back to my question earlier will snapping turtles eat all the stocked fish in a pond and can they help a newly stocked pond

[jerry1958]

back to my question earlier will snapping turtles eat all the stocked fish in a pond and can they help a newly stocked pond

[crosshairy]

I doubt they would eat large volumes of healthy fish, but I might be wrong. I've always seen them eating dead/dying fish, frogs, etc.

All that said, I don't think I'd intentionally put them in a pond. If there were more than a couple of them around, I'd probably get rid of the rest just so they don't overpopulate. Turtles are just one more animal in the water eating food, and if you are trying to grow big fish, that probably isn't going to help your goal. I have seen lakes with an overpopulation of turtles, and the fish tend to be smaller - could be coincidence, but it seems reasonable.

[BioGuy]

Depends on the size of the pond, the size and number of the fish (smaller fish are more likely to be predated upon), the number and size of the snapping turtles (larger turtles are more likely to feed on fish), and the quality and quantity of structure habitat the fish have to hide in.

In other words, if you don't want to trap and exclude snapping turtles from your pond, you should concentrate your effort on providing structure for your fish.

Keep in mind that depending on the size of your pond and habitat surrounding you, you will likely be fighting other predators as well, including, but not limited to: herons, king fishers, raptors, bull frogs (big ones can eat small fish), raccoons, minks, and perhaps some fish eating ducks such as merganzers. As you can see, structure is pretty important to fish since they have so many predators.

[Cgull]

Great explanation Bioguy, I see so many bass in my ponds with heron punctures in their backs and I have lots of structure.

[jamesti]

turtles aren't terribly aggressive and don't consume many healthy fish.

[countitandone]

Problem: snapping turtles eating your stockers
Solution: hasn't changed...use the Saturday Night Special on them before your investment deteriorates.

Your eco-system can survive without turtles and they as predators cannot help your Walden Pond.

[Beekeeper]

I've never seen a snapping turtle deplete the fish population in a pond with enough cover, stocker or not.