish, bones and all. However,

recently feeder fish have been implicated as carriers of parasites and bacteria that can infect the pet turtles that eat them

.

Can you put snails in a turtle tank?


Yes, you can add snail to your turtle tank

. Aside from being a nutritional source for your turtle, snails contribute to the hygienic upkeep of the tank. Snails eat leftovers from your turtle that would have contaminated the tank and even reduce your tank's algae content.

Do turtles need air?

TURTLE CONSERVATION


All turtles, like all living things, need clean air to breathe

. Aquatic turtles have more specialized needs— the water they live in must have specific qualities in order for them to survive, including an appropriate amount of dissolved oxygen for them to absorb.

Can turtles feel their shell?

Turtles are unable to remove their shells because they are connected to it by their spine. Because of this,

the spinal cords nerve endings run through the surface of the shell and give the turtle the ability to feel contact when something touches it

. This goes for all species of turtles!

How do turtles sleep in a tank?


Aquatic turtles usually sleep underwater, although some sleep on dry land (such as the basking platform)

. Keep in mind that turtles can breathe underwater when they're asleep and it's perfectly natural for them to sleep at the bottom of their tank.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.