Turtle Keeping - Aquarium

One of the first things to consider when turtleNo. Sunlight is great for basking, which turtles need to
keeping is what kind and size of aquarium to get.do to control their body temperature, but usually
Aquariums are a beautiful piece of decor for a house,sunlight is not ideal for getting the UVB light that
office, hotel, or restaurant. Having had multipleturtles need. This is because the glass of the
aquariums, I know the joy of creating and maintainingaquarium blocks the most important wavelengths of
little worlds for pets that provide unique insight intolight. If desired, sunlight can be completely avoided by
nature and existence. Turtles are probably the mostusing UVB bulbs, as well as a regular incandescent
mysterious and ancient animals that can be kept inbulb for basking. This way your aquarium will not
aquariums. Turtles are very different from fish, andneed to be by a window.
even from other reptiles like snakes or lizards. TurtleWhy does the tank get so dirty?
keeping is a unique experience among petThe first thing you'll learn in turtle keeping is that
enthusiasts. A beautiful turtle aquarium is impressiveturtles are messy eaters! Try feeding the turtle in a
and educational for guests and children.separate feeding hub, this will greatly reduce the rate
But we all know what a dirty and poorly keptat which your main tank gets dirty.
aquarium looks like too...How much should be water and how much should be
The most important thing to consider when startingland in my aquarium?
out turtle keeping is the aquarium. Here are someThis is a great question. With most popular aquatic
FAQ about turtle aquariums:turtles like Red-Eared Sliders, it's more important to
How big should a turtle aquarium be?have adequate swimming space. The turtle MUST be
The absolute minimum size for a turtle aquarium is 50able to swim and turn around while fully submerged.
gallons. Some would say that this is still too small. YouLand areas are used for basking and are necessary,
have to make sure you have enough room in yourbut do not need to be huge, as the turtle will spend
house to accommodate this size of aquarium.a lot of time in the water.
Another rule of thumb is 10 gallons per 1 inch of shellThese are all important things to consider when
at adulthood.setting up your first aquarium. To get more detailed
Do I need a filter to keep a turtle?answers and information proper turtle care, it is
Yes. You either need a filter meant for turtles, or astrongly recommended that you purchase a guide
fish aquarium filter that is designed for double thebook. You need to learn the necessary steps to
gallon load. Ie: a fish filter meant for 100 gallons isproperly set up a turtle aquarium, as well as all the
good for a 50 gallon turtle tank.other elements of keeping your turtle happy and
Does the aquarium need to get good sunlight?healthy. Good luck, and happy turtle keeping!