Can tortoise and fish put in the same water tank?

@kaka135 (14931)
Malaysia
June 9, 2010 8:39am CST
I have a small tortoise in my water tank for a few months, and I just bought a few goldfish and put them in the same tank too. Yesterday when I came home from work, I saw a goldfish was dead and the body only left half. I am not sure if it's because of the tortoise, or the fish was sick. Today, I came back from work, again I found another fish is missing. The body was missing too. I started to suspect the tortoise. I am not sure if the tortoise will eat or attack the fish. Am I supposed to separate them into different water tank?
1 person likes this
8 responses
• India
9 Jun 10
If both are very small then yes, you can put both in same water tank.Even I saw in Aquarium,where they put small tortoise and fishes in same water tank.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
9 Jun 10
We have a crayfish in our tank, and when she grew her claws back, one day she had hold of the goldfish and had ripped part of a fin off. We partitioned the tank. It probably is the turtle, and you might want to separate it from the fish.
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@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
9 Jun 10
Hi there, thanks for your response. Yeah, I have separated them, to avoid more fish to be murdered.
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
10 Jun 10
Wow... Your question worries me. 1st ( I hope this is just a grammatical mistake )but tortoises are land turtles. You shouldn't have one in an aquarium with fish in the first place. They don't swim well. 2nd, what do you thing turtles ( I assume that's what you actually have & am giving you the benefit of the doubt ) eat? Fish is DEFINITELY on the menu. I'd suggest you put in some research time.
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
10 Jun 10
Ok, quick edit there ( saw my own grammar errors ). Tortoises are land Reptiles. Turtles are aquatic. It's also supposed to read ( think ) turtles eat.
@savypat (20216)
• United States
9 Jun 10
I know that a turtle will dirty the water and unless you have a very large tank your fish will die. By the way a tortoise is a land animal and turtles are the rest of them. (Pretty sure this is right.)
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
9 Jun 10
Hi there, thanks for your response. I think my tortoise enjoys swimming. We used to put it in the tank with less water, it doesn't seem enjoying this much.
• Philippines
9 Jun 10
You are just feeding your tortoise with your gold fishes my dear. If your tortoise is a bit bigger and you have placed that fish in a tortoise tank, yes that is the solid reason why you have half bodied fishes. You as an owner should have observed the behavior of your tortoise. But for me, it was clearer than water that your tortoise is the main culprit of eating your fishes. Keep them separated because this naughty tortoise is so aggressive attacking your fishes.
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
9 Jun 10
Hi there, thanks for your advice. Yeah, I think I was really stupid to let my tortoise eat the fish. I thought tortoise is tame animal.
@sathya264 (174)
• India
9 Jun 10
dont do for ever if you do like this the tortoise starts eating your gold fish and any small ones so dont make them together. It is better to place tortoise in a wise area like some pool like that. Because if the surface is not free it will try go out so keep a wide surface.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Jun 10
But how does the tortoise catch the goldfish? I would have tried the same thing I am sure! But you may have to have a separate tank for the tortoise it doesn't sound like he understands tolerating other cultures or respecting the rights of other!
• Philippines
9 Jun 10
i think you should separate them because if you want a goldfish you must buy other fish that is goldfish too. goldfish are sensitive when they get stress and the water is not clean, they always die. i have goldfishes here in my tank only gold fish but different types. i also have a fish tank for fresh water because i'm a fish addict. i want to collect fish especially in the sea water like clown fish and other fishes that lived in sea water. in sea water, it is high maintenance because you should always check the salinity by using aquarium hydrometer because they also die if it is in low salt or high.
@kaka135 (14931)
• Malaysia
9 Jun 10
Hi there, thanks for the advice. I am not a fish person, and it's actually my husband who likes to keep those fish and tortoise. I think I really need to study more about keeping the fish.