turtle ate all our fish

We set up a fish tank for my son. It had 3 mickey mouse fish (I don't kno the exact name) and 2 silver sharks. Well... my other stepson moved out. He left his minI turtle. So I put it in the tank with our fish so he wasn't lonely. He gets fed a lot. Even tho he his so tiny. After about 2 weeks of him being in there... all fish are dead eccept one. This turtle ate all of them. What can I put in there with him? That's if I decide to get any more fish. And why did he eat all of them? He is also shedding...does that make them xtra hungry like having some of of growth spurt? I never knew a tiny turtle could eat so much....fish!!!

 

Yeah... turtle+fish= snack time. Depending on what kind of turtle you have, the most you could do is get another turtle. I wouldn't put any fish with him unless you've got a really good sized tank and a lot, and I mean A LOT, of hiding places, plants, caves and such. But over all I wouldn't risk it. And those were probably mickey mouse platies.

 

I have kept ghost shrimp with aquatic turtles before. They will get eaten, but they are quick and hard to see so they will last a while. If you start with a good amount they may last long enough to breed. If they do get eaten they are a healthy snack for the turtle. Ghost shrimp are very cheap so not breaking the bank, locally they are about $0.25 each. You could also try some guppies as well. They are livebearers and will reproduce quickly, which means the turtle will have a hard time eating them before the next generation comes along.

What size tank is this for? Do you have a basking spot for the turtle? Turtles need a lot of special care. They need a special light to bask in so they get the right vitamins needed for bone/shell growth. Also, take some time and fill in your profile so we can better help you out and know what you are dealing with.

 

Welcome to FishLore!

I see from your aquarium profile that you are not aware of the nitrogen cycle. Please read up on it (words should be link to article about it). Once you have an understanding of the cycle the next question will make more sense.

Is it possible that the Mickey Mouse (platty's) died from ammonia exposure and then the turtle ate them?

 

I just want to add, there's no such thing as a minI turtle...

 

I just want to add, there's no such thing as a minI turtle...

yes as the turtle will soon grow

 

Most likely it is a red eared slider which are commonly sold as small babies, they grow to be over a foot long and need at least 100 gallon tanks if not more like a pond.