Zoo Med Aquatic Turtle Food Adult Maintenance

• 25.0% minimum crude protein – the lowest of the three formulas, matched to turtles that have stopped growing
• Calcium guaranteed at 1.3–1.7% – a stated band with both a minimum and a maximum, not a single headline figure
• Pellets float – aquatic turtles feed at the surface, and uneaten pellets stay visible so you can net them out
• Full declaration on the page – ingredients and guaranteed analysis in full, never "printed on pack"
• No artificial colours or flavours – the only preservative named in the declaration is propionic acid
• Stabilised vitamin C – as L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, guaranteed at 90 mg/kg minimum
• Three pack sizes – the formula is identical in all three; only the quantity changes

As published by Zoo Med for the Maintenance Formula. Row labels are reproduced as Zoo Med prints them.

Wheat Mill Run, Soybean Meal, Wheat Flour, Fish Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Fish Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Kale, Lecithin, Dicalcium Phosphate, Dried Kelp, L-Lysine, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Stabilised Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganese Sulphate, Zinc Sulphate, Ferrous Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodate, Propionic Acid (preservative).

Ethoxyquin, BHA and BHT are not named anywhere in that declaration. Propionic acid is the only preservative listed in it.

Calcium to phosphorus ratio (Ca:P, the balance between the two minerals that build shell and bone) is the figure that matters most in a turtle diet. A diet low in calcium relative to phosphorus is the classic route to soft shell and metabolic bone problems.

Zoo Med does not print a Ca:P ratio for this food. It publishes calcium as a band – 1.3% minimum to 1.7% maximum – and phosphorus as a minimum only of 1.0%, with no maximum stated.

Calculated from those guarantees, the ratio sits between 1.3:1 and 1.7:1. Because phosphorus carries no upper limit, the true ratio in a given batch could be lower than 1.3:1. That calculation is our arithmetic on Zoo Med's published guarantees, not a figure Zoo Med states.

Of the three formulas in this range, Maintenance has the highest guaranteed calcium. If you want to lift dietary calcium further, a slow-release calcium block is the usual addition.

All three formulas are one product line, differing in pellet size and protein level. Match the formula to shell length, not to age.

Growth and Maintenance also differ on fibre and calcium: Growth guarantees a 5.0% fibre maximum and 0.9–1.3% calcium, against 8.0% fibre and 1.3–1.7% calcium here.

The formula, ingredient declaration and guaranteed analysis above apply to all three packs. Only the quantity differs.

Zoo Med's published directions: place pellets in water and let turtles feed for a minimum of one hour, then net out and discard anything uneaten. If your turtles finish everything quickly, increase the quantity offered at each feeding.

Zoo Med's own FAQ for this food gives a shorter window – offer only what the turtle can finish in about five minutes, then remove the rest. Both figures are Zoo Med's. The five-minute version is the one that keeps water clearer, and it is where most keepers end up.

Zoo Med does not publish a feeding frequency for this food. Uneaten pellets break down and feed nitrate, so removing them promptly matters more than the exact schedule.

Suitable for: fully grown aquatic turtles at 15 cm shell length or more, including sliders, cooters and similar semi-aquatic species.

Not suitable for: hatchlings and growing turtles under 15 cm shell length, which need the higher protein of the Hatchling or Growth formulas. This is not a land tortoise food. It is also not intended as the whole diet – most keepers run a pellet as the base and add leafy greens and occasional protein items.

• Dr. Turtle Slow Release Calcium Block – adds calcium to the water where you want more than the diet provides
• Turtle Dock – a dry basking platform, which turtles need in order to digest properly
• Economy Turtle Clean Filter – turtles are messy feeders and floating pellets add to the load
• Turtle Matic Auto Feeder – portions floating pellets while you are away
• Aquatic Turtle Banquet Feeding Block – a slow-release block for short absences

Zoo Med publishes no warranty term for its turtle foods. Whatever a manufacturer offers, your rights under the Australian Consumer Law apply in addition to it – goods must be of acceptable quality and fit for purpose, and those guarantees cannot be excluded.

This is a dry, shelf-stable pellet food. It ships as standard freight with no cold-chain or dangerous-goods restriction. Zoo Med publishes no storage instructions or shelf life for this product; keep it sealed, cool and dry as you would any dry pellet food.

What is the protein level in Zoo Med Aquatic Turtle Food Maintenance Formula?

The guaranteed analysis states a minimum of 25.0% crude protein. That is the lowest of Zoo Med's three aquatic turtle formulas – Growth guarantees 35.0% and Hatchling guarantees 43.0% – because adult turtles that have stopped growing do not need growth-level protein.

When should I switch my turtle from Growth to Maintenance formula?

Zoo Med defines the changeover by shell length rather than age. Growth Formula is for turtles with a shell length of 5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches). Maintenance Formula is for turtles that have reached full adult size, which Zoo Med gives as 15 cm (6 inches) or more.

Do Zoo Med aquatic turtle pellets float or sink?

They float. Zoo Med states that floating pellets make it easier for aquatic turtles, which prefer to eat at the water surface, to locate their food. It also means uneaten pellets stay visible and can be netted out before they break down.

What is the calcium to phosphorus ratio of this turtle food?

Zoo Med does not publish a ratio. It guarantees calcium at 1.3% minimum to 1.7% maximum, and phosphorus at 1.0% minimum with no maximum stated. Calculated from those figures the ratio falls between 1.3:1 and 1.7:1, though because phosphorus has no upper limit the actual ratio could be lower.

Does Zoo Med turtle food contain ethoxyquin, BHA or BHT?

None of the three is named in Zoo Med's published ingredient declaration for this food. The only preservative listed is propionic acid, and Zoo Med states there are no artificial colours or flavours added.

Is Maintenance Formula a complete diet on its own?

Zoo Med formulates it to meet the dietary requirements of adult aquatic turtles. In practice most keepers use a pellet as the base of the diet and supplement it with leafy greens and occasional protein items such as prawns or insects. Variety also helps with turtles that lose interest in a single food.