How I clean my Turtle tank, and I added FISH!

Today I show you how I maintain my 30g Stinkpot (Sternotherus odoratus)aquarium and add some new friends!
Amazon affiliate links (I get a small commission):
Filter used: amzn.to/3bpwTTj
Siphon starter: amzn.to/3pVVNxN
Lighting Used: amzn.to/3bpx7d7
Sand used: amzn.to/3q0XTfS
Basking light: amzn.to/3pSUpMe
My Patreon: / racheloleary
Fan mail can be sent to: PO box 146 Manchester PA 17345
Buy me a coffee: msjinkzd.com/ab...
Instagram @msjinkzd
Website and stocklist: msjinkzd.com/st...
Facebook: / msjinkzd
Music: Footprints in the Sand (Instrumental Version) - Roots and Recognition
#turtletank #aquarium #fish

[@RachelOLeary]

For those concerned about the uvb- I have consulted my vet, but from reading a lot of journal entries, with them being Ferguson zone 2 and not very "basky", the d3 requirements are met by a good diet of live snails and a quality turtle pellet. I have the basking light, and a uvb, which has been being used but seems largely unnecessary for this particular species. With species that bask, its an absolute requirement for sure. I will happily use it, should it be beneficial.

[@TigerStrike8000]

We missed you Rachel. Hope you had a great getaway. You should go live at this time at night.

[@kellyngrey4950]

I've seen a lot of cute in my lifetime - like every time I look at my cat - but Stinkpot has to be about the cutest dang turtle I ever did see.

[@RachelOLeary]

Today I show you how I maintain my turtle tank and add some new fish! Happy new year!

[@Baffi_]

Are they putting any shiny new parts in this time? Good luck with the surgery! Happy New Year. New year, new hands 👐

[@RachelOLeary]

@@Baffi_ i hope not! Should be simple carpal tunnel surgery, but I have severe nerve stuff happening so am a little nervous

[@mamag8753]

You research every species you have. I am sure that the turtle is well cared for. Good luck with your hand surgeries.

[@krisguenther4897]

Best of luck with your operations. Love your information.

[@TheReal_Pim_Tool]

I used to have some glowlight danios, they are so pretty and active/entertaining.

[@debbiewilhelm3035]

Good luck with the hand surgeries. May you heal quickly and not be in to much pain. Take the meds.

[@vampgaia]

Stinky is a cutie! I giggle when he stretches out his long neck.

[@elisab7796]

Enjoyed the video. Wish you a speedy recovery with your hand surgery.

[@LiSa.N.J]

Good luck with your surgery Rachel. I too have had both hands operated on in the last 5 years and my right elbow. Now I need another surgery on my right thumb next month. Damn this A.S and R.A. Sending prayers for a speedy recovery. By the way...I love your Stinky. :)

[@feefifofum04]

Thank you. I needed your little spot of calmness today.

[@swordwing2117]

Hi Rachel! Love this little guy. Mine is 2 years old. I kept fish with her eversince the beginning. There is a pair of ancistrus and 5 peppered corys in the tank with her. I never saw her go after the fish, not even the fry. Yes, they are having babys all tha time. I also have a red eared slider, I would not put any fish in that ladys tub...

[@TheFusselmonster]

I realy love the turtle videos

[@_Pelagikos14]

Good luck with your surgery 🙏

[@RachelOLeary]

Thanks!

[@rebecasabourin1318]

He is adorable

[@andystokes8702]

At 0.52 ''I'll be shovelling shi.....fish''. Freudian slip I'm sure. Love it.

[@RachelOLeary]

hahaha

[@michaels5705]

Good luck with the surgery.

[@IanTheTurtleMan]

Not trying to bash anyone’s statements but I would suggest you continue using the usb bulb but you don’t need the heat the reason you need uvb is so they can be able to absorb and use calcium. As you probably would think calcium is very Important to any turtle so they can develop their shell and bones properly. If uvb is not used for and extended amount of time the turtle will get Metabolic bone disease MBD this deforms the turtles shell and bones. Please take my advice into consideration.

[@khaze7696]

This is true. Your turtle is going to end up with major shell deformities without uvb

[@Baffi_]

I always suggest UV, but You can supplement D3 effectively through diet and dietary supplements with more carnivorous species like musk turtles.

[@RachelOLeary]

From what i have found from journal entries, their requirements are exceptionally low based on their Ferguson zone. Basically, since they are not a species that basks much, if at all, they get the vast majority of their D3 from nutrients in a well balanced diet. I do own a lamp, and had been using it. I have consulted my aquatic veterinarian for their input, but the breeder and many experienced keepers said it was basically unecessary though not harmful with this species.

[@carolebraswell982]

Thank you so much for this educational video! Everything I know about the hobby I learned from you! You are such a wonderful, hands on teacher! That turtle is such an adorable little creature! I hope to be well prepared to get one in the coming year.

[@twunderaquatics1770]

Nice suprise after getting up for work. Praying for you to have a speedy recovery. Take care ❤.

[@justwannadance1000]

Love your videos, love your hair and most of all I love your TANKS 👑

[@andyreminch6550]

Love the looks of the turtle tank... Magic stuff!!😁👌👍💚

[@EsoxLVCIVS6776]

I had double carpal tunnel surgery some years back. Worth having done. Hope it all goes well and wish you a speedy recovery!

[@naegwut]

So cute

[@Baffi_]

My adult musk Turtles are living with a trio of hypostumus laplatae now. Big beastly plecos. There is also a ping pong ball sized apple snail with them. For some reason They completely ignore it. You just have to make sure you give a good diet, and ensure you provide some extra vitamin d supplements when your not providing UVB/UVA bulbs. I always suggest using UV lighting. I think you’ve seen the pics of how the basking spot is setup in my tub. I know a lot of care guides suggest basking spots, or UV aren’t needed for musks, but after they figured out where it was, all of mine started using it. Sometimes a few of them would crawl up the ramp and hang out together lol. They can get a lot of the vitamin D they need from their diet, but I still think it’s important to allow them to get some through UVB exposure They crawl up the driftwood about a foot out of the water and sit under the Acadia deep heat emitter and closer to the 4’ UV bulb suspended over the tub. I was trying to somewhat re-create their wild behaviour of crawling up trees along riverbanks, and it totally worked. They have unobstructed areas on either side to dive into the water if they get spooked. A lot of the time I’ll come down and hear them sploosh into the water as I get close lol

[@RachelOLeary]

appreciate the input!!

[@gillianscott3562]

Great update, really love seeing this little guy in such a great set up.

[@ronelliott1452]

Love your channel and love that piece of driftwood, looks like a alligator coming to the surface to eat something.

[@joshhibbs_nola]

I love this tank and the little guy in it. I have UVB on my tank just in case. They really do not bask a lot but they do bask. I have seen them in the wild on logs basking in the morning. I just have it up there in case but you are right. It creates a lot of algae with all the lighting. I just cut back the amount of time I have them on though and that seemed to fix the algae problem. Mine is still bare though besides a little fake half log for my stinkpot to hide in sometimes. I def need to put sand, wood, and greenery in it like your setup. The little guy may try to eat some of the fish but they are a lot faster than he is so they should be able to escape from him. 🙂🐢👍🏼

[@RachelOLeary]

I appreciate your input as an experienced keeper! From what I found in journal entries, its not necessary but not harmful. I had it set up, and have consulted my aquatic vet to get their opinion.

[@ESF19791111]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LESSONS :) THANK YOU FROM ISRAEL :)

[@TigerStrike8000]

Oh yeah I only follow you on KZbin.... did you find the newts?

[@fifithehuntress]

I’ve been wondering that too!

[@RachelOLeary]

not yet!!

[@TigerStrike8000]

Your fish law video is set to private. Did I do something wrong?

[@RachelOLeary]

@@TigerStrike8000 it wasn't supposed to go public

[@TigerStrike8000]

But I need my Rachel video fix. I’m having withdrawals. Lol. 😂. I guess my coffee will have to suffice.

[@HappyOne2017]

I love Stinky ♥

[@thechickenwizard8172]

Something that I just have to address that all turtles, including your musk turtle, do need uvb lighting to process calcium and D3 correctly. I've never kept them, but the uvb is universal in all turtle species. If you can't put a light in his tank, at least ensure that he gets some outdoor time in order to get the lighting hw needs. I don't know who told you that musk turtles do not need uvb, but they are certainly incorrect!

[@RachelOLeary]

I have consulted my vet, but from reading a lot of journal entries, with them being Ferguson zone 2 and not very "basky", the d3 requirements are met by a good diet of live snails and a quality turtle pellet. I have the basking light, and a uvb, which has been being used but seems largely unnecessary for this particular species. With species that bask, its an absolute requirement for sure. I will happily use it, should it be beneficial.

[@sharronmiller451]

So cute!!!

[@kathleenwhite9741]

Good luck with your hand surgery.🙏💕 I've had CT surgery on both of mine in the past. It was such a relief.

[@jinxchanel3638]

I have my my musk turtel whit aneus corys, mix guppys and albino ancistrus

[@JustMyFish]

He/she is so cute 🥰 hope your surgery goes well I had to have surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. I wore rubber gloves right up to my shoulders 😂

[@ReneesZooTube]

Good idea! You can get gloves that go up to your shoulders maybe from a farm supply store. They use them for horse and cattle rectal exams. Yucky,.but the gloves might be useful during the healing after surgery just in case you need to work on your tanks.

[@kkmeilicke]

I bought a pair when I had a deep 125 gal tank. They were listed as "pond maintenance" gloves.

[@JustMyFish]

@@ReneesZooTube yes I got mine from Amazon 👍🏻

[@RachelOLeary]

I have gloves, they just said to not risk it and since its just a few weeks after each surgery, I am going to do my best to just keep my hands out of the tanks. Rather safe then sorry! The last thing I need is complications during covid times!

[@JustMyFish]

@@RachelOLeary yes it is best to do that. Don’t risk anything 👍🏻

[@perigrine]

While you are recovering video idea: top 10 Hair Days!

[@litoloco4fish]

Beautiful Rachel..good luck with your surgery..🙏🏼❤

[@bethfoort]

Thanks for another really enjoyable video. Best of luck with your surgery!

[@leonacollet4051]

Hi Rachel, I'm from way down under (Bendigo, Vic, Australia). Good luck Rachel with the hand surgery. I hope all goes well and that, you will back on deck sooner rather than later. I do love your hairstyle by the way and of course, your setup. One day i'll have the space to do something similar with marines and freshwater systems. Take care

[@RachelOLeary]

Thanks Leona!

[@shaelynvandenhouten4958]

Shuffling shit, I heard you lol🤪😎

[@kdr1048]

Cool tank! The Danio Choprae are very nice looking fish! I keep 7 of them with my golden whiteclouds in my unheated 20 long. They are doing great. Temp at about 65.

[@JonathanPerez-qg3lz]

Haha shuffling shit, lol let one slip Rachel 😂

[@RachelOLeary]

oops!

[@madelinecorrigan9912]

hi:) great video so far!

[@robertforrest7956]

Your little stinker definitely keeps an eye on you. I see long gloves in your future. ☺️ I always find spots that I missed when scraping the glass. 😆 Saw Alex's tank vid the other day, it really turned out nice. 👍 I was thinking you could add the goldfish to the tank safely. Very inquisitive little guy. 🤗 Have a great day Rachel.... 👍

[@jeffkoons1538]

Looks great, good luck oh and nice kick save with the phone

[@kkmeilicke]

Stinky! That little neck is amazing. I love danio choprae--they're so pretty without being too flashy. Don't want to take attention away from the star 🐢

[@spawnofsailor7158]

Awwweeeee ADORABLE

[@DanceWsoph]

Veterinarians have these very long rubber or latex gloves that go all the way up to the shoulder. I think you could do a lot with those, if you can get the on.. it might be impossible because of stitches.

[@RachelOLeary]

I have long gloves, they just advised to not risk infection because of the bacteria in tanks.

[@DanceWsoph]

@@RachelOLeary - yes, there is no need to take chances with you hands. They are pretty important.

[@ReneesZooTube]

His adorable little face! 💖 I hope all goes well with the new fish in this tank. I hope your surgery goes well and you heal quickly and easily. Any updates on the newts?

[@caseymoore4759]

My 2 Razorback musk turtles have been with fish for years and I’ve never even seen them attempt to bite one. I have a range of sized fish from black terra to as big as a red tailed shark. The shark hangs out everyday in a cave with one of the turtles

[@weedhopp]

Haven't had a tank since the 90s had a dozen or so then had a 75gal that reached sybiosis lol Love your channel

[@RachelOLeary]

thanks!

[@joycehendry3595]

O dear turtles tend to enjoy snacking on shrimp and fish

[@karenmyers2342]

Yes they do!!

[@shrimpwerks2343]

My local fish store has one of these turtles for 10+ years they named him Gunther lol and he doesn’t need a basking area. Also they stay really tiny compared to most turtles

[@donnaford7488]

I hope every thing goes fine with your surgery.

[@rrrrrr-ry3cn]

He does need UVB, HE IS A TURTLEEEE

[@RachelOLeary]

From what i have found from journal entries, their requirements are exceptionally low based on their Ferguson zone. Basically, since they are not a species that basks much, if at all, they get the vast majority of their D3 from nutrients in a well balanced diet. I do own a lamp, and had been using it. I have consulted my aquatic veterinarian for their input, but the breeder and many experienced keepers said it was basically unecessary though not harmful with this species.

[@rrrrrr-ry3cn]

@@RachelOLeary from my knoladge the best advice when keeping "low light" turtles is to indeed use UVB, but on a timer...

[@Bloodhoundfostermom]

💙💙💙

[@joelh6514]

Good luck with your surgery. UVB is not needed for a turtle being fed a pelleted diet that contains D3 but it can be good for mental enrichment and stimulation.

[@AngellusBlack]

Good to note that the pellet MUST contain vitamin D3. I haven't kept turtles myself, but I know that they (as most reptiles) use UVB light to synthesize vitamin D3 in their bodies. Without it their bones become brittle and bendy, leading to deformities, which is especially bad in chelonians (turtles & tortoises) since their whole shell is pretty much their backbone, ribs and sternum fused together. The few captive reptiles that don't require UVB are usually nocturnal/crepuscular species that typically wouldn't bask out in the sun in the wild, but still need vitamin D3 as a supplement or as part of their pre-made diet.

[@joelh6514]

I think uvb should be supplied for all reptiles but only reptiles that actively bask really require it. You always hear that leopard geckos and corn snakes don’t need it but that doesn’t mean it can’t benefit them. Most reptiles can get what they need to survive from their diet.

[@Baffi_]

Even for the short periods they surface to breathe, the UV is benefitting the turtle. If you create a good basking spot, musk turtles will definitely bask. All four of my adults bask frequently. But they will be less inclined to if the water is kept warm like Rachel is. And warmer temps help support better growth of younger turtles

[@kashifs786]

God bless u with the best of heath

[@sandramartin2713]

Hi Rachel, I hope you had a blast on vacation and got some needed relaxation! What's the name of the canister filter you changed. I'm really wanting something for my 75g but not looking to spend a ton of money. Then get some for my 20s

[@RachelOLeary]

Its the apce Eko 300

[@sandramartin2713]

@@RachelOLeary thank you!

[@jasonacevedo5629]

Hello Rachel, I have heard varying options on whether or not these turtles need uvb/basking lights. Since the posting of this video 9 months ago, what is your opinion on it now ? Do you still have the turtle and how is he doing without it ? I am looking to get 2 and would appreciate your feedback. Btw, hope your hands are doing well

[@pambrackett4335]

Go ahead an purchase a few pairs of rubber dish gloves because you know your going to have to get your hands in there even if someone else is doing it. Prepare for the inevitable. Hope your surgery goes well.

[@coelacanth9311]

Hope the surgery goes well! Is there any sign of the newts yet?

[@TheOfficialSteelReign]

I'm a week behind at least so you may not be able to reply even if you wanted to but, what kind of canister was that? If you said, I missed it. It looked simple enough. I know the Marineland canisters SUCK because they won't suck. Its so much work to re-start them once they lose prime I literally hate pulling maintenance on them and push it off much longer than I should. Thankfully the FX6s I bought to replace then are self priming. However, an FX6 on a 40g is a bit overkill so I'm always looking for other canister options.

[@RachelOLeary]

it is a Sicce Eko. I am pretty impressed with it honestly!

[@azor9233]

What do you call that type of turtle???

[@medusianAllure]

Any advice on killing duck weed? It infested my tanks recently. :(

[@lannmason7201]

,Racheal, what kind of turtle is that? I bet he will eat the fishies if he gets a chance

[@RachelOLeary]

common musk turtle, Sternotherus odoratus

[@Moontanman]

I keep stink pots, they seldom eat a healthy fish but are hell on snails.

[@mcsamalot]

As someone who’s worked with reptiles and fish professionally for over a decade I really struggled with this video. I know some of it will be because I’m from Britain so there will be different laws in regard to animal care. I’m guessing the 5 freedoms aren’t a thing in America? But keeping a turtle that has no access to UVB or spot light for basking (yes musk turtles do bask) you’re going to run into health issues. I’m trying to not be that person, but like I said i really struggled with this video.

[@RachelOLeary]

I appreciate the feedback. It does have a spotlight for basking, and I do have a uvb, which I showed in the last video. As Ferguson zone 2 critters, most of their d3 needs are met through diet. I am not adverse to using it, at all, and have consulted my aquatic veterinarian.

[@versatilesalada]

Pretty sure all turtles need UVB

[@RachelOLeary]

From what i have found from journal entries, their requirements are exceptionally low based on their Ferguson zone. Basically, since they are not a species that basks much, if at all, they get the vast majority of their D3 from nutrients in a well balanced diet. I do own a lamp, and had been using it. I have consulted my aquatic veterinarian for their input, but the breeder and many experienced keepers said it was basically unecessary though not harmful with this species.

[@herpdiversity9152]

Those danios are fast they should be ok.

[@RachelOLeary]

that is the hope! So far, so good!

[@manansala2oh1]

0:53

[@craigsmart1986]

Shuffling shit. I caught that too 😄

[@RachelOLeary]

hahaha

[@manansala2oh1]

😂

[@wolverinebear5357]

He wont waist his time chasing them down, now if one wants to come give him a kiss he may give one back, lol but he may not ya never know, if he was starving he orolly hunt them down

[@kentsfish9761]

Boy friend what happened with Chris?

[@RachelOLeary]

we split up last march, amicably, and are still quite close.

[@kentsfish9761]

@@RachelOLeary sorry to heard that thanks for all you do for us, And hope your surgery goes well.

[@RachelOLeary]

@@kentsfish9761 much appreciated!

[@joeylouis3361]

I'm single 😥😥😥😥😥