My girlfriend rescued him from an acquaintance of hers, long story short, he was mistreated, kept in a 2 gallon fish bowl without filtration with water so dirty you couldn't see into it, and was only fed bread.
Immediately, I put him into a 15 gal because I had one lying around from fish I used to have and an internal filter (with new pads) for a few months.
Recently, I was able to purchase a 29 gal tank for him, from the awesome Petco $1/gal deal.
I made him a filter based on this design - https://youtu.be/OxFb3EeZ7l8
but mine is significantly smaller, only 2 quarts, and not using bio media or balls.
My filter's contents from top to bottom: filter padding, polyester fill, ceramic rings, and coarse sponges.
Also I am using a submersible pump from Harbor Freight - http://www.harborfreight.com/264-gph-submersible-fountain-pump-68395.html
The pump has a pre-filter but I chose to remove it, because it would get dirty very quickly and I didn't want it sitting in the water as a bacteria factory.
After doing a water change, I noticed some white spots on him while I was cleaning out his tank.
I put him in a dry habitat for a full day, to get a clear assessment of his shell.
These are the scutes that came off his belly when he was dry for a day.
His tank - a work in progress
I believe he is too heavy for his dock, so when he basks, his belly does not rise above the water level.
I am planning on making him a tank topper from a plastic bin and some egg crate, however it will take me a while to get the materials, money is pretty tight.
He is back in the tank now and I am treating him with Turtle Fix, http://www.petco.com/product/126718/API-Turtle-Fix
I wanted to know if anyone had success with this product? would a dry tank and bentadine application be a better treatment? is the slight pink color on his belly significant? Is it Shell Rot, and how significant is the damage?
Thank you for you time.
How big is your turtle? - ~6 inches
How long have you had it? - ~6 mo.
What is the water temperature? - 75 degrees
Did you use a thermometer? - Yes
Are you using a water heater? - Not yet, planning on getting one before winter.
How much water is in there? - 18.7 gallons, I put 12 inches of water in there, and in a 29 gal tank it comes out to 18.7 gal.
Are you using a water conditioner? - Yes, http://www.petco.com/product/112542/TetraFauna-AquaSafe-Reptile-And-Amphibian-Water-Conditioner
and http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/waste-removers/fluker-s-organic-cleaner-super-scrub-zid36-5147515/cat-36-catid-500025
Are you using any filtration? - Yes, diy mentioned above.
What is the basking temperature? - 80-85 degrees
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? - Foam
Is there a UVB light? - Yes
What have you been trying to feed it? - ReptoMin, Dried Mealworms and the occasional live cricket.
When was the last time your turtle ate? - Few hours ago
How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? - 29 gal
Is the tank near a window? -No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? - Bedroom, moderate activity
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
