Turtle farming in muddy water has always been quite popular in the turtle breeding circle, especially favored by novices and domestic turtle seedling enthusiasts. There are also turtle friends who have been walking on the road of pursuing muddy water turtles. But it seems that except for our native turtle species, few other turtle species are raised in muddy water. Is it because muddy water is only suitable for our national turtles, or is it better for our national turtles to be raised in muddy water? What are we pursuing?
First of all, with regard to the ecological environment, mud water turtle farming is promoted as an ecological imitation practice, claiming to be able to achieve system balance through biological cycles. However, the muddy water turtle breeding environment seen in reality is often just muddy muddy water in plastic boxes, which is far from the real ecological beauty. The real imitation wild environment should be in an outdoor pond with sufficient water surface, silt, light and ventilation in order to better play the role of ecological cycle. In contrast, the muddy water environment in the small plastic box is difficult to control, the water quality is turbid, and the turtle body is always covered with mud, which is not a successful bionic. Ideals and reality always become opposites.
Secondly, muddy water turtle farming is believed to reduce the probability of rotting skin. However, the root cause is not oxytetracycline or probiotics in the muddy water, but the relatively stable muddy water environment, which reduces the problem of temperature difference and insufficient accumulated temperature. A large temperature difference will cause the turtle's resistance to decrease, and it will be susceptible to rotting skin. However, due to the large specific heat capacity and small contact area with air, the muddy water environment heats up slowly during the day and cools down slowly at night, making the water temperature relatively stable. In addition, the heat storage function of the mud bottom can also stabilize the water temperature to a certain extent. Therefore, the stability of water quality and water temperature is the fundamental reason for the lack of rot in muddy water turtles.
Again, the dirt choice. There are many opinions on the Internet about the choice of soil for raising turtles in muddy water. But in the final analysis, whether it is tree root soil, yellow mud, pond mud or field mud, they are all different manifestations of soil. The key is that the soil should be chemical-free, with few impurities and easy to obtain. As for the microflora in soil, its species and function are still difficult to determine, so more attention should be paid to its safety and availability when selecting soil.
As for biological purification, stocking aquatic plants and small fish and shrimp in the turtle breeding environment can indeed absorb some pollutants in the water and play a role in purifying water quality. However, the growth and metabolism of plants and fish and shrimp will also create new sources of pollution. In a limited artificial environment, the complex ecological circulation system is difficult to control, and may not be as efficient and reliable as simple water exchange. This is indeed very realistic, we raise our own food, and the space is very limited.
It is also said that rust can be produced! Muddy water turtles are prone to rust, but rust does not mean that it is a wild environment. Some turtle friends revealed that wild turtles are basically free of rust in areas with excellent water quality, and rust is actually the result of minerals in the water adhering to the turtle shell. Under the condition of captivity, especially when the frequency of water change is low, the probability of water rust is high. Therefore, the occurrence of rust is more related to feeding methods and water quality management, rather than necessarily a sign of imitation of the wild.
In the above-mentioned **, the method of raising turtles in muddy water is not completely denied. What is more highly regarded is that on the basis of learning from muddy water to raise turtles, we should have independent thinking and constantly seek innovation and improvement. For the benefits of muddy water turtle farming, we must go deep into the principle behind it; For its drawbacks, we should actively look for strategies to balance and optimize.
In fact, many enthusiasts who choose to raise turtles in clear water have successfully raised more turtles per unit area, which not only improves the ornamentality, but also effectively avoids the problem of rotting skin. It works. When we have an in-depth understanding of the principle of muddy water turtle farming, we can innovate a more advanced and ornamental turtle breeding method on this basis.
It is important to imitate nature, but it is more important to extract the essential principles from imitation to promote the progress of technology. Muddy water turtle farming, while unique, is not perfect for us hobbyists. When choosing a way to raise turtles, you should weigh it according to the actual situation and personal preferences.