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I keep getting this Oil stuff on the top of my pond water. anyone have any idea of what it is? i just cleaned my pond today and its still there sorta, not as bad but its still there. its making my turtles cranky because it coats there shells and makes them feel slimey. I have to use soap on there shell just to make them feel normal. I can tell its bothering them too because they never try to bite me but when there shell has the stuff on it they try to bite the hell out of me.

Any ideas on how to get rid of it and what it is?

I get that on top of my aquarium occasionally, I don't think it's harmful. I would you avoid using soap on my turtles shell though if I were you.

Maybe it's a protein slick? Or an algae slick?

no idea. what should i use to clean the shells next time? warm water and a toothbrush wont get it off by its self. thats why i used to soap. i put a tiny dab on the toothbrush and it cleaned the shell pretty well. i make sure it dont get on the skin of the turtle as best as i can aswell

Try Hibiclens from the drug store. It's a soapy antibacterial wash (their site says "antiseptic antimicrobial skin cleanser possessing bactericidal properties") and it's OK to use with the turtles. You'll have to scrub them, then rinse them before putting them back into their tank. I think this is the stuff doctors use to wash their hands.

Do you have any way to agitate the surface of the water? Maybe a cheap pond pump with a fountain head on it or something. It sounds like some proteins from food or some petroleum product leaching out of something plastic. Agitating the waters surface will help keep the substance from collecting on top and stir it back into the water so hopefully your filter can process it.

You think its from my Trashcan filter i have in the pond?

You shouldn't have to clean your turtle's shells. They don't have anyone doing it for them in the wild, and for the most part, they get along just fine.

SINI5T3R wrote:You think its from my Trashcan filter i have in the pond?

Possibly.

SINI5T3R wrote:You think its from my Trashcan filter i have in the pond?

It could be the trash can. It's made of plastic, which is petroleum based. If the trash can is breaking down, it could be causing the oil slick.

-Michael

it may be that then. because the sun seems to be beating the hell out of the shape of my trashcan filter so i may have to get rid of it and see what happens. I never thought of that possiblity

I had oil on the surface of the water in my tank awhile back. When I removed the plastic sweater box I was using for a basking platform the oil disappeared. Most likely the trash can is the culprit here; especially if the oily substance is rainbow in color.

Whenever I got that I just gave my filter a good cleaning and/or replaced the filtration media. It was for the clear looking oil on top of the surface, not the rainbowish one.

What kind of turtle food do you feed them? Check the label of the product you use, sometimes turtle pellets have yeast, crude oil contents. As long as it does not affect the appetite or health of your turtle.. No need to worry. I worry about the soap, in their natural environment they do not use soap to clean themselves.