Fish and Turtles

Question
I have a male Betta and a Goldfish and i'm about to get a Red Eared Slider turtle soon so I was wondering will my turtle hurt my other fish or will my fish hurt my turtle.

Answer
This is really a case by case scenario. I wouldn't recommend keeping a slider with tropical fish, but it's possible to do so. Sliders themselves prefer to munch on vegetation but can (and some do) eat just about anything. Small or baby sliders aren't so interested in fish but when they get larger that may change. If you do end up putting them together, keep a good eye on the betta's fins. Some light fraying is the first sign of a problem, so separate them before it gets worse. The fish themselves will hardly bother the turtle. I do know someone who keeps a full grown slider in a pond full of goldfish, so given the right circumstances it's entirely possible to work it out. It depends on the critter, as they have personalities and preferences too! Your biggest problem with that arrangement will be keeping the tank clean - goldfish are dirty, but turtles can be disgusting. It's a good thing that the turtle will grow slowly so you have time to think about some options.

Another concern is water temperature. Your little turtle will need some type of UV light treatment and a basking spot to digest his food. That will mean lowering the water level (less water means a higher concentration of bacteria, so make sure you do those partial water changes) in the tank to put in a rock. The UV light is also incandescent which runs very very warm, and bettas and goldfish prefer colder water.

I hope this helps.