General Care Discussion :: Some questions

[Zombiehead]

I tried posting these questions before and I've been looking through previous posts but I can't find answers.
1. How do you vary the diet? He won't eat floating sticks or those little pods of turtle chow. He just wants dried fish or chunks of meat (e.g. chicken). He won't eat lettuce or any greens.
2. Should he have darkness at night? If we leave the light on he basks, and since he has a white discoloration on his shell which looks like bacterial infection, I know he needs light.
3. Should I take him out and let him walk around the floor? The previous owner did.
4. What other critters can share the tank that could help to clean it? I know he would eat snails. There are some large goldfish in there and some smaller ones he didn't eat. Would he attack a large pleicostimus?
5. looking at your pictures, it seems not all of these sliders have red on their heads. Ours doesn't. Is he actually a slider?

Thanks for anything you can tell me.

[steve]

1 - if he is healthy, try some tough love. some people use the jello-shot recipe and slow introduce veggies that way. Aquatic plants are worth a shot, if anything they can add decoration to the tank. I'd recommend a veggie clip for a reluctant RES.

2 - yes, they sleep at night, when it's dark. you need to correctly identify the white stuff so you can offer the correct treatment.

3 - not necessary. he should have a comfortable basking area. some people do make an effort to take their RES outdoors (properly supervised, escape proof, predator proof)

4 - they'll attack anything big or small. i'd exclude those from the tank.

5 - many don't. males will become darker and greyer as they get older. it's possible he's not, we need pictures to help visualize.

[Zombiehead]

I had a hard drive crash, so now I'm back. Expect to get pictures up this weekend. Thanks for your replies!

[TravisL]

I've had many fish with my turtle. Most without issue
Have 2 peacock eels atm. They eat blood worms so have to remove the turtle to feed them. The turtle doesn't bother them and they hide a lot.
Ghost shrimp can often evade the turtle but sooner or later the turtle will get them.
Chiclids have worked pretty good with my turtle but often the cichlids end up getting aggressive towards the turtle instead of the turtle getting them.
Small quick fish work but sooner or later become food.