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I've been away at my grandparents house for a week, so I had my dad feed Gilbert and turn his lights on and off. He took good care of him and even fed him some of his shrimp treats, but when I got back I noticed a firm lump on the left side of his neck. I will definitely be taking him to the vet, but I was hoping someone could identify the issue first? He dives from his filter rock and sometimes hits his head on the bottom, so is there a chance he just hit the bottom too hard? The research I've done is looking like it's abscess, maybe an infection. Sorry for the blurriness of the picture, he doesn't hold still. All advice is appreciated.

How big is your turtle? About 5 inches.
How long have you had it? This would be the seventh month I've had him, and he looked almost newly hatched when I got him.

What is the water temperature? The thermometer says around 78
Did you use a thermometer? Yes
Are you using a water heater? Yes
How much water is in there? Maybe 26-32 Gallons, we just moved him to a 75 gallon but haven't had time to raise the filter rocks and the water level.
Are you using a water conditioner? Yes
Are you using any filtration? Yes, one large filter rock

What is the basking temperature? I'm not sure
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? Its a heating lamp with a high watt bulb
Is there a UVB light? Yes, right next to the heating lamp

What have you been trying to feed it? ReptoMin Baby Floating Food Sticks, Turtle Delite Dried Whole Shrimp Treats
When was the last time your turtle ate? He eats 6-8 pellets once, sometimes twice a day

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 75 gallon tank with about 30 gallons for now
Is the tank near a window? No
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? His tank is in the living room, but were not that loud/hectic.

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? No, I thought this might need to be explained in more detail.

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? He's had no trouble eating/swimming/basking, although it seems today, when I fed him, he seemed to struggle a bit because the lump is on his "cheek"

Yup, it's an ear abscess. Minor surgery needed (no anesthesia)... usually lance, drain, and extract. Make sure the water is super clean. Antibiotics are not always prescribed afterwards.

Okay, any idea on how he might have gotten the infection or how much the surgery costs?

There is no certain known cause of it, though some suspect dirty water. I've seen plenty of RES in clean setups get them as well.

As for costs... I don't know. It should be pretty routine and even some rehabbers can do it. I'd just look for a very experienced herp vet.

I thought I kept the water really clean, but maybe I need to do extra to make sure its clear of food rot and feces. He does have rocks on the bottom of the tank, so maybe there's some there and I'm not noticing it as well. Either way, I should be getting another filter put in and I'll take him in soon. If untreated for a few more days, will he get worse / can it be fatal? I appreciate all the help.

I doubt it's your fault... it could just be one of those things.

A few more days won't change much, though it might get bigger and he'll still be uncomfortable from it. The abscess alone is not fatal, though it could cause other complications.

Alright, I can get him in Monday. Thank you.