Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:43 pm
This is about goldfish, but it sounds like it could apply to turtles, too.
"That said, it is a myth that a goldfish will grow only to the size of their tank. If a goldfish is kept in a small tank, fed only a small amount once daily, and the water changed regularly, it will grow only very slowly and may live for several years, reaching a maximum size of maybe eight to ten centimetres. It is true that the growth of a goldfish may be somewhat stunted in a small tank - a high nitrate level is known to stunt growth - but growth is slowed, not stopped altogether. However, if fed too much, or if kept in a tank that is not sufficiently filtered or maintained, a goldfish will simply grow to the point where its tank will not support its wastes and will succumb either to poisoning as a result of waste build-up or to disease caused by poor water quality. "