Will these fish get along with my others, and how many can I have in my tank?

I acquired a red eared slider (about 4") about a month and a half ago by chance. It wasn't being properly cared for, so I basically saved it's life. He has a 40 gal tank with a water filter rated for 70 gallons. I got him some feeder goldfish at the time I rescued him, and most of them are still swimming around happily eating scraps getting zero attention from the turtle.

I started seeing brown algae on the sides and socks at the bottom of the aquarium... And I figured since the goldfish haven't been killed or eaten that other fish would survive in there too.

I added some anacharis, money wort, and a moss ball to help filter the water and use up nutrients. I also added two small chinese algae eaters (about 1"-2" long). Then two green cory catfish (about 2" long each), a common placo (about 3"-4" long), three apple/mystery snails that are about 3 times the size of my turtles head. The turtle has not touched any of my new friends, so I want to turn it into a full fish community with several types of fish and a turtle.

This is my first aquarium, unless you count a gold fish I had several years ago.

I plan on getting at least 4 more corys because they like to school, and I also plan on getting more plants and things for the fish to hide in or behind.

I am considering getting some zebra danio's (6+), a couple sword tails, platys (5+), and a rainbow shark. I would add the rainbow shark last so that he doesn't see the new fish as outsiders.

How many fish could I add to the aquarium without it being over crowded? Would the fish I have in mind be a good fit for my tank? Are there any other types of fish that would be a good fit for my community?

Any tips/knowledge would be appreciated.

I am aware that my turtle may kill my fish, but since he doesn't seem to notice that there are other things living in his tank, I think the odds are tipped toward the fish surviving.

 

I wouldn't get any more fish. The goldfish are probably just too big for the turtle to eat currently. Red eared sliders get to be about 10-12 inches long as adults and need really large tanks or wet tub/dry tub setups. I'm glad you rescued the turtle! But he really will eat those fish when he gets bigger and it's not worth the risk.

 

Here's a generic aquatic turtle care guide from a well renowned exotic vet.


I should add that I've heard people say that eating feeder fish that are ill can also make the turtle sick. So if you're going to feed it fish snacks I would quarantine them. Additionally make sure you have a UVB and basking lamp and a place where they can get out of the water (like a turtle dock, preferably under the basking lamp). I think the rest of your setup sounds good though (minus the fish).

 

I have a uva/uvb bulb abd a heat lamp over his basking spot which is like 12"x20" and floats on the surface with a ramp for him to get on it. The feeder fish are tiny, he could easily bite one into 3 pieces. When the turtle gets bigger, I'm going to buy a bigger tank and then I'll have this 40 gallon one to keep the fish in. I think having the fish are worth the risk as long as the turtle is not going to be harmed by eating them. the only thing I know can harm him is the pleco, but the success of a red eared slider/pleco combo seems to depend on the turtle, and the turtle doesn't seem to acknowledge that any of the fish exist, so to me it is worth the risk to have fish in there. If I notice that the fish are being harmed, then I'll buy a new aquarium

 

The red ear slider needs much more space. I recommend buying a plastic container or starting a pond. It's great you rescued him but now you need to give him a better life not one where he will grow stunted, live in poor water conditions and unhappy.

You need to stop feeding him feeder fish. They are TERRIBLE for turtles. Feeder fish have enzymes in them that prevent the turtles from producing vitamins and calcium. If they are fed to turtles too long you can cause them kidney and liver failure.

Remember he will need about 125 gallons of space. A UVB basking area too.

Do not add any more fish. RES eat all fish or tear them up and it makes them sick as I already explained. Adding fish also wears on the bio-load which the RES is already too big for.

My red ear slider is 8", around 30 years old, they will get about 10-12" in their lifetime.

 

If you're willing to risk it then that's fine. Just keep in mind that any of your fish could become snacks at any time. Plus what I said about certain pathogens possibly transferring from the fish to the turtle.

I agree with AshWolFF though about not keeping fish with them. I do think it's okay to keep the turtle in a 40 gallon tank until it gets to big for that but AshWolFF knows more than I do since he actually has one.

 

You need to stop feeding him feeder fish.

I bought him feeder fish once, a month and a half ago, and most of them are still there. I wasn't really planning on getting more of them since he doesn't eat the ones he has, nor was I planning on making fish his primary diet. He tears up his pellets and the greens I give him though

 

two chinese algae eaters (about 2"-3" long). two green cory catfish (about 2" long each), a common placo (about 3"-4" long), 4 goldfish about an inch long each, and the water is 3" below the top black lip of the aquarium

 

I'll lie out the tank sizes you'll need for those fish:

The Chinese Algae Eaters will hurt each other when adults, they can get 12", and will harm the goldfish by sucking the slime coat off them.

Common Pleco's can easily get 2-3 feet in length, a 100 gallon or more aquarium is necessary, like goldfish they need ponds.

Goldfish should not be with the tropical fish, commons will need 75 gallons each for one, right now 4 would need a huge pond.

 

I'll lie out the tank sizes you'll need for those fish:

The Chinese Algae Eaters will hurt each other when adults, they can get 12", and will harm the goldfish by sucking the slime coat off them.

Common Pleco's can easily get 2-3 feet in length, a 100 gallon or more aquarium is necessary, like goldfish they need ponds.

Goldfish should not be with the tropical fish, commons will need 75 gallons each for one, right now 4 would need a huge pond.

I always tell people in the store not to get CAEs for that reason but then they look at me like I've grown two heads.

I definitely agree with AshwolFF about the sizes he's listed for these fish. The cories can live in a 20gL minimum.

 

I wasn't exactly planning on the goldfish, what would you have me do with them?

And I'll need a 120+ gallon tank for the turtle, that'll be the next tank Size I buy. or I can buy a 70 gallon tank for the turtle, then a 150 gallon tank for him when he outgrows the 70 gallon. That'll leave me with a 40 gallon tank and 70 gallon tank for fish, and if he still gets along with the placo, then the placo can be roommates with the turtle. I know the Chinese algae eaters get big, and don't get along as adults. I only got 2 of them cause I was assuming the turtle would kill them, then I got the other fish to help clean up the tank and I really like having them there.

Those size tanks that you listed, Ash, are those the sizes I need now, or is it going to take a few months for the fish to become that large?

Because I have no intention of making a worse life for my turtle, the 40 gallon tank was a quick fix, and me following the rule of thumb of 10 gallons per inch of turtle. he was in a 10 gallon one when I got him.

 

I wouldn't keep them in there long at all. You are seriously straining the bio-load and if you see signs of ammonia I'd upgrade asap.

Goldfish you can easily give them away, petstores take them for in store credit, you can ask your local pond or gardens if they want healthy free fish.

Pleco's grow rapidly. Once he hits the 5" range it's time to move him out. If you do not see him growing or showing signs of growing time to get him a larger tank.

Unfortunately people have the thought that Pleco's and CAE's clean up tanks. These fish create more bio-load then what they actually clean up. No fish eats feces. I don't think any creature eats feces other than rabbits...which I digress...I would really rehome those CAE's too as they'll be troublesome in the future.

 

As of right now, is the space over crowded? Will it be over crowed when I remove the turtle for a bigger tank?

 

I can get a 70-75 gallon tank for the turtle pretty soon, and I can also move some fish into the 10 gallon tank that I have. Thanks for the pet store info! I used to give gerbils to the local pet stores, but I didn't know they'd take fish... I guess it's just that they don't take fish once they're huge.

The pleco and algae eaters are putting a hurting on the algae, and the corys are doing a good job of cleaning up the turtle leftovers, and I know they add to the waste.

I was hoping that my 70 gallon fluval filter with the ammonia removers would do the trick for now

 

Unfortunately people have the thought that Pleco's and CAE's clean up tanks. These fish create more bio-load then what they actually clean up. No fish eats feces. I don't think any creature eats feces other than rabbits...which I digress...I would really rehome those CAE's too as they'll be troublesome in the future.

Actually rats and mice eat feces too. (I used to have a pet rat and observed this apparently there are enzymes and such that rodents get from eating their own feces).

But I digress, cymbriI I think your tank is currently overstocked and if I were you I would try to rehome most of those fish (unless of course you don't mind having multiple large tanks in the house in which case ignore what follows). Where did you get them, and when? If you got them from a chain store odds are they have a guarantee on them. For example I know PetSmart will take fish back within 14 days with a receipt. If you don't have the receipt you can try to talk them into taking them back for store credit.

 

I wouldn't put any of the fish you have into a 10 gallon even temporarily it'll just be waaaaay too small for them.

 

I could return some of them if I wanted, but I won't mind having multiple large tanks in the future, and I like my fishes.... I can get a 70-75 tank for the turtle in the next month, but then would my current fish be ok in 40 gallons? I can't have several huge tanks now, I don't have the space, but I will have the space in the next year when I have a bigger place.

 

adding

I would get rid of:

CAE's
Goldfish
Pleco - This is your choice but he does need a big aquarium. He can be housed with the turtle.

The 40 gallon:

Can have a large school of cory catfish, 2 schools of middle dwellers, a centerpiece fish, and a couple of small livebearers just for you to get the picture.

EDIT: The algae will go away once you get rid of all that bio-load. Algae feeds off the massive fish feces that are being produced in the aquarium. After the tank is properly stocked and running well you can kill the rest off with live plants which take out the nutrients algae will need or use some elbow grease and a scrubber.

 

I'll get rid of the goldfish no problem. The algae was there with just the 4 tiny goldies and the turtle... I just kind of assumed that I was leaving the uv light on for too many hours each day.

The plecos cool, I like him. Could a big pleco be housed with a big CAE, or will the CAE be aggressive toward the pleco? I'll get rid of one of the CAEs for sure, the second depends on if I can keep it with the pleco, turtle, and other fish or not

 

as a quick fix until I get a larger tank, could adding another water filter help? I'll need one rated 100+ gallons for a 70 gallon tank. Could the two of those (so 70 gal filter + 100 gal filter) at least keep the fish happy until I remove the turtle?

 

I would get rid of the pleco, and the CAEs as well. As AshWolFF said the common pleco needs a really large tank and sooner rather than later. If you keep the 40 gallon for fish there are a few smaller species of plecos that can live in that size tank. The clown pleco comes to mind as I may be getting one of these for my 34g tank.

 

I'm keeping the pleco, he's not going to explode in the month it'll take for me to get a 75 gal tank.

Also, I just confirmed that a 250gal aquarium is in storage (I thought it had been sold) that I can get if I need it. The problem now is space, which will be fixed as soon as I move.

So I can get a 75 gallon tank in about two weeks to a month, or longer if I can hold off and a 250 gallon tank whenever I move.

I understand that idiots buy fish and other pets that get too big and don't care for them properly or throw them in a lake or something. I am not that kind of idiot, I'm some other kind.

So I can understand you guys telling me to get rid of pets that you do not think I will care for properly.

With the goldfish gone... and I didn't know that the CAEs would be so aggressive toward other fish, I was only advised that they would be aggressive toward each other when they were older, and didn't think they'd live. So I'll return them

that'll leave me with 2 cory cafish a turtle and a pleco so I hope to keep them in the 40 gallon tank until I move, if they will be ok

 

I for one think it will for the time being. Lord knows stranger combo's than this this have worked before. :shock:

 

I think that keeping the pleco with the cories in the 40 gallon could work for a very short time. If you're planning on moving and you have access to that huge tank; what I would do is put the turtle in the 250g and put the fish in the 75g. Also you would be surprised how big plecos can grow in a month. I had one when I was 13 in a 5 gallon tank (I know, I know beginner's mistake I returned it) that got to be 8 inches in a 2 months and that was in a 5 gallon.

 

So I got rid of the pleco, I might get a brittlenose in the near future. in my 40 gallon tank I now have the turtle, 5 emerald cory cats, 4 zebra denios, a red tailed shark, 2 ghost shrimp, and 2 apple/mystery snails.

I bought a 75 gallon tank, and that will be fitted with Lee's 70/90 Undrgravel Filter 18-Inch by 48-Inch. Once I get that filter, I will move my fish. It will use the 70 gallon off the tank filter that I have for the time being (I can use some current tank water and rocks to help with the cycling, there's also sufficient bacteria in my old filter). then I will be getting a the Penn Plax Cascade 1200 GPH Canister which will be rated for 150 gallons. I will then have a spare 40 gallon tank with a spare 70 gallon on the tank filter in case my turtle gets too interested in my fish, I can separate them.

I should have room and bio-capaciy for a few more fish at that point