How to Raise Brazilian Red-Eared Sliders and Points to Note

A new special aquaculture species -- the farming of Brazilian red-eared sliders -- is popular among farmers in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. According to technicians from the city's Fisheries Technology Extension Station, rural areas across the city have raised 2 million Brazilian red-eared sliders this year, a very rapid pace of growth.

The Brazilian red-eared slider, native to the banks of the Mississippi River in the United States, is also known as the seven-color turtle, red-eared turtle, ornate slider and so on. It has a beautiful appearance, brilliant colors and agile movements, making it very endearing. Kept in water, it glistens under the light; when swimming submerged, seven colors -- red, yellow, white, brown, green, gray and purple -- appear on its head and carapace, which is why people call it the "seven-color turtle." It has fairly high ornamental value, can be eaten, and also has a certain medicinal value.

The farming of Brazilian red-eared sliders in Huzhou City was first introduced by Nong Quannan of Donglin Town, Linghu District, a "National Advanced Individual in Agricultural Technology Extension." Making full use of the local farmers' equipment and techniques for raising soft-shelled turtles, he introduced 250,000 breeding turtles from elsewhere in 1998 for trial breeding and succeeded. This year alone, farmers in Donglin Town have raised 500,000 Brazilian red-eared sliders.