General Care Discussion :: Shell condition, please help! pics inside

[dhtang]

Can someone please help me and my map turtle? I'm not sure what the condition is but it is a growing concern. Please help me diagnose and suggest a way of treatment! Thanks in advance!

Pictures:
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/9053/shell1w.jpg
http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/801/shell2j.jpg

2 yrs old, shell is 3.5 inches long, shell has white spots, hard.
Active, seems healthy, good appetite.
Diet: Repcal Aquatic Turtle Food, Reptomin Floating Stick, Wardley Turtle Delite (dried shrimp), weekly fruits/veggies.

Habitat:
55 Gallon long tank
Heating: set at 74 degrees F
Filter: Aquaclear110/500
Lighting: UVA bulb, UVB Fluorescent tube, Basking Lamp + Basking platform
Community: 2 Mystery Snail + 2 Apple Snail, Driftwood and Pebbles

[gwennie]

I think you really need to take your turtle into the vet - that looks like some sort of fungus to me.

[dhtang]

I think you really need to take your turtle into the vet - that looks like some sort of fungus to me.

I have some people on other forums told me it might be some heavy mineral deposits (I live in Toronto), if that's the case, what can I do?

[Kemul]

Well, you can try brushing the shell using baby toothbrush and some salt. You can
also try brushing with vinegar diluted 1:1 with water.

Usually, mineral deposits disappear when in water. If you can still see them in
water, it seems more like fungus.

[bradmeisel]

i don't like the looks of that.

[mike hill]

I would do what Kamul suggested about the salt and warm water with a soft toothbrush. Brush is, let dry and brush it again. His carapace is having a hard time getting uvb light with that white coating on it. If you cannot get is off I would suggest the vet also. Good Luck!

[dhtang]

Thanks guys!

I'm going to give him a bath/brush in aquarium salt warm bath (thinking about adding some vinegar).

I've got advice of removing the pebbles and rocks from the tank.

I've also been told mineral deposits is a common problem for maps in captivity. I think I will seek vet opinion on this one, I'll post any significance for reference. Thanks again for the help!

[gwennie]

I can understand folks thinking it's mineral deposits from hard water, but there's a big pit on one of the scutes in the first picture, and several smaller ones on the other side of the turtle in the second picture.

It does look like there are some retained scutes that could be adding to the trouble as well.

Either way, the only real way to tell what it could be is to take your turtle in and get them to take a scraping and send it to the lab. That way you'll know if it's fungal or not and how you can treat it.

I wouldn't add any vinegar if you're going to give him an aquarium salt bath.

[Outlander]

Looks like fungus to me.....