General Care Discussion :: Unable to Sink/Swim to Bottom

[byc605]

Hey Everyone,

I hope everyone is enjoying the Holidays. I have a question about my RES. One of my RES use to swim to the bottom all the time and scavange for leftovers and seemed to be swimming normally, but recently I havn't seen it do so. On closer inspection it seems to be always floating at the surface with its butt in the air. What i mean is the butt part seems to be more elevated than the front of the shell. When it trys to swim to the bottom, it swims in that position as well but gives up and floats back up to the surface. It also seems fatter than my other RES, in that it has more skin or fat around the legs. They are about 1.5" and i feed them about 1.5-2 pellets a day. I also had a rosey red in the tank which i thought one of them ate, but it seemed to have somehow got stuck between the rock and the tank and died. I don't know how long the fish had died for but one of the turtles found it and ate it, which I think is the same one that is showing this odd behavior. Does anyone have any guesses as to what the problem might be? Do you think it is just gasy?..if they even do produce gas. Also i don't see my turtles often, usually only when I feed them, and this is when I witness this happening, So i don't know if it only shows this behvaior after eating and swims regulary afterwards. I do have a Heat Lamp at 90 degrees, UVB Blub, Filter, and a Heater at 79 degrees.

I remember a post about this topic awhile back but I can not seem to find it.

Any help would be great! thanks

[byc605]

Also I forgot to mention, I mention this before in another thread. I have protein scum at the surface of the water, therefore there are air bubbles. This particular turtle likes to bite at them and Squeeze? it out of its mouth? Like it bites at the bubble and then pushes it back out into smaller bubbles? I don't know if that's what its trying to do intentionally or trying to swollow them. So maybe it swollowed some air and therefore it can't sink anymore? Please Help!

[Kemul]

If that turtle is not showing other behavior that could mean illness, I think it's
just gas. Like you said, probably from swallowing the air bubbles. It'll pass
eventually, don't worry.

Perhaps others have different opinions.

[nickyds23]

Turtles can get gas?!

[Arisu]

hmm very interesting. initially, I was gonna say that its probably a sign respiratory illness but after you mentioned the bubble-eating... could it be all the extra air that your turt has been trying to eat?

hard to determine unless you take out all the possible factors (like algebra...haha) what is the protein build up from? start from the basics and make sure their living conditions are optimal. find out what causes these bubbles and avoid it at all cost until you figure out what the problem is. if there are no more bubbles for it to swallow but the floating problem doesn't subside, then you may have a sick turt

good luck!

[steve]

Hi, whats his setup like? Are there resting areas and does he have an appetite? How many RES are in the same tank? Are they the same size/growing at the same rate?

[mikee]

RI is a strong possibility. If it doesn't clear up soon I would take him to the vet. If he is eating and basking that is a good sign. Clean water at 80 degrees and basking with uvb is a good start. m.

[byc605]

Hey Guys,
Thanks for the responses! Right now i have them in a 20 gallon long tank. I have two baby RES turtles. I did not know what the surface thing was and did some research, and it all kind of led me to believe that it was protein scum. I feed the turtles pellets in the tank. I exchange/clean the tank weekly so it is pretty clean. The scum usually appears couple days after i clean the tank and appears as a whitish clear color, very light though. First its just a layer of the whitish clear stuff, and couple days in bubbles start to form. I don't know if its caused by the turtles diving in and out of the water, because when i add water to the tank, bubbles form. I am guessing air gets traped in the protein scum when i pour water in. I've only had them for about 3 months, and they are the same size. They do have a resting area out of the water where the turtles bask daily or atleast when i catch them before they jump back into the water, and have quite an appetitie. They are always begging but again i only feed them 1.5-2 pellets daily. When I looked at that specific turtle today, he seemed to be able to swim under water a lot easier but doesn't stay under long and goes back up to the surface where again his butt is higher. He use to stay and crawl around the bottom often looking for leftovers. He also tries to "eat" these bubbles all day long so i don't know if that could be the cause. But all in all he is still a very active turtle and does beg quite a bit when i walk into the room.

Any additional inputs would be great! Thanks everyone!

[marisa]

What filter are you using in the tank?

A film on top of the water can often be eliminated by agitating the water's surface more. Can you angle the output of the filter so that it does this (the agitation doesn't have to be strong)?

What brand of pellets are they being fed? 1.5 - 2 pellets a day each doesn't sound like very much to me, especially if that's the only food they're getting (it shouldn't be).

[byc605]

Hey,
I am using a Fluval 3 internal filter. I've always had the output pointed into the water to get better circulation, but i guess i could point it upwards if it will get rid of the film. I am using Reptomin pellets. I have no idea how much to feed so thats usually the amount. Should I be feeding more?? I do also put cuttlebone into the tank and some greens.

Anymore more inputs would be great thanks!

[byc605]

Hey again,

I read somewhere that if a turtle is overfed, the food rots in their gut causing gas? Can anyone clarify on that? Because i am sure my turtle ate that dead fish, which was probably rotting and Im assuming that it was dead for about a week. So would that cause gas within the turtle if it ate it? It doesn't seem to be RI either just because it isn't showing any other symptoms other than the inability to sink. If it were to be just gas would it eventually pass and everything goes back to normal? I don't know if he poops or not because i never witness them but there are poop in the tank whether it be this turtles' or the other.

Thanks!

[marisa]

Food that sits in the gut without being eliminated will decay and therefore can cause gas (and an upset stomach). If you think the fish he ate was rotting, it could very well cause stomach problems.

If it is gas and it is passed, then the floating with the high butt should cease. If he's otherwise eating and acting normal, I'd give it a few days and see if he doesn't improve. If not, then having him checked out would be good.

[byc605]

Hey Everyone,

Thanks for all the advice and inputs everyone gave. I just have one more question. I don't even know if i should be asking this...But, Do you guys think maybe I shouldn't feed him for a day or two, just incase it is access food in his gut? ... or is that completly out of line. Thanks!

[mikee]

I would suggest that you feed him only pellets and feed every other day and see how that does. Keep the water temp at 80 degrees until this is over and make sure he has the proper basking temp (90 degrees) and your uvb lighting is doing it's job. m.

[byc605]

Hey Everyone again - Last reply i promise,

So i just finished cleaning the tank, and just as i put my turtle in, of course he poops. But this wasn't an ordinary poop...it was HUGE. Probably the length of his legs. And soon after couple of good size air bubbles came out of his butt. I guess turtles do fart after all... Now he seems much better. It is definatly floating evenly now and is able to swim to the bottom much better. Although he still floats to the surface, its not as quick and when he is at the surface he is much lower into the water than before. I guess a couple more farts and toots here and there and he should be back to normal.

Thanks to everyone for all your help!