Feeding The best diet for a water turtle is one that duplicates its natural food as closely as possible. Live foods are particularly enjoyed and beneficial. The key to success is to provide a wide variety of foods. Liver is good on occasion to provide vitamin A. Trout chow, catfish chow, Reptomin, etc. They should not be used exclusively.
Plants taken in include most vegetation found in tropical fish tanks and local ponds.
To avoid problems, offer a wide variety of foods. Each species of turtle has different dietary requirements. Softshells, snappers, mud and musk are mainly carnivores, cooters prefer more vegetation, while others are omnivores. To avoid over feeding, offer food every 2 to 3 days. On average, hatchlings should be fed every 2 days and adults twice a week.