If you want to get a pet turtle, one of your first purchases will likely be a turtle tank. While tanks are essential, it can be tough to find the right one, especially because they can be really expensive. Therefore, I have put together my list of cheap turtle tanks.
While amazon usually has the cheapest accessories for tanks, I have found that Petco usually offers the cheapest tanks. Below is my top recommended cheap turtle tank.
Aqueon Standard Glass Aquarium Tank 55 Gallon ~$150
The Aqueon Standard Glass Aquarium Tank 55 Gallon turtle tank is the cheapest tank on the market. It is perfect for any turtle that is 7 inches or less.
How much is a turtle tank?
A turtle tank can cost as little as $50, or as much as $250, depending on the size of the tank. Below is a graph of the cost for a turtle tank based on the size in gallons.
The Best Cheap Turtle Tanks
This list of cheap turtle tanks has tanks that range from 20-75 gallons, and they all cost less than $250.
If you want to know what all you need for your tank, you should check out my video below:
Cheap 20 gallon turtle tank
The cheapest 20 gallon turtle tank is the Aqueon Standard. It is a cheap turtle tank that you can buy for $50. There is also a more expensive kit from amazon for around $275. The kit is a decent deal because it comes with a filter, two lights, water conditioner, a rock ornament, and a fake plant.
Since turtles need large tanks to swim around in, I only suggest buying a 20 gallon turtle tank if you have a baby turtle. The largest turtle I would put in a 20 gallon tank is a 4 inch turtle. If your turtle will grow larger than 4 inches, you should get a bigger tank.
Cheap 40 gallon turtle tank
The cheapest 40 gallon turtle tank is the Aqueon Standard Glass Aquarium Tank. It is available for $100 from petco. This tank is perfect for aquatic turtles because it is very deep will give them a lot of depth to swim.
This tank is great for any turtle that is 6 inches or less. If you are interested in this size, check out my article on the best turtles for a 40 gallon tank. You should also check out my article on the best 36 x 18 aquarium stands for a 40 gallon tank.
If your turtle is or will be bigger than 6 inches, you should check out the bigger tanks below.
Cheap 55 gallon turtle tank
The cheapest 55 gallon turtle tank is the Aqueon Standard Glass Aquarium Tank 55 Gallon. You can purchase it online from petco for only $150.
This tank is also very deep, so it is great for aquatic turtles. This tank is great for any turtles that are 7.5 inches or smaller. If your turtle is bigger, I suggest you get a 75 gallon turtle tank.
Cheap 75 gallon turtle tank
The cheapest 75 gallon turtle tank is the Aqueon Standard Glass Aquarium. It is available from petco for $250. This is an excellent tank for larger turtles such as red-eared sliders, which can grow up to 8 or 9 inches.
Why do turtles need big tanks?
Turtles need big tanks for two main reasons:
- They need enough area to swim around to get enough exercise
- They need a big tank that can disperse their waste effectively
A turtle that lives in a tank that is too small will likely have a lot of health issues. Their shell might start to “pyramid.” This occurs when a turtle eats too much and doesn’t get enough exercise.
A small tank will also be harder to keep clean, even if you have a high powered turtle tank filter. Dirty water can lead to a wide range of pet turtle diseases.
What are the smallest pet turtles?
The most common small pet turtles are musk turtles. They are great pets because they are great swimmers and very fun to watch. They usually don’t get any bigger than 5 inches, so you can put them in a 40 or 50 gallon turtle tank.
What about bigger turtle tanks?
Now you might be wondering what you should do if you want a cheap tank bigger than 75 gallons. This might be the case if you have a turtle that is larger than 9 inches, or you might have multiple turtles. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find any cheap turtle tanks that were over 75 gallons.
I found one 120 gallon turtle tank on amazon, but it cost over $1,200. Big turtle tanks are usually pretty expensive to buy online because the shipping cost is very high since they are so fragile. If you want a turtle tank that is 100 gallons or more, I suggest you go to your local Petco or PetSmart.
While they don’t look as nice, another option could be a Rubbermaid tub. They are pretty cheap considering their size. For example, you can get this 150 gallon turtle tank tub for under $300 from amazon.
Closing
After you purchase your turtle tank, it is time to purchase the necessary accessories. If this is your first pet turtle, I suggest you check out my article on cheap turtle tank accessories.
