Can Turtles And Fish Live In The Same Tank? [Brief Guide]

 As I was just relaxing one day and I had a thought. Can turtles and fish live in the same tank? I have owned a pet turtle for more than three years now and only one aquarium. I thought of getting some fishes too, but where would I put them? Would I get another aquarium or the one I had was enough?

For this reason, I had to find out more about fishes. I pretty much knew things to do with turtles. The research was to identify whether turtles and fish can live in the same tank. Here is what I found out.

Can turtles and fish live in the same tank?

Yes, but for them to leave in peace and harmony, some things such as the size of the aquarium, a hiding place for the fish, powerful filter and much more will have to be checked. Fishes are a good source of proteins, and for that reason, you will be endangering the lives of your fish. 

I would not recommend putting the two species together, especially for a beginner. It takes some knowledge and skills to ensure that they live together. I will explain the things that you should keep in mind on how to look after turtles and fishes in the same tank. Let’s start with the turtle species.

But Can Turtles Live With Fish?

There are some turtle species such as mud and musk turtles that can live with fishes in the same tank. Other species such as the red-eared slider and the painted turtles. These two species are skilled at hunting the fish in the water. With these two turtles, you will be condemning your fishes. Although they are good at hunting, some fishes are very sharp and fast. I think the two can survive in the same tank. Mud and musk turtle are not hunters. You will hardly see them chasing the fishes. These are the best turtles to keep in a tank that has fish in.

Can You Keep A Turtle In A Fish Tank?

Keeping a turtle in a fish tank is very possible. You will just have to check on a few things, do some research and you will be good to go. Some of the things to check are the size of the aquarium, the filtration system, fish hiding spots, turtle species, and the fish species. If you do everything correctly and get the things that are needed, keeping a fish and a turtle will not be a problem. Keep reading to find out everything that you will need to do to ensure that your fishes will survive in a turtle tank. SAVE THIS PIN to your Pinterest Turtle board for later!

Can You Put 2 Turtles In The Same Tank?

According to me, the answer is yes and no. This is because some factors determine whether the two turtles will be able to tolerate each other. These factors include the turtle species, the gender of the turtles, the age and size of the turtle. Most often, you will find that turtles that are of different species will result in fighting and hurting each other. Males species are known to be notorious and if both turtles are male, the case will be the same. Chaos. Two males and one female, the males will fight for the female. If one turtle is bigger than the other, he will end up bullying the little turtle. To ensure that there is peace, I would consider putting two mature turtles of the same species, gender, and age. I think they will get along well.

Will A Fish Filter Work For A Turtle?

A fish filter will work for a turtle. Turtles are survivors. By this, I mean that they can survive in a very disgusting environment. They emit so much waste and leave the places they live in very messy. On the other hand, fishes are brittle. They should be taken care of like eggs. They cannot survive in a dirty environment. This, therefore, calls for a potent filter that drains away all the dirt. For a fish to survive, the water should always be clean. I would say that a fish filter will very much work for a turtle.

What Are The Best Ways To Keep Turtles And Fish In The Same Tank?

Let me give you some tips that will come in very handy to help you keep turtles and fish in the same tank. The first thing you will need to do is to ensure that you have a large aquarium. A turtle by himself will need at least 50 gallons size in volume. This is for a 6-inch sized turtle. Adding some fish inside, you will need at least 90 gallons size in volume. With this, you can put some few fishes in.

Filtration system

The next thing to check is the filtration system. The filtration should be very powerful to ensure that it filters all the waste emitted by the turtle as well as the fish. 

A canister filter works pretty well. You will also need to ensure that your fishes have some hiding spots in the tank. This is because they cannot keep on running from the turtle. A time will come when they will get caught. They will need a hiding spot that the turtle cannot access, such as a hollow pipe, big rocks, and commercial hiding spots.

Check the turtle and the fish species

The last important thing that you should check is the turtle species and the fish species. Ensure that you get a fish and a turtle that are compatible. Compatible in the sense that the fish will be swift enough to escape and the turtle will not be as good as the red-eared slider in hunting. The fish species that can survive in a turtles’ tank are the tetra fish and the zebrafish. The turtle species are the mud and musk turtle. These species can survive together in the same identity.

How Can A Turtle Live In A Fish Tank? Turtle And Fish Aquarium Setup

A turtle can live in a fish tank by ensuring that the turtle species do not always hunt for fishes to satisfy their hunger. This can be done by getting the mud or musk turtle or getting a mature turtle. As the turtles grow old, they try to avoid proteins and embrace vegetables and fruits. You should also ensure that there is, filter to clean all the dirt in the tank. Ensure that there are hiding spots in the aquarium for the fishes to hide. Just ensure that you have enhanced the safety of both animals and the aquarium is clean always. Get the right fish also. The fish should be small, quick, intelligent, sharp and swift. With these traits, the chances of survival are huge. Also do not get fishes that can eat the turtle such as the piranha, catfish, lobster, and electric eels.

Can I Put A Fish And A Tortoise In The Same Tank?

I don’t think a tortoise and a fish can survive in the same tank because a tortoise is a land animal while a fish can only survive in water. A tortoise cannot swim as well as cannot breathe in water. For this reason, the two cannot survive in the same tank.

Can Turtles Live With Tropical Fish?

It would be challenging for a tropical fish to survive in a turtle tank. This is because tropical fish have large fins and tails, which makes them less swift and hence tricky to escape from the turtles.

Can Turtles Live With Goldfish?

No. the goldfish can grow to be larger than the turtle, and they emit a lot of waste. They also survive in temperature below the required temperature of the turtles.

Can Turtles Live With Koi Fish?

Koi fish and turtle can live together. The tank should be big to give them the required space. The only disadvantage is that this fish is costly. If they were caught by the turtle, you would feel the loss.

In conclusion, turtles and fish can live in the same tank with just the right conditions for both of them. 

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