My First Turtles

Question
I barely ordered two red-eared baby turtles; they're sea turtles and at baby size are a little bit over the size of a quarter. i bought them a 29 gallon tank with all they're necessary needs. they grow to be about maybe 6-8 inches. i also have fish. i have one that clean tanks; and the rest are, we can say...just normal fish. my question is if its okay to put my fish in the same tank with my turtles?

Answer
Hi Carolina,

I don't know where you got your turtles from, but what they told you was completely incorrect.  RES are NOT sea turtles, and they can grow to be considerably bigger than 6-8".  Males may be in the 8" range, but females can be 12".  They require large tanks or an outdoor pond, and they grow quite rapidly.  For two, you will need a 100 gallon tank eventually, and a very good filter.  I'm guessing you were told that all you need to feed them is pellets, but they need a good, varied diet.  They also need a good source of UVB.  I'm going to give you a link to a site that will give you some good information on proper care for RES.  www.redearslider.com

RES are the number one turtle species in rescues, because they grow so large.  They are also increasingly become an invasive species around the world.  If anyone is thinking about getting one or two of those cute baby turtles, please think twice and do plenty of research before you buy!