Painted turtle just moved in

[nokwes]

Hi, a painted turtle just moved in and I am worried about my koi, will he eat them?  Thanks Jackie

[Joyce]

I have 2 painted turtles that moved in and they regularly visit both the koi/lotus pond and the front pond which is just lilies, no fish.
My koi are really big and do nothing but taunt the turtles when they are swimming around trying to eat as many koi food pellets as possible.
I have heard horror stories though, but no problem in my pond except for the turtles being picked on by the big koi. 

[tranquility]

we have little sliders come in every spring but, usually go back to the creek come fall..I've always been told they carry parasites and I'm sure they may...but, we've never had any problems with them..I did have one that stayed around for a few years...I named him and would take him into the greenhouse pond for the winter and somehow he always found his way back to the outside ponds during the spring...he would go from pond to pond--I'd never know where I was going to find him..he ate koi food right there  beside the koi....but, the last year he got to where he was tormenting my big asagi female by nipping at her fins and I was afraid he would do damage to them---only her and no one else--so i did have to relocate him to a local pond..Just watch him and see how he is acting with the fish...
Lawanna

[Indiana Karen]

I don't have an answer for you.  Everytime a painted turtle shows up in my pond, it's gone in a day or so.

Just wanted to say  

Karen

[Esther]

How big is the turtle and how big are your fish?

[nokwes]

Thank you for your responses, we were just scared when we saw him heading across the yard and jump into my pond.  We were on our way out but we saw him climb back out and head away from the pond.  We have a fenced in yard and we thought he might not know how to get back out.  But this morning my husband saw him again in the pond.  He is a good size 6 - 7 inches across.  My fish are small to 10 inches.  I have about a dozen.  I think he is okay in there for now.  We will watch him and see how he acts, ready to relocate him to a nearby farm pond if we have to.  The grandkids are excited about coming out and seeing him.   Right now he looks like he is enjoying the pond.  Later Jackie

[PondmaninAL]

Painted Turtles are some that I would like to find a pair of. I have Red-eared Sliders and Yellow-bellied Sliders. I would also like to add a pair of Common Snapping Turtles to my collection. Turtles are fun and they are pretty smart as well.

[Vickie]

Snapping turtles? Yikes   You will end up with some parts of your fingers missing.

[PondmaninAL]

Nope. Won't lose a single bit of skin. I've had baby snapping turtles before. Just couldn't keep them where I was at.

[Kittyzee]

It's not the baby snappers that I'd be worried about Scott, it's the big whopping 35 pounders!  You'll need a pond the size of Turtlemike's and then I wouldn't go swimming in there at all.  Missing toes and fingers     I've seen mallard ducks floating thinking they were 'tipping' when there was only a body there no head:  gone from a snapper.  I like turtles, and snappers, but not in MY pond...