A darker carapace will heat up more quickly than a tan or other light coloured turtle, and will be able to reach a higher temperature. Note you don't need to buy a "turtle tank", just buy a fish tank and add a floating dock. Temperament: Usually gentle, calm and friendly. After a while algae will grow on the filter so it will require rinsing as well. Turtles make terrific pets in either a home aquarium or even a pond. If you're going to use substrate, the best choices are fine sand, gravel, and fluorite. Distribution Huge thanks and big hugs to Ryder and Erin for introducing us to such an amazing turtle. I currently have a 1.5ft tank for her, she is about a year old. These fish inhabit a range of environments from freshwater to brackish water conditions and temperate species suitable for coldwater tanks such as Murray River Rainbows to tropical species such as Archer Fish. However if you do have very small turtles and don't might purchasing equipment again in a year or so the waterfall style can be a good choice. Large turtles should be kept in outdoor ponds, but if this is not possible, a minimum 6ft X 2ft X 2ft tank will be sufficient for two or three individuals, depending on the species. You typically want a filter that is 2-3 times the amount of water in the aquarium. Step One - Choosing the Tank and Filter. Exactly, they do their business right in the water. Use thermometers to monitor the temperature of the water and the temperature of the basking/land area. Unsure of sex though we believe he is a male. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 244,141 times. Turtle (Murray River Shortneck) & 4ft Tank Setup. This turtle … In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. The glass is too thin and can break due to the pressure of the water. She fed him way more than I usually do and when we came home we found lots of food pellets all stuck to the filter and he was swimming really slowly. As an adult, the Mary River Turtle has a low streamlined shell, moderately short neck, and well webbed fore and hind limbs. 157 total views, 1 today. Fly rivers need a very large tank with pristine water quality. Submersible Filtration – Your filter will be physically in the tank water in order for it to perform. The daytime ambient air temperature in the tank should be between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, with a basking spot between 90 and 95 F over the land area of the tank. There is a surprising amount of equipment required to keep your turtle happy. The Tank. 3 Maclaey River Turtles. You can however begin with a 2 foot tank (at the smallest) with baby turtles but an upgrade to a 3 foot tank is usually required within 12 months. Your turtle will quickly outgrow the very small capacity of this style. In our experience a simple floating basking platform is the easiest way to setup a basking area for your turtle. All species are protected as… Put a rubber ball in the enclosure so your turtle has something to push around. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Add logs, smooth rocks, and terrestrial (land) plants to provide hiding places on the basking area. Food: In captivity, a diet of freshwater fish, supplemented with freshwater yabbies, freshwater prawns, freshwater snails is suitable. Bright, full sun could end up baking and killing the turtle. The Mary River Turtle lives in freshwater habitats. Audra Barrios is a Marine Biologist and the owner of Lick Your Eyeballs, a business offering reptiles, supplies and plants. But that doesn't mean fulfilling those needs is easy. Turtles need a high-quality UV light to stay healthy. Simba, by name is a very interactive, fast, and clever turtle. filter is not ok you need one that filters at least 40 gal. By using our site, you agree to our. The turtle is a 7 year old male, very healthy and active, and very easy to look after. One fact not a lot of people realize is that turtles have no saliva, meaning in order to chew and swallow food they require their food to be in the water. Murray River Short-neck Turtle Care Sheet. All Australian turtles are protected, so a license is required for having one. It was a simple way to set one up. This page contains affiliate links. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b4\/Set-Up-a-Turtle-Tank-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Set-Up-a-Turtle-Tank-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b4\/Set-Up-a-Turtle-Tank-Step-1.jpg\/aid4768069-v4-728px-Set-Up-a-Turtle-Tank-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":306,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":485,"licensing":"