General Care Discussion :: Shell question

[focus12221]

Alright so I know that at the least I have a hard water problem, but also the top of my turtle has tiny white spots, not scaly, not fungus looking, it looks like its the shell just a different color, can they naturally have white spots? Or is it shell rot or something else that needs to be dealt with, the water is changed once a week (cold water, thats heated to 75f) and I have a 50g filter in a 30g tank.


Also is there a way to remove the hard water stains? I know it doesn't hurt him, but doesn't let the little guy have his lustery shell. I have tried warm water and a soft brush, but thats it.

Oh and the turtle seems to be very happy, swims all over the place, gladly eats, and makes a mess lol, likes to bask for awhile, skin and face are great, but i am at a loss with the shell

[marisa]

You really need to post a picture of your turtle's shell dry to show those white spots.

Mineral deposits from hard water can usually be rubbed off with a little white vinegar and a q-tip. Softening the water would help prevent them from occuring.

[focus12221]

[focus12221]

In three of those pictures are red circles (3 in each that have them). Those are the white spots I am referring to, anything else in the picture is either hard water stains or light reflection, (I believe). If anyone sees any concern on the white spots please tell me.

[RunninWideOpen]

i'm not really sure what that would be. I'm not great at identifying shell problems. someone else will come along tho.

i did notice there's only one light clipped to the tank. unless that is a mercury vapor bulb, it won't produce both the UVB and heat that your turtle needs for shell health.

[focus12221]

In that hood is a 5.0 reptiglo uvb/uba light thats seriously about 6" away and from the basking area

website http://www.uvguide.co.uk/fluorescenttuberesults.htm

should be plenty compared to other types. I will probably get a 10.0 or a mvb next time but it should be fine from all that I have read. The light says its effective at over 12" away. There is also a reflector in the hood that points towards the dock. Its all getting changed over the holidays. Totally upgrading the basking area to something over the entire tank with a box setup that will put but both lights more directly above but there is a lot of that uvb light going onto the dock, my only idea is that when I first got him ( a month and a half ago) he didn't bask at all for over a week but now bask all the time. Those spots could be a month old, I dont remember.

[RunninWideOpen]

ok, well that's good. don't go to the 10.0 if you're only 6" away, the 5.0 will be fine. if in your new setup the bulb will be 12" or more away, you could go to a 10.0

that hood light doesn't have any glass or clear plastic that would seperate the bulb from the turtle, correct? if so, that would be filtering out all of the UVB before it gets to the turtle.

i don't think he could have developed those spots just from a week of not basking. you could try mixing warm water with some white vinegar, dipping a q-tip in it and try gently rubbing the spots. see if they come off.

[SpotsMama]

If the lamp is a tube fluorescent, then you can go to the 10.0 bulb with no problem. You can go very close to the turtle with a tube fluorescent.

On the other hand, if it's a compact fluorescent, best stay with a 5.0 (26 watt) and 6" may be too close depending on the type of bulb.

The difference is in the coating used on the different types of bulbs that causes them to produce the UVB rays. The tubes have long used a coating that produces good UVB that's not harmful at close range. Some of the newer compacts, however, have used a different coating that sometimes produces rays that are too strong in the wrong parts of the light spectrum that can cause problems if the bulbs are too close.

[focus12221]

Ya its a tube florescent not compact, ive heard of too many problems with them being to close, and mine is wayyy to close from what i hear about the compacts.

[industrial_girl_2000]

What are his eating habits like? Does he eat veggies?

[mikee]

S Mama -- I think you are on to something. If the turtle is not getting enough uvb and enough heat the fungus will grow and get estabilished. If a flourescent tube is being used they need to be changed every 6 months. The uvb gradually gets weaker and weaker. If the water is set to 80 degees and the basking temp is 90 to 92 with a sulfer bath I think you can take care of the problem. just my suggestion. I am not a vet.

[marisa]

Please don't cross post---you've posted the same question in the Urgent Care Forum. This thread is being locked. Those wishing to respond can post their replies in the other thread.