Should I put my African sideneck turtle in a cichlid fish tank?

Question

Currenly i have two African Cichlids, specifically tigar oscar cichlids. They are in a large tank, about 75 gallons, with a algae eating plako. They are about 5 to 6 inches long. Im curious to know if i could move my African sideneck turtle into the tank with them. She is young. But ive noticed tha she doesnt swim extremely well so i think it might be a bad idea. Thoughts?

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

I do not think that is a good idea for several reasons: 1) If your turtle does not swim well it will likely drown at some stage. At least she will be stressed constantly. 2) You seem to have a very good set up, big enough for your fish with plenty of room for them to grow properly. Adding a turtle will actually make it very difficult for you to keep the water quality at a perfect level for your fish. Turtles urinate and defecate a lot, and they are messy eaters which causes a lot of ammonia and Nitrites making water quality not adequate for your fish. 3) Your turtle will be much happier in a terrarium with a dry area where she can sun herself and a swim area where she can swim if she wants to. It will also be easier for you to clean as you do not have to worry about your fish.

Should I put my African sideneck turtle in a cichlid fish tank?

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