Help Planning Tank Setup For Turtle

Cajuju

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Hello!
I might be getting a couple razorback musk turtles soon, and I have been doing some research about what they would need. I would like to give them as much space as possible so I was looking at getting the Aqueon 55 Gallon LED Aquarium Kit. But it doesn’t look like the hoods would provide them UVB or basking spot.

What should I use as the hood for a 55 gallon tank? The other alternatives like screens with lamps on top are an option, but it doesn’t look like theres room to put a filter. I might be wrong, but I don’t want to guess and keep buying the wrong items.

Background: I own two sulcata tortoises and built them a fully enclosed setup. So I’m not a complete beginner with reptiles. I did have a turtle when I was a kid, but we had a very bad setup. And I would like to make this one perfect for them.
 

Cajuju

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Are you starting with hatchlings, or older turtles?
I’m currently waiting on pictures of them. According to the posting, they are baby razorback musk turtles and this person also has a notice saying “turtles 4in and smaller are for education and research purposes”. So I’m assuming they aren’t hatchlings and are bigger than 4in.
Hopefully that helps.
 

Pastel Tortie

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Start with the care sheets on Austin's Turtle Page. They have really good information, and many of our members with turtles have relied (and continue to rely) on their information.
http://www.austinsturtlepage.com/Care/caresheets.htm
Start with the sheet for Razorback Musk, but also read the sheets for Stinkpot (Common Musk) and the Three-Striped Mud and Eastern Mud turtles as well.
 

Pastel Tortie

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I’m currently waiting on pictures of them. According to the posting, they are baby razorback musk turtles and this person also has a notice saying “turtles 4in and smaller are for education and research purposes”. So I’m assuming they aren’t hatchlings and are bigger than 4in.
Hopefully that helps.
I'd assume the opposite. The disclaimer is there to cover the vendor, but baby musk turtles are really small. A full grown razorback musk will top out at five or maybe even six inches. That's years down the road. A baby may be less than 1.5 inches SCL.

I got my three-striped mud turtles (BOLD and PINSTRIPE) when they were hatchlings. They have their own thread here in the water turtles section. You can see what I did with mine, and I tried to include some links and useful information in there, too.
 

Cajuju

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I'd assume the opposite. The disclaimer is there to cover the vendor, but baby musk turtles are really small. A full grown razorback musk will top out at five or maybe even six inches. That's years down the road. A baby may be less than 1.5 inches SCL.

I got my three-striped mud turtles (BOLD and PINSTRIPE) when they were hatchlings. They have their own thread here in the water turtles section. You can see what I did with mine, and I tried to include some links and useful information in there, too.
Thank you for the links! After reading them, I think I’ll only be getting one razorback musk turtle in a 40 gallon breeder tank. As much as I would like 2, I don’t want to run into issues with aggressive behavior as they grow.

Do you have any filter recommendation? I’m looking at getting the Aqueon Quietflow 40 internal power filter. Would that be enough for a single turtle?
 

Pastel Tortie

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I think Petco has 40B tanks on sale for $50 through 8/22. The heavy duty black metal screen Imagitarium brand lids (hinged lengthwise) that fit it are remarkably cat resistant.

With aquatic turtles, you can bend some of the "rules" you are probably familiar with for tortoises. With mud and musk turtles, you can bend them even more, sometimes even break them. You're looking at getting one of the few species for which artificial UVB is optional, provided they get enough dietary D3 in their diet. You still need to provide a basking light, and the turtle may use it. Make sure the turtle is eating a good commercial diet. We can give you suggestions as well as the more pricey go-to if your turtle turns out to be finicky.
 

Moozillion

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Thank you for the links! After reading them, I think I’ll only be getting one razorback musk turtle in a 40 gallon breeder tank. As much as I would like 2, I don’t want to run into issues with aggressive behavior as they grow.

Do you have any filter recommendation? I’m looking at getting the Aqueon Quietflow 40 internal power filter. Would that be enough for a single turtle?
Well done! the FIRST thing I was going to tell you was to only get ONE to avoid aggression, so you're already ahead of the game.
Something else you might like to know is that razor backed musk turtle are among the SHYEST of the aquatic pet turtles. This is a critical adaptive trait because their keel gives them a nice pyramidal shape for predators (like osprey, etc) to successfully hold on to, while the flatter turtles are much harder for predators to grasp.
I have had an Eastern Mud Turtle, a Mississippi Mud Turtle and a Razor Backed Musk Turtle. I have loved them all but my mud turtles have been more personable and curious, and downright brave! The one razor backed musk turtle (which I still have) is VERY shy. Although I got him as a 2 month old hatchling, and have had him 1 and 1/2 years, he is VERY shy. He hides much of the time and is not nearly as outgoing as my muds have been.
That said, I think he has been EASIER in a way, than my mud turtles, because his keel and his big webbed feet make him a good swimmer (not as good as an RES but better than the muds) I keep him comfortably in deeper water. Neither of my mud turtles was a good swimmer at all, and I had to keep their water at about 4 inches depth. That can be challenging to provide good filtration for. My current mud turtle only has 3 feet due to a predator attack when she was a wild hatchling, so despite her best efforts she is a NON- swimmer! But she is VERY bold, lively and personable!
I have loved all my turtles, but I find my mud turtles more fun. :)
 

Moozillion

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I keep my razor backed musk in a 40 gallon breeder tank, and I use a Fluval 206 canister filter.
Turtles are fantastic POOPING MACHINES and are very messy eaters. I have always been advised to OVER filter my tanks in order to keep them healthy. So if I had a 40 gallon tank, I'd get a filter designed for a 60 gallon tank, etc.
 

Pastel Tortie

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I agree with @Moozillion, you're safest with one razorback. I lucked out with Bold and Pinstripe. They both turned out to be female. They're in a 40 breeder tank together with plenty of hiding and basking options so they do not bother each other often. They also tend to be a species that get along with others of their own kind reasonably well, and I was aware of that before I got the two hatchlings.
 

Pastel Tortie

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I keep my razor backed musk in a 40 gallon breeder tank, and I use a Fluval 206 canister filter.
Turtles are fantastic POOPING MACHINES and are very messy eaters. I have always been advised to OVER filter my tanks in order to keep them healthy. So if I had a 40 gallon tank, I'd get a filter designed for a 60 gallon tank, etc.
I second that. Turtles are awesome pooping machines, you just can't use a shovel when they're aquatic! I'm not really good with filters. I clean it when I have to, and I'm thankful when I don't. ;)
 

Pastel Tortie

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Get a turkey baster (check the dollar store) to spot clean and vacuum the turtle poop out of the tank. You'll be glad you did. Otherwise, you'll be wondering where it disappeared to... :rolleyes:
 

Cajuju

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I think Petco has 40B tanks on sale for $50 through 8/22. The heavy duty black metal screen Imagitarium brand lids (hinged lengthwise) that fit it are remarkably cat resistant.

With aquatic turtles, you can bend some of the "rules" you are probably familiar with for tortoises. With mud and musk turtles, you can bend them even more, sometimes even break them. You're looking at getting one of the few species for which artificial UVB is optional, provided they get enough dietary D3 in their diet. You still need to provide a basking light, and the turtle may use it. Make sure the turtle is eating a good commercial diet. We can give you suggestions as well as the more pricey go-to if your turtle turns out to be finicky.
Thats great info to know! What are the commercial diet suggestions that you would recommend? I know of Reptomin since thats what I used to feed my red ear sliders back then.
 

Pastel Tortie

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ReptoMin original or ReptoMin Pro Juvenile Turtle formula work well. Zoo Med Natural Aquatic Turtle Pellets start with hatchling size and work well. Those all float, as do the Omega One Cichlid Pellets. Omega One makes good, healthy turtle foods, too.

If you end up with a finicky turtle like @Moozillion's Jacques was, or like my Pinstripe is, you may have to resort to the Hikari Sinking Carnivore Pellets. Even picky bottom feeders rarely turn that down, but the small bags in pet supply stores are expensive. The larger, bulk quantity has to be ordered online, but it is so much more cost effective.
 
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