Caring for Pet Turtles in a Home Aquarium

Turtles make fascinating pets, but they require specific care to stay healthy and happy for many years. Whether you’re new to turtle keeping or looking to improve your setup, this guide covers everything you need to know to provide the best home for your pet turtle.

Common Turtle Species in Australia

The most popular pet turtles in Australia are the Eastern Long-necked Turtle and the Murray River Short-necked Turtle. These species are loved for their unique appearance and relatively easy care. Keep in mind, turtles can grow quite large — their shells can reach 12 inches or more — and they can live a long life, often 40 to 60 years or beyond. Because of this, it’s important to prepare a spacious habitat, ideally an aquarium holding 800 to 1000 liters or more.

Turtle Care Essentials for a Healthy Life

Diet: Feed your turtle a balanced diet consisting of high-quality dry pellets like Nutrafin MAX, along with fresh foods such as shrimp and fish a few times a week. This variety provides essential nutrients similar to their natural diet.

Water Quality: Maintaining optimal water conditions is critical. Aim for:

• pH: Neutral, between 7.0 and 7.5

• Ammonia and Nitrites: Zero levels to avoid toxicity

• Nitrates: Kept low through regular water changes and filtration

• General Hardness (GH) and Carbonate Hardness (KH): Similar to fish tanks, with added calcium for healthy shell development, Aim for 8 to 10 degrees.

Filtration: Turtles produce a significant amount of waste, so a strong filtration system is essential to keep the water clear and safe, supporting the nitrogen cycle and preventing toxin buildup.

Basking Area: Provide a dry “deck” or island where your turtle can completely dry off. Use a UVB 5.0 light to replicate natural sunlight, helping your turtle synthesize vitamin D3, vital for shell and bone health.

Heating: Maintain the water temperature around 24°C with an aquarium heater.

Maintaining a turtle’s habitat takes consistency and attention to detail.

Clean water, proper filtration, and balanced parameters are all essential to the health of the turtle and the stability of the environment. Because turtles produce more waste than fish, their tanks can become unbalanced quickly without regular care. Understanding these requirements is key to helping turtles thrive in a home aquarium.