A healthy diet is among the most important aspects of a turtle’s long-term well-being. If you have a pet turtle, it is critical to find food that they will enjoy while meeting their nutritional requirements. In this article, we’ll list the best sinking turtle foods on the market and explain why sinking turtle food is beneficial to your turtle.
Sinking vs Floating Turtle Food
You might be thinking, “Why would I need sinking turtle food when all turtle food will eventually sink underwater?” There is a reason why sinking turtle food is so popular among turtle owners. When floating pellets sink, they break up, disintegrate, and become extremely soggy.
Some turtles dislike the texture and will leave the pellets on the tank floor. With sinking turtle food, the texture will remain consistent even after it has sunk, and many turtles will prefer it! Sinking turtle foods are also excellent, particularly if several turtles are in the same tank.
Some turtles are shy, and as a result, they don’t get enough food when it’s just floating in the water. Sinking turtle food allows all of your turtles to eat simultaneously, which is especially beneficial to shier and smaller turtles. Mud, Map, and Musk turtles prefer sinking turtle food, especially when they are young.
There are various choices available, but we have provided a list of some of the best sinking turtle food.
Best Sinking Turtle Food
The two best sinking turtle foods are Zoo Med Natural Sinking Turtle Food and Hikari Tropical Sinking Carnivore Pellets.
Zoo Med Natural Sinking Mud and Musk Turtle Food
The Zoo Med Natural Sinking Mud and Musk Turtle Food is the my favorite sinking food. While this food is designed for Mud and Musk turtles, it is a great option for all aquatic turtles.
It contains no artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. It’s a little harder than the other pellets, but it’s still a great option. It contains a lot of protein, so it is great for a growing turtle.
Best of all, you can buy it on amazon for only $7.
Hikari Tropical Sinking Carnivore Pellets
You’ve probably come across the Hikari Tropical Sinking Carnivore Pellets if you’ve ever looked for sinking turtle food. While it is designed for bottom-feeding carnivorous fish, many turtle species, including muds, maps, and musks, enjoy these pellets.
It is almost entirely natural and is an excellent supplement for juveniles as well as an excellent staple for hatchlings. This food also contains a lot of calcium and vitamin D3, which is good for your bones. It is high in vitamin E, which is good for shell and skin health.
To learn more about a turtle’s diet, you should check out my article on what vitamins do turtles need.
Tips to remember
While most turtles are opportunistic feeders and will eat just about anything, there is a chance your turtle won’t like its new food. Therefore, I recommend you buy a small portion at first, and then buy a bigger size after your turtle shows that they like it.
If you notice that your turtle is rejecting the new food, you should go back to the original food.
How to make floating pellets sink?
If you can’t find any sinking turtle food that suits your needs, you can pre-soak floating pellets and squeeze the excess water out to make them sink. Most floating pellets contain air pockets that allow them to float, and the air can be squeezed out if they are wetted to make them squishy. However, keep in mind that this may change the texture of the food, which your turtle may not like.
Conclusion
There are several other choices in the market, and these are just a few that we discovered that many turtles and turtle owners all over the world enjoy. We hope that this list is of use to you and you were able to find the best sinking turtle food for your reptile friend!
