Mata mata turtle — Care Sheet & Morphs

Husbandry requirements

Mata mata turtle — origin: The Amazon basin (Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Bolivia). Since 2020, the Orinoco basin population has been described as a distinct species (Chelus orinocensis); C. fimbriata corresponds to the Amazon basin..

Terrarium temperature gradient

Night min24 °C

Cool side26–28 °C

Warm side28–30 °C

These are WATER temperatures. Maintain stable tropical water at 26-30 °C with a protected heater. No marked gradient or aerial hot spot needed: the species almost never basks. Avoid any prolonged cooling below ~24 °C (respiratory risk).

Enclosure (adult)

200 × 90 × 60 cm

Aquarium or heated, shallow tropical freshwater pool (a benthic aquatic species)

Indicative minimum for ONE adult; larger is always better. Favour shallow water allowing it to reach the surface without swimming, with a vast floor area. Décor of dead leaves, driftwood and branches; weak current. Provide a protected water heater and powerful but gentle filtration.

Humidity

80–100 %

A parameter of little relevance: a fully aquatic species. The ambient humidity remains high above the water.

Substrate

Fine sandLeaf litter (oak, catappa) for tannins and camouflageDriftwood and submerged branches

Avoid sharp gravel and small, ingestible pebbles. Dead leaves (oak, catappa/Indian almond) acidify and colour the water (blackwater), provide camouflage and security. A loose sand bottom allows the animal to partially bury itself.

UVB

Optional

Low priority: an aquatic species that practically never basks. Weak UVB (2-5%) is beneficial but not essential if the diet (whole fish, with bones and viscera) meets the calcium and vitamin D3 requirements.

Water source

Always available

The heart of husbandry. Tropical freshwater, SOFT and ACIDIC, of the Amazonian blackwater type: pH ~5.0-6.5, low hardness (low GH/KH), tinted with tannins (peat, oak/catappa leaves, wood). Temperature 26-30 °C. Effective filtration but WEAK current (a sedentary species, a poor swimmer). Limited depth allowing it to reach the surface without swimming, to be increased gradually with the size of the animal. Regular water changes. Hard, alkaline or dirty water leads to stress, food refusal and skin infections.

Origin

Chelidae

The Amazon basin (Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Bolivia). Since 2020, the Orinoco basin population has been described as a distinct species (Chelus orinocensis); C. fimbriata corresponds to the Amazon basin.

Feeding & health

Diet

Carnivore / piscivore — Varied live fish (guppies, mollies, tilapia, catfish, minnows...), occasionally earthworms and shrimp.

It feeds by a lightning-fast gape-and-suck action and reacts only to live prey IN MOTION. It rarely accepts pellets or dead fish. Avoid goldfish/roach as a staple (thiaminase + excess fat → vitamin B1 deficiency): vary the prey. Indicative frequency: juveniles several times a week, adults 1 to 2 times a week.

Breeding

Oviparous

Clutch 8–30 eggs/young. Terrestrial egg-laying near the water. Long and variable incubation (often ~200 days, sometimes more, at 27-29 °C). Reproduction rare and poorly documented in captivity; sex determination probably genetic (no clearly established TSD).

Health watch points

Skin and shell infections (dermatitis, scute rot) linked to water that is too hard/alkaline or of poor quality
Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency due to a diet of fish rich in thiaminase (goldfish) → neurological disorders
Respiratory infections / pneumonia when the water is too cold or unstable
Eye infections and irritations linked to unsuitable water
Chronic stress and food refusal (non-acidified water, handling, a poorly acclimatised and parasitised wild specimen)

Morphs & genetics

Registry of 3 documented genes for Mata mata turtle.

Albino (T-) amelanisticRec
LeucisticRec
Hypomelanistic light phaseDom

Pairing calculator

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Mata mata turtle × Mata mata turtle

Probabilities per gene (independent loci).

Expected clutchSelect at least one gene on a parent.

Frequently asked questions

Answers to the most common questions about keeping the mata mata turtle.

How big does an adult matamata get, and what is really the limiting factor for keeping one?▾

The carapace reaches 40 to 50 cm, with records beyond 55 cm, for a weight often between 10 and 15 kg. It's not so much the size as the floor footprint and water volume required that are the real challenge: you need a vast, shallow pool, far more than just a large aquarium.

What kind of pool or aquarium should be provided?▾

For a single adult, allow at least 2 m long by 90 cm wide and 60 cm high, favouring shallow water that lets it reach the surface without swimming. Decorate with dead leaves, driftwood and submerged branches, with a weak current and powerful but gentle filtration.

Why is water quality so central for this species?▾

Because the matamata replicates Amazonian blackwater conditions: it needs soft, acidic water around pH 5.0 to 6.5, with low hardness and a tannic tint obtained from peat, oak or catappa leaves and submerged wood. Water that's too hard, alkaline or dirty causes stress, food refusal and skin infections.

What water temperature should be maintained?▾

The water must stay stable between 26 and 30 °C, with a nighttime minimum around 24 °C and a well-protected heater. This species almost never basks, so there's no aerial hot spot to provide, unlike many other aquatic turtles.

How does a matamata feed, and what should it be given?▾

It hunts with a lightning-fast suction strike and only reacts to live prey in motion: a variety of live fish (guppies, mollies, tilapia, catfish, minnows), occasionally with earthworms or shrimp. Avoid goldfish as a staple, as they cause vitamin B1 deficiencies; feed 1 to 2 times a week for adults, a bit more often for juveniles.

Is UVB necessary?▾

It's a low priority, since this benthic turtle almost never basks: light UVB (2-5%) is beneficial but not essential if the diet, based on whole fish with bones and viscera, already covers its calcium and vitamin D3 needs.

Can it be handled easily?▾

It's best to avoid handling unless necessary: it's a sedentary, cryptic animal that mimics a pile of submerged dead leaves, and handling is stressful for it - it can even damage the soft edges of its carapace and plastron.

Is this a species suited to beginners?▾

No, it's classed among the advanced species: its precise water chemistry requirements, its diet based exclusively on live fish, and its sensitivity to stress make it an animal reserved for experienced keepers.

How long does a matamata live?▾

Its longevity is very high, between 40 and 75 years, even though precise data on actual captive records remains limited. It's a commitment spanning several decades to plan for before acquiring one.

How does it reproduce?▾

It's oviparous, laying clutches of 8 to 30 eggs deposited on land near the water. Incubation is long, often around 200 days at 27-29 °C, and reproduction remains rare and poorly documented in captivity.

What health problems are most common?▾

Skin and shell infections linked to water that's too hard or of poor quality are common, as are vitamin B1 deficiencies in animals fed goldfish, which cause neurological disorders. Water that's too cold or unstable also promotes respiratory infections and eye irritations.

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