Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

We change the water in our 20 gallon tank every two weeks...wash down the rocks, clean the tank, etc. I have noticed that in the last few weeks, the water in the tank has a slight film (looks a bit oily) and small bubbles gathering in small groups at the top. My hands are clean whenever I access the tank. So, how can I get rid of this, it can't be good for our turtle (he's two). He rubs his eyes every now and then, I've noticed. We have a filter, which we change every three weeks. We feed him in the tank, but we always try to clean out any excess food he does not eat, with a fish net.

And one more thing, I keep his water temperature around 70 in the winter, 80 in the summer. Is he wanting it to be cooler than that, do they look to hibernate?

Thanks for your help!!

I think that you need to change the water more often, say about once a week. Try feeding the turtle in a separate tank, or plastic tub too.

The filter sounds like it may not be working anymore. You may need a more powerful filter, or need to change the filtering medium inside your filter (charcoal, cotton, etc.

I hope that this helps.

PHKiwi

Id recommend getting something to stir up the water better like a small powerhead. You can usually find a small submersible pump that will work for about $10. Also maybe an airstone or bubble wall will stir it up enough.
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Thanks to all for giving your advice!

I do have a submersed filter, but perhaps I should get a bubble wall or a better filter. I think we paid about $39 for this one.

The strangest thing I came home to, Tommy the RES was sleeping sound on his rock. Can this mean that he doesn't want to be in the water? We've had him two years and I've never seen him sleeping on the rock before!!

Thx!

save your money and buy a bigger enclosure if you can. Not sure about how much water testing you do but i would change the water in any tank smaller than 30 gallons either daily or every other day. Even a week between changes is way too long.

You can get pre-formed plastic garden ponds and large plastic storage boxes which are bigger thna your tank for much less than the cost of a big glass tank.

The film may be from oils in the food he is eating. You can do a weekly water change of around 30% or so and that might help things. Regarding temps. Don't reduce his temperature any. They do not "look" to hibernate and unless you empty his gut completely and let him fully hibernate in water that is around 40-45 degrees all you will do is starve him to death.

The water temp is okay (I keep mine at around 72 to a max. of 75 degrees). Also what is his basking spot temp?

The water temperature for Tommy is kept between 65 and 75, most of the time hanging around 72. I have a little temperature gauge that is inside that tank (out of the water) and that is the only way I would know the basking light temperature...? It reads 74, but that meter is not directly under the basking bulb, so I know it's hotter under the bulb. How would I know what the basking temperature is? Also, the hydrometer reads about 50.

I am going to put more water into the tank tonight. It's a 20 gallon tank, and I have it filled 1/3 the way, with rocks leading to a slope and rock where he basks.

I feed him clean, dark lettuce greens, baby Reptomin, and a little shrimp treats. He seems awfully lonely in there, but I try to make the best environment for him.

Thanks!

Get a thermometer and lay it directly on the basking spot. From what I've been told and read, you want it at about 85 to 90 f. I just got my tank set up last night and using a 150 watt basking lamp at about 10" away the temp rose to 110 degrees in fifteen minutes. I had to put rhe light around 18 to 20 inches away to get it down to 86 f. The air temp is not a good indicator as mine is much lower than that.

Holley

you need to turn the light OFF before you measure the temp otherwise it will keep climbing.

Hi, after having my turtle (note: singular) for 6 months now I can only say.... Turtle likes rocks but doesn't need rocks and if you can build him something like a cave with a basking area on top and a ramp to get to basking area, your turtle would really love all the room in the tank. My turtle really enjoys swimming and I've tried to make his tank interesting by putting "greenery" both live and plastic (I've been glueing rocks on the bases with tank sealant and yes, I'm waiting a week before putting it in the tank), feeder fish which my turtle will chase every once in awhile, the cuttlebone which he nibbles on but also seems to play with, and places to lean on and/or hide.

My turtle spends a lot of time hiding under his basking platform, but he does swim around a lot exploring his tank (I just changed tanks from 10g to 20g on Friday after Xmas).

I think when turtle is just sitting there "looking bored" it is because it's waiting for food to "swim" by. I am probably wrong but it's the conclusion I've come to since my turtle really gets excited whenever I pick up one of his canisters of food

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>>I am going to put more water into the tank tonight. It's a 20 gallon tank, and I have it filled 1/3 the way, with rocks leading to a slope and rock where he basks.
>>
>>I feed him clean, dark lettuce greens, baby Reptomin, and a little shrimp treats. He seems awfully lonely in there, but I try to make the best environment for him.
>>
>>Thanks!