Common Snapper

Rikki · 03-01-05, 07:41 AM

I just ordered a hatchling common snapper which will arrive sometime next week. I will be placing him in a 10g tank half way full of water with gravel, large rocks, fake plants, basking light, and no filtration (i will perform frequent water changes), there are also feeders with in the tank to clean leftover food and to provide a healthy snack for him

Ive worked with them in the past, though never actually kept one. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you in advance!

kidchameleon · 03-01-05, 05:03 PM

well, the plants and gravel will make the tank look nice, but i think there will be two problems with them. 1) changing the water will get annoying because you'll have to remove and clean the gravel and 2) once he gets a little bigger, hes going to be moving around those decorations all the time. im not saying that you shouldnt have that in there, but in my opinion, it just gets annoying.
anyway, good luck with it

ElapidaeBoidae · 03-07-05, 11:02 PM

I dont know how old this post is so im gonna right a few wrongs.
NO GRAVEL!.....snappers live in slow moving rivers, ditches, stagnant ponds etc....They need a soft sandy to muck like substrate in which they burrow. Snappers need clean water despite the reputation of them being a species that lives in murky water. Large rocks.....not a good idea...snappers are a highly aquatic species that needs a beach style ramp onto land....rocks are clumsy and they get in the way of the snapper. You might not want to put live vegetation in because the snapper will down it all. Snappers need a large area to bask, and a colder murky but lightly filtered water area. Snappers are carnivores to the extreme. Expect feeding them Fish, Mice, Rats, Liver, chicken, etc...
They also get very large...you are gonna have a "fun" time housing it when its older.

hope that helped.

Rikki · 03-10-05, 01:53 AM

Thanks everyone, I purchased FW Sand, added a few fake plants, a large basking ramp, and a low powered power head. Hes doing great!

ElapidaeBoidae · 03-12-05, 04:15 PM

yay...keep us posted, i love snapping turtles...so prehistoric looking.

monitor12345 · 04-03-05, 10:15 PM

snapper are pretty cool i just cant stand it when the rednecks down here call em cooters, a cooter is a very beautiful turtle