how can i keep my 55 gal. tank for my mud turtle cleaner?

Question

my tank is 55 gal. but there is only 8 gal.of water in it. i have one submirsible filter,but its not enough. she's about 5 in. also if anyone knows who i can contact about this breed and care of this special pet named "rock". the pet stores donot sell this breed. she was given to me and i want to give her the care she needs.

Answer 1

http://www.chelonia.org/Articles/kinosternidaecare.htm

theres a care sheet for mud turtles. you should get a bigger submirsilbe filter, fluval are the best. i use a fluval 2 in my 55 gallon tank for my red ear slidders and it works great. also a good website i go to very often, they sell mud turtles and many more breeds. they have a forum/message board, everyone on there knows alot about different turtles. turtlesale.com good luck with your turtle

dont listen to that guy, your turtle is 5 inches so a 55 gallon tank is fine for the turtle, it does not need a swimming pool, the filter thing isnt true either. the filter is used to clean the water, turtles stick there head out of the water to get air. alot of people with tiny muds dont even use a filter because you should only have about an inch or inch and a half of water in there. I know I have a musk which is similar to a mud. they need shallow water

Answer 2

The rule of thumb for tank size is 10 gallons of water per inch of shell. Your 5" turtle should have a 50 gallon pool to swim in. Oddly, this actually helps with cleanliness a lot! it also reduces stress and makes other cares easier.

For now, you'll be OK if you put about 30 gallons in your tank, but you'll want to upgrade to a 75 or bigger tank as soon as possible. Many of us use those big Rubbermaid-style tubs- cheaper than aquariums, and easier to care for. Besides- glass sides actually stress the turtles out!

Turtles need about 2-3 times more filtration than fish do. You can find a good article on filtration at the site http://www.austinsturtlepage.com in either the Water Quality or Articles sections.

Austin's Turtle page also has a great section on cares that should help you with other elements.