Can Fish and Turtles Live Together?

Both turtles and fish make great pets for your tank. You surely can keep fish and turtles together, but there are four factors that you must consider before adding them, as you don’t want them hurting each other.

Yes, fish and turtles can live together. However, you have to prepare the aquarium or fish tank accordingly. The aquarium or fish tank must be big with an efficient filter.

These factors are the compatibility of the species, their recommended tank size, tank conditions, and the tank’s filtration system. As mentioned above, there is no problem keeping both turtles and fish together in the same tank, but choosing the right size and species is essential. For example, a red-eared slider turtle is big, so it might try to eat other fish, especially if you keep them with small fish such as guppies.

Furthermore, you will also have to ensure that the tank and the filtration system can keep both the fish and turtles comfortable.

Can I Keep Fish and Turtles in the Same Aquarium?

Let’s look at these factors in further detail:

1. The Compatibility of the Species

Turtles are big in size, and most of them will chase the fish until they get a hold of them and eat them. If you keep small fish in your tank, you’ll notice that your fish are disappearing faster and faster because turtles are more likely to munch down quickly on small slow, moving fish in the tank. One piece of advice I can give is not to keep small fish with your turtle and make sure that the fish you are keeping are fast swimmers so that whenever they feel any trouble around them, they can quickly sprint from the spot.

To avoid this predator and prey act In your tank, you can accessorize your aquarium. You can keep lots of tank décor and plants. This will provide hiding spots for your fish, and they can hide from the turtle.

When buying fish from the fish store, do not buy a goldfish for your fish tank if you plan o keeping turtles in the same tank as well. This is because goldfish are slow swimmers, so they are easy targets for the turtle.

You can keep these fish with your turtle:

• Algae eaters
• Neon tetras
• Peppered corydoras
• Zebra danios
• Golden barbs
• Corydoras
• Cherry barbs

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2. Tank Size

The tank size is another important factor that you must keep in mind when housing both fish and turtle together; only then will you be able to ensure a comfortable living space for your fish and turtle. Along with the appropriate tank size, you’ll also have to keep an eye on the filter.

Keeping fish with turtles does not mean you can stock as many as possible, and there is a number to keeping how much fish. If you go overboard with the stocking, then your turtle will become stressed and overwhelmed if a school of fish swimming everywhere surrounds it.

Having the appropriate tank size is also very important. If your turtle is six inches in size, then you’ll need a 30-gallon tank to keep it. If the size of the turtle is anywhere between six to eight inches, then a 55-gallon tank is good. And if your turtle is larger than eight inches, then it needs a tank that is at least 75 gallons.

3. The Aquarium Conditions

The tank condition should also meet the requirement of the fish and the turtle. Be sure to keep the right temperature and ph levels of the water. Most tropical fish need a temperature between 75 to 80 degrees F. turtles prefer their water between 75 and 86 degrees F. The pH levels should be maintained between 5.5 and 7.5 for your freshwater fish and 8 or higher if you have saltwater fish.

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4. The Filter System

Fish and turtles are both living creatures, and just lay any other living creature, they produce waste as well. So a more powerful filter is a must. Most aquarists commonly use submersible filters, but these are small, and they may need help to remove the waste.

I use and recommend using a canister filter for your tank; not only will it take less place as they are attached to the outside of the tank, but these filters clean the waste in stages and do an excellent job of cleaning the tank.

The Bottom Line on Can Fish and Turtles Live Together?

Fish that are fast swimmers will do best with turtles. Make sure to provide your fish with plenty of hiding places so that they can stay away from the threat. If you keep everything as mentioned above, then your pet turtle will surely not eat your fish, and you can keep both of these together.