# terrapin and fish?



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Lately, two different people have asked me something like "whats the most aggressive cichlid?" Because they were looking for something to keep with a turtle or terrapin. Aside from this video http://video.nationalgeographic.com...piny-rayed-fish/cichlid_fightingterrapin.html, I have no idea how cichlids and and reptiles interact. Is keeping cichlids with terrapins a good idea? Are mean fish better tank mates, or would something big (to be hard to eat) and fast (to be hard to catch) be a better choice? Do aggressive fish hurt terrapins? I'm not planning on getting any, but I like to know how to answer questions.


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## Hoyo12 (May 18, 2009)

I had a Oscar and a African Cichlid with a Terrapin... the African Cichlid picked at anything that was exposed (Legs, mostly), but the Oscar never touched him. Although, he looked like he wanted to eat him, lol.
It does work out for some people. I know quite a few that have turtles with fairly large Cichlids such as Midas, Parrots, Cubans, etc.


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## Guest (Feb 3, 2010)

Awe Hoyo, where did the santa hat go on your ghost knife avatar?

emc7, I would actually imagine the the smaller fish would give the terrapin more trouble than the big fish. They are more curious it seems, and as hoyo said, I would imagine them to nip on any exposed flesh. Given ample territory I think it can easily work.


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## jakeelvin123 (Jul 1, 2007)

I wouldn't paticulary be worried about the fish attacking the terrapin but the terrapin attacking the fish!. I've witnessed a Yellow Bellied Slider kill a oscar alot bigger than itself!. If any thing, make sure the fish is too big to be eaten and wont bother the tutle to much (bottom feeders) like Plecos and various catfish!.


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## DTetras2 (Jan 20, 2010)

Small, fast, fish can be easily kept with turtles. My friend successfully keeps serpae tetras, zebra danios, and a ruby shark with a painted turtle and a musk turtle. If the turtles can't catch the fish, it will work.


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