Urgent Care :: Is this fungus?

[Nicci Lu]

I've read the basic care, and I've read about fungus, but I can't really find any good photos to identify it.

How big is your turtle? I have 2 turts: the male 5"; the female 4"
How long have you had it? 2 weeks

What is the water temperature? 75
Did you use a thermometer? Yes
Are you using a water heater? Yes
How much water is in there? 8 " deep
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes, Prime
Are you using any filtration? Yes, generic canister rated up to 100 gallons

What is the basking temperature? 92
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Store bought Reptology large turtle pier
Is there a UVB light? Yes

What have you been trying to feed it? Romaine, frogbit or anacharis 6 days/week; half head Repashy Savory Stew 5 days/week; zucchini or carrot 1 day/week; 1 day/week fasting
When was the last time your turtle ate? This morning

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 50 gallons
Is the tank near a window? No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Yes

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? No, behavior seems normal. Appetites good. Turts very skittish about using dock- they often jump off when someone walks by.
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We've had these guys for two weeks. They previously lived in an outdoor pond in someone's backyard. When we got them, the female had this white spot on her arm:

Though the picture was taken today, it looks pretty much the same as it did two weeks ago. We thought it was a wound from fighting- there were at least 5 more turts in the pond they lived in previously, some fully grown.

Today, I noticed new white areas on the male.
Some faint spots on his arm:

He had the algae on his shell when we got him.

And more prominent ones on the top of his head:


I also noticed what I thought were scratches on his shell had gotten bigger:


Sorry, all pictures are underwater.
I think it is fungus, but I wanted a confirmation before I begin a treatment. The shell is possibly shell rot or fungus?
I'm thinking the cause is because they don't bask for very long- like I mentioned above, they are skittish and slide off as soon as someone walks by. Especially Monkey, the male. They are in our living room- we have no place with less traffic to put them. Since we've only had them 2 weeks, and during that time their container has been changed once and rearranged twice, and I don't know how much human interaction they had before we got them- do you think once they get settled in they will get less skittish? Should I try putting something that blocks their view from the living room around their basking site- will this help them feel safer?

[steve]

It does look like fungus. I would give them a gentle cleaning and let them dry off a bit. Are they basking?

[Nicci Lu]

They do bask, but because of their skittishness it seems they're usually only out for about 10 minutes at a time- the male it seems is often only out for 5 minutes. They try again numerous times in the day, but keep getting scared off every time someone walks by. And it doesn't help that I have a 3 and a 5 year old son and daughter- they can be pretty noisy. I'm not really sure what their total basking time for the whole day is. Today was a good day for them- during my childrens' nap they got at least a couple hours continuous basking time- they're still on the dock right now. Hoping this means they're getting less shy.

How long should I ensure they stay dry for? Is cleaning and giving them some dry time sufficient to start with, eg see if the fungus improves, or should I go straight to antifungal cream and dry docking?

[steve]

Have you thought about an ATBA? They might have some more privacy that way, though you must also know that their tank is too small for them already. A few hours of basking a day would be good. I would clean them up (use something like diluted Betadine or Hibiclense) and evaluate the issues on the skin and shell again. Then dry dock them overnight, and reexamine in the morning. Dry docking can be a big help in treating skin fungus, whereas the shell usually requires the cream.

[Nicci Lu]

Have you thought about an ATBA? They might have some more privacy that way,

I did. I liked the idea, but my husband nixed it because the cross bar piece on the top of tank that gives stability would have to be removed- it's a 6" piece of glass and wouldn't allow room for the turts to slide off.

though you must also know that their tank is too small for them already.

I think the tank is actually closer to a 55, though it was sold (used) to us as a 50. Dimensions are odd- 48" x 15" x 17". I know we ought to have at least 90g for the size they are now. Come the end of summer we'll get something much bigger- I've been stalking craig's list. Hopefully by then we'll know whether they will have to be separated or can live together.

A few hours of basking a day would be good. I would clean them up (use something like diluted Betadine or Hibiclense) and evaluate the issues on the skin and shell again. Then dry dock them overnight, and reexamine in the morning. Dry docking can be a big help in treating skin fungus, whereas the shell usually requires the cream.

Thanks, will do! I've got some of Kordon's Rid Fungus in the tank now, too. It's for fish, but says it's safe for aquatic reptiles. It seems to be helping, though from experience I know it works pretty slow since it's all natural.

[steve]

I don't think anyone has tried that (though Acriflavine has been mentioned before), so I'll be eager to hear the results. Good luck!

Also, has both turtles had their sexes confirmed?

[Nicci Lu]

I'll be sure and report back how it works.

The turts are old enough (I have no idea what their actual age is) that you can tell. The male has much longer claws, while Ghoulia's are short. And Monkey (the male) has a much longer tail. He's tried to engage in mating behavior with Ghoulia (when I added sand to the tank and the water got real cloudy), but it seems that he doesn't quite know what he's supposed to do yet.

[steve]

Males will likely become aggressive, so you think about future upgrades you will need to consider this.... maybe hang onto that 50 gallon.

[Nicci Lu]

Darnit, I've been totally drooling after that tank as a community fish tank! I'll keep it empty for awhile though, and watch for signs of aggression. Thanks for the heads up.