Calcium and vitamin D supplements for aquatic turtles (FRT)?

[lix.ma14]

Salmon has the highest amount of vitamin D (264% RDA). Next comes fresh tuna (52% RDA) and flounder (46% RDA). There are a few other species ahead of flounder but, their natural oil content (sardines, mackerel, anchovies) make them a maintenance nightmare for aquariums.

The liqui-caps can be found anywhere in places like grocery stores, large department stores and drug stores. They're in the supplements displays.

Tilapia contains some vitamin D but, in lower levels (32% RDA) than the fish previously mentioned.

Do you recommend feeding salmon to FRT? They are very oily and messy.

just to double check: so FRT needs a good amount of calcium to have a healthy shell and healthy bones. In able to absorb the calcium, they need vitamin D. Anything missing? In theory, if I feed enough stuff with vitamin D, sunlight is not required? I sayng this cuz, this been very cloudy where I live for approx 4 weeks now. days are short and dark during the fall/winter in canada.

 

[Oddball]

As I recall, I recommended flounder.

The best way for the body to get vitamin D is for the body to make it via sunlight. If insufficient sunlight exposure occurs (3 hours direct every other day), supplementing with fresh foods high in Vitamin D is required to boost calcium absorption. If not able to consume enough fresh vitamin D-rich foods, supplements of vitamin D can be taken. Your turt can't eat enough vitamin D-rich foods to get all the D3 RDA it needs. So it's a combo of sun and supplements or fresh foods and supplements. For FRTs, UV lights are a waste of money and utilities since the species doen't bask of hang out at the surface.

Calcium must be made available either by dissolving block/cuttlebone, coral pieces/crushed coral, limestone, or aragonite. I use aragonite since it's a slightly faster dissolving substrate than coral or limestone (replenish aragonite about every 2 years). I don't use cuttlebone or blocks since they usually make a slimy mess and cloud the water.

 

[lix.ma14]

So i should get specifically flounder as in the fish? No other flatfish such as sole or halibut?

As for the calcium, so the turtle does not need to ingest it to get the supplement? The FRT can get the required supplement from calcium dissolved in the water? How much is needed?

How big of a dose should i give of the vitamin D supplements?

 

[Oddball]

Seriously need to perform some of your own research. Most of what I'm posting here is duplicated info from your many PMs. The rest requires a bit of research since supplements do not follow a prescribed dosage like medications. There may be other foods that may fill similar requirements but, I'm not going to check all of them. Either take my recommendations as written or research meeting the needs of the species yourself.

I listed flounder, not sole or halibut. If you want to try them, be my guest. I'd check on their vitamin D RDA values first. I found flounder on a top 10 list so didn't venture further on checking species with probably less D3 levels that cost more at the store anyway.

Whether calcium is in the wafers I feed my turt or in the water, he's getting needed calcium. He does not absorb calcium from the water, he drinks water like most other vertebrates. No one can say how much calcium is needed in your foods and system since calcium requirements differ with age, system pH, immunity system, temp, amino acid production, and a couple hundred other factors. Unless your turtle has a hormone imbalance, unneeded calcium will be wasted out from the body.

I've yet to find an RDA of vitamin D for FRTs. I plan, roughly, around a child's RDA and weight ratio'd to an FRTs body weight. You'll have to use your own methods of calculating needed levels. I don't want the liability in case my calculations turn out to be off the mark.