Hi all,
Looking for some advice on a good first (and more than likely only) small turtle.

What could people recommend, and what size tank would I need when it is an adult. Space for this would be a premium, so anything small ish would be great.

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Common Musks are great, regardless of how much room you have, they stay small (circa 5" shell at most), and have great personallities. I suppose you be looking at a tank that could hold atleast 200L of water. They're tiny whilst hatchlings (considerably less than an inch), so can be fragile at that stage, but are hardy past the inch mark. Care is pretty much the same as other turtle species, you'd need a decent external filter, and a basking spot heated to about 33C, aswell as UVB lighting. They're more carnivorous too, but love pellets, which is a good way to provide them with calcium.

How soon would it need the 200l tank?
I have a 350L tank at the moment with a few tropical fish in it, which I could move them out and into a smaller tank, but just wondering how long before I'd need to do so?
I'm presuming that my guppies wouldnt be safe with a musk lol! (only kidding, I know they wouldnt be...)

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I've never actually seen one grow from a hatchling to an adult, but based on how long it takes turtles to grow in general, and providing it wasn't overfed, it should take a good few years, I think Graham has one which is about a year old, and it's only just passed the 1" mark. Once they're adults the bigger the tank the better, but you'd probably never see it in the 350L tank whilst it was a hatchling - which could also make feeding more difficult. 40L of water per an inch of shell is a good rule to work off, bear in mind that they go to the toilet in the water they swim in and drink, a big part of that 40L per inch is to help keep the water clean. Combined with a decent external filter, you should have to do minimal amounts of work to keep the tank clean and smell free. I'll PM you the link to a decent caresheet.

cheers for the PM.
I've got a spare 100L which I was hoping to use as a home for life on a small turtle, would that be ok to keep it in until it's up to just over 2inches, then move it into the larger tank after that?

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yea thats fine as they say 40 litres per inch of shell

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Chrissie x
1.1 yellow bellied turtles Minnie and Mickey
0.0.3 cold water fish - bob wendy and spud
1.0 hamster - tinkerbell
1.0 lop rabbit - molly
1.0 guinea pig - rainbow
0.0.10 tropical fish tetra and pleco
1.1 kids chloe and connor 1.0 oh - matt

Realistically that tank with a good filter (must be external) rated for atleast 2-3 x the amount of water in it, should last you until the turtle is 2-3". Also buy a water testing kit and keep track of nitrates & ammonia etc.

any chance of a link to a good recommended filter?

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The eheim classic 2217 has to be the best filter I've seen for under £100. It's rated for upto 600L with fish, so upto 300L with turtles - you'd be able to use it on the 350L tank, and if you ever got a 600L tank just get another. I believe Graham got his from Pet Supplies, Pet Food, and Pet Products on Sale Now at zooplus.co.uk . Bear in mind they offer 10% for your first order.

Splendid
Gotta break the 100L tank out then

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