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Terrapin & Turtle care sheet
An Introductory Information Leaflet on Keeping Fresh Water Terrapins From Reptile Ranch in association with Europe's Premier Reptile Product Company ©Euro Rep Ltd./ British Herpetological
PLANTS: Aquaria function and look better if they are furnished with live plants. A typical set up would have several bunches of a suitable aquatic plant like Elodea spp. This could be free floating but looks better if anchored into the substrate. Other plants are best chosen from those species of bog plants that will live happily both under water and above the surface. Many tropical aquarium plants are of this type and have the interesting habit of producing different leaves above and below the water's surface. Choose types that are compatible with the species and size of terrapin being kept.
EXTERNAL CANISTER FILTERS: Water is
syphoned out of the aquarium into the base
of the canister. Here, it passes up through various filtering media to the top of the canister. On its way, much of the suspended waste matter is taken out. If chemical agents, like activated carbon, are being used, then some of the dissolved waste will also be removed. Do not forget to change this type of medium regularly, as they soon fill up and cease to be effective. The water is returned to the aquarium by the pump. If this returning water is allowed to play on the surface, the movement will create an aerating effect. Not only will the aeration return the oxygen/carbon dioxide balance to equilibrium, it will add to the visual attractiveness of the set up, especially if light beams through the disturbance.
BIOLOGICAL FILTRATION: An undergravel filter pulls up water from a space below the filter plate. Usually an air lift is used but the small masthead water pumps are also very effective. The filter gains its effectiveness from the water being drawn through the gravel or similar medium overlying the filter base plate. As the water passes through the medium, suspended matter is trapped. Bacteria in the gravel act on the organic content and convert it to simpler, less harmful substances. The water and dissolved materials pass into the space below the plate and then up through the lift pipe back into the bulk of the water. Plants, powered by light driven photosynthesis, adsorb the dissolved substances as nutrients, thus cleaning the water. This biological system works well once balanced but needs the energy input of the pump and lights to keep it working.
CLEANING & MAINTENANCE: The water in an aquarium should circulate through the system so that it remains clean and fresh. An easy way to assess this is to judge it on small and visual clarity. As the system is closed, toxic waste cannot be allowed to accumulate. In the system described, particles of waste are filtered out and trapped in a medium. Here they can be removed, by cleaning out the canister filter for example, or natural processes can be relied on to convert the waste to less harmful substances. Soluble waste is circulated around and is acted upon by biological agents like bacteria in the filter media or chemical agents like carbon in the canister filter. Both these reduce the level of harmful substances. They must be helped by cleaning and renewing the filter media in a canister filter or changing some of the water in all systems. Look upon the water as diluting any waste to a tolerable level but it must be cleaned or renewed before the allowable level of pollution is exceeded.
LIGHTS: Lighting the aquarium will be necessary as terrapins thrive best when exposed to UV light. Light is also needed for the animals to see their food and for people to look into the aquarium. If plants are used, extra light will be required. In any case, illuminating the aquarium with an overhead lamp makes the setup very much more attractive and natural looking. A fluorescent tube, either alone or in combination with a spot lamp can be used. Agitating the surface of the water creates patterns with the light that is most pleasant.
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