Slider tank set up

[Dodgerider]

So I have a Red Ear Slider that’s a 10-11" female in a 175gal tank with two large goldfish both sitting around 2-2 1/2" and then about 3 now very small fresh feeder goldfish. Working on a custom filter that will be up and running on Friday. However my question is are there any fish that are fast and pretty large that I could put in with my slider that could fend off the slider from eating them? I was looking at maybe a Killifish or a Loach. The Loach because I’m thinking of getting snails to help clean the tank and the killi because I hear they can get moodie. I know the killi shouldn’t be in with the goldfish so if I do get Killi's I will take the goldfish out.

Thks for any help

[Jacko]

I'm not too familiar with sliders, but I know that the ones in my LFS eat 2-3 inch goldies no problem so killies would be in risk of being munched on too... Loaches might work but you'd have to go with one of the large bodied ones and get them at a large size (expensive) and that might not even work...

[Dodgerider]

Well yes I know Sliders will eat anything they can get but lucky for me my slider is rather dumb and lazy at times. The two bigger goldfish have been in the tank for a few months and they just dart around her. Then she sits in the spot she was in when she saw the fish for a good 10 sec like she still figuring out where the fish went haha. Plus she is very well feed so she only hunts the fish in the morning as she waits for her food. So I figured if the killi or loach can do the same they should be ok. THKS for the reply

[Crispy]

175g? Thats a big tank... you can put some large cichlids in there and they shouldn't bother with the turtle and vice versa. Big severums or eartheaters I'd recommend. I know quite a few people that keep turtles with fish in larger tanks.

[Dodgerider]

Well I cant say for sure its 175 I had a 175 with another one thats alil smaller still over 100 but I dont remember witch I have all set up. However the cichlids look very cool will they work even if the tank ends up not being my 175?

[Crispy]

Whats the dimensions of your tank? Should work over 100g.

[Dodgerider]

72'' L
21'' H
18'' W

[Dodgerider]

make that 73'' L haha

[Crispy]

Odd dimsensions, but thats a 120g. Still should work. How much water have you in the tank?

[Dodgerider]

Ya I thought the same maybe it’s off alil cuz all I had by me was a sewing tape measure kind of hard to work with. Crap now I want to know where I put my 175gal tank. As for how much water though all but alil over 4'' is water the slider loves swimming so I gave her lots of water.

[krystalsohun]

Hello I've kept sliders all my life and i will tell you they are quick hunters. If yours is not able to catch those two fish then i would look into the possiblity of it having sight problems. do the eyes look cloudy at all. also when feeding them live feeders you need not feed them any pellets until the feeders are gone (Typically only a day or so). Does you rtank have a spot where she can get out of the water completely?

[Dodgerider]

Hello I've kept sliders all my life and i will tell you they are quick hunters. If yours is not able to catch those two fish then i would look into the possiblity of it having sight problems. do the eyes look cloudy at all. also when feeding them live feeders you need not feed them any pellets until the feeders are gone (Typically only a day or so). Does you rtank have a spot where she can get out of the water completely?

ThKS for the input :22:

She does have a spot that she can get out of the water and it’s under the basking light. As for feeding pellets when the fish are in there I was trying to help the fish live because I would love to have fish with my slider. The two bigger goldfish have been in the tank for some time now and my slider no longer even tries to get them unless I put the smaller feeder goldfish in then she will try to get the bigger ones. However it’s not so much that she can’t keep up with them in a straight line it’s that the two bigger fish do allot of sharp turning that the slider cannot do. I have seen her move fast after the smaller feeder goldfish but she seems less inclined to try and get the bigger goldfish. I think it’s due to her knowing that she can get other food also the older goldfish keep a good gap from the slider at all times. IDK I just hope she’s kind of lazy and does not want to try to get bigger fish just so I can keep fish in with her.

[krystalsohun]

well i'm glad she has a spot to get out of the water. not alot of ppl realize they have to be able to dry out for a few minutes. In regard to keeping fish with them I think you could as long as 1 they are fast enough 2 they are twice the size of her head and 3 you provide a hiding spot for them. now when picking a hiding spot for fish you're keeping with turtles make sure that the spot when moved by the turtle cannot fall or hurt the fish in any way. flower pots would work for hiding purposes or pvc pipe.
I personally had a stubborn little turtle that would only eat the orange feederslol. One time i got the silver and black ones mixed in and she didnt want anything to do with them they would swim right by her mouth and she wouldnt even snap lol. so i depends on the turtle. but i think if you get a few fish that school that are twice the size of her head you shouldnt loose to many. but its also not a gaurantee that they will live.

[Dodgerider]

Ya I found out that siders have no problem moving lava rock haha but THKS for the hiding pace ideas. Sounds kind of like mine she sees anything orange and she’s trying to eat it even orange rocks.(Had to take them out)

[jay2487]

In my experience, size does not matter, they will eat a fish 5 times their size just in pieces with the tail going first. I keep pictus catfish with mine and algae eaters. The algae eaters are too tough for him to hurt and the pictus's are too fast and nimble. When he gets close they go into a frenzy and scare him away. I put three crappies in the tank with my male who's a little over two inches now. Two crappies were juveniles about the size of two of your fingers together and one was the size of your palm. I guess the big one thought he had nothing to worry about from a turtle so small but low and behold he didn't move quick enough and got a side fin took off which makes them swim injured and that sets something off in the turtles instincts that made him just keep picking at it until the fish was gone completely. Like Krystal said I guess it's just the turtle because mine will go for the bigger one every time even if it is 15x the size of it's head. I think it's because they aren't as afraid as the feeders are, so they don't swim away until it's too late.