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FAQs About Red Ear Slider Turtle Systems 2 Related Articles:
The Care and Keeping of the
Red Eared Slider,
Trachemys scripta elegans by
Darrel Barton, Red Ear
Sliders, Turtles, Amphibians, Red
Eared Slider Care, Shell Rot in
Turtles,
Related FAQs: RES Systems
1, Turtle
Systems 1, Turtle
Systems 2, Sliders 1,
Sliders 2,
Red Eared Slider Identification,
RES Behavior, RES
Compatibility, RES Selection,
RES Feeding, RES
Disease, RES Reproduction, Turtles in
General:
Turtles, Turtle Identification,
Turtle Behavior,
Turtle Compatibility,
Turtle Selection,
Turtle Systems,
Turtle Feeding,
Turtle Disease,
Turtle Disease 2,
Shell Rot,
Turtle Reproduction,
Amphibians, Other
Reptiles,
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Red ear slider habitat - 06/08/2007
Dear crew,
<Hiya Suyi>
I recently bought a little infant red ear slider, which I think is illegal as it
was really small.
<The original FDA regulation attempting to stem the transmission of salmonella
poisoning among children made it against the law to sell or offer for sale any
turtle with a straight carapace (shell) length of less than 4 inches (approx 10
cm) except for educational purposes, but that regulation doesn't extend to your
ownership of them. Some states and even some localities have other and more
restrictive laws regarding ownership. It's always wise to check the regulations
in your state, county & city>
The measurement of the shell from head to tail is only 3.7cm. However my other
two 7 mth olds measures around 6cm and 6.5 cm. They are now housed in a 2 ft
tank. I was thinking if I could put the little
one in, but I am afraid the other two will attack it. Do you think it is a wise
idea to put them together or have them housed separately?
<Suyi, housing any animal of different size and/or maturity is a question that
faces aquarists and keepers of all types and it's a question for which there are
as many answers as there are pets and keepers.>
<Generally speaking, the Pseudemys (Sliders & Cooters) and Chrysemys (Painted
Turtles) are a friendly and affable bunch and get along well at all ages and
sizes. In the wild, the babies instinctively head for the weeds and embankments
and stay there until they are 5 cm or more (2 In) but that is due to predation
from frogs, snakes and birds, not other turtles. In my larger pond, I very often
have hatchlings from egg clutches I failed to notice and collect... so the
babies hatch out and join the pond with their fully grown parents, feeding and
sunning and basking right along side comparative giants -- and everyone seems to
get along fine. And in your case the hatchling would be housed in a more
controlled environment and they are much closer in size. It's LIKELY that your
only real concern will be making sure that the little one gets his share of food
and basking area.>
<The reason I said "likely" is because there is always a chance for things to go
wrong. Turtles DO have personalities and one snappy little yearling could ruin
your hatchling's whole day -- if you understand what I'm saying. Beyond giving
you general information, I'd keep the hatchling separately until she is around 2
inches (5 cm) and then introduce her into the tank with the others, who will
only be around 3 inches (8 cm) by then. I'll enclose a link here describing some
basic and inexpensive housing options>
Regards,
Suyi
<Best of luck, Darrel>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
Re: feeding res Anacharis... now Sys.
- 6/3/08
Hi Neale
Thanks for the information. I have a couple of more questions. I have two eheim
filters running. (2017). So I am like a little more then 6x's the turn over.
<Sounds ideal.>
How do I keep the green from growing inside my tank?
<The algae? Basically you can't. The easiest way to control algae is to use a
pad to wipe away algae every week. Although low tech, this actually works fine.
Do a water change after each clean, siphoning out the loose bits of algae. If
you need to, you can switch the filters off for 5 minutes while doing this
without fear of the bacteria dying.>
Also how often does all the media need to be changed?
<Changed, hardly ever; cleaned, probably every 4-6 weeks. It's usually obvious
when the filter is clogged because the water becomes murky with bits of detritus
floating about.>
I am a little confused about that.
<The important thing is to remember the filter media is "alive" with bacteria.
Rinse the sponges in buckets of aquarium water, or perhaps under a luke-warm tap
-- but never under a hot tap.>
And most important how do I tell if my turtles are two fat or not?
<You can't really because of their shells. Realistically, underfeeding a reptile
isn't all that likely because of how little they need to eat, especially if
plant food is there for them to graze. Turtles will eat until they're ready to
burst, but a sensible amount of food for a 15 cm/6" specimen would be 3-4
portions per week of meaty/dried food plus all the green foods they can eat. By
all means offer them more if they're still hungry, but make any extra food green
foods rather than high protein foods. Green foods have almost no impact on water
quality, and will not cause any problems in terms of constipation, fattiness,
etc. that we worry about with reptiles generally. Just do make sure the green
foods offered are safe: there are some greens that are potentially harmful,
especially in excess. Do see here:
http://redearslider.com/plants.html
Unshelled, high-fibre meaty foods like unshelled shrimp are also good "fillers".
Really, think about the ideal human diet, and it's really not all that far from
what reptiles want -- lots of greens, lots of fibre, and a modest amount of
sugary and protein-rich foods.>
Thanks Christine
<Cheers, Neale.>
My RES: Abbott and Costello 05/20/08
Hello There,
<Hiya Leeana, Darrel here>
I have had my 2 RES since they were hatchlings. Now, about 3 years later, they
seem to be active adults in their 120 gallon tank. I would like to make them a
pond in the near future, but that's not in the budget at the moment. The tank
remains about half full, with a heat light, a f.s. light, a basking area with a
tunnel underneath.
<Sounds really nice!>
Here's the situation. The tank is ALWAYS cloudy. I empty the water through a
gravel siphon once a week out my patio door. Its smells of ammonia. TERRIBLE.
I'm afraid to let guests into my home just because the smell is getting worse.
And yet the tank never seems to get any cleaner. It's almost a green-white
color, I can hardly see them at all! I can't tell you how many filtration
systems I've tried but NONE of them work. My turtles like to take things apart,
and charcoal would always end up in the tank. I've given up on filters, and I've
seen no better/no worse without them.
<Sounds really stinky. The problem is, I think, that you're using the wrong KIND
of filter. With turtles of that size, in that large a tank, you need an
external/canister filter. Something around 100 to 150 gallons per hour. You can
read a lot about filtration as it relates to fishes here on WWM and a great deal
of that will center on the nitrogen cycle. In the world of turtles, while we
don't complete discount that ... our efforts are waste REMOVAL, not waste
breakdown. The waste output of turtles is an order of magnitude greater than
that of fish. The reason I bring this up is that when you set up the "baskets"
of a canister filter, use them for (1) Mechanical filtration (2) Mechanical
filtration (3) Activate Charcoal. In other words, forget the bio beads. If you
set up the filter properly and run it 24/7 I'd guess you can change the filter
media every other week, the charcoal once a month and partial water changes
every week -- or so.>
<Take them both out, drain the tank, 1/2 fill with water, 1 cup bleach & scrub
every inch that comes in contact with water. Then drain, fill again & rinse.
Then drain, fill again & rinse. Then drain, fill again & rinse. Let sit dry for
24 hours. Fill, filter & add turtle (just Abbott)>
Costello, one of my RES, seems to have a dry-rot spot (I think?) Part of his
shell is constantly shed in the same spot. I don't know if this is the cause of
the smell or what might be keeping it cloudy, but I can't get this turtle
(Costello) to bask. Abbott, my female, has no problem at all. She loves to bask.
I take the two of them outside for two to three hours every week, which forces
them both to get out of the water for at least a little while, but I'm not home
to do that more than one day a week! Abbott runs around, but Costello hides in
his shell until I put him back in the water. He's very unhappy when he's not in
the tank. Sometimes, he'll stick his head out, only to run into bushes.
<I'd put Costello in a box with high sides and ordinary light for a week of so.
I'd get him out of the water and DRY, DRY, DRY while I treated the suspected
rot. A daily coating of Lotrimin, Tinactin, Miconlazole or any anti-fungal
ending in "-azole" for a week -- see if it improves. If so, keep it up for
anther TWO weeks (3 total) or if not, try wiping the area with Betadyne daily
for a week and see what THAT does. -Or- Betadyne in the morning and antifungal
in the evening. The important thing is to take Costello out of the environment
that encourages fungal and bacterial growth and keep him out until other forces
help heal his problem AND while the basic water conditions are being treated as
well! Put him in a shallow container of water for 5 minutes every three days to
allow him to hydrate and poop. You can offer food -- he probably won't eat --
and don't worry about that right now.>
I run all their 'toys' through the dishwasher, so I don't think its a bacteria
buildup issue? I don't use bleach because I'm afraid it will harm them, but I've
tried different environmentally friendly cleaners along with Dish soap. Still
nothing.
<Unlike fish, you can use bleach on turtle equipment as long as it's thoroughly
rinsed and dried afterwards.>
Abbott has also laid eggs in the past. Does this require mating or is it a
general 'female' thing? Maybe that's a probable cause? Anytime I find an egg its
broken. It's not SO regular that its a def cause, but it has happened before.
<Females will lay eggs when kept in the presence of males even if no mating
occurs. Eggs absolutely fowl the water and once the eggs get wet they would
never be fertile in any case. We can deal with egg layer and nesting ... and
even some more habitat modifications later, after we clear up the water and get
Costello's shell clear. Fix this stuff & then write back, OK?>
RES are illegal in NJ, and it very hard to find anyone that knows anything about
them here.
<When you outlaw turtles, only criminals will have turtles!>
<USUALLY, although New Jersey may be different, it's illegal to SELL a turtle
and/or you need to apply for a permit to KEEP turtles ... which is not the same
as it being illegal to HAVE them -- our "official" suggestion is that you find
the exact wording of your state and local laws and ordinances especially if you
plan a pond at some point>
Please tell me your suggestions! I don't mind cleaning the tank, I just wished
it would appear clear!!!! (Plus, Id like to get some help for Costello if it is
dry-rot!)
<That should be enough for now -- write back and tell us how it works!>
Thank you for any advice!
<Satisfaction guaranteed -- or double your advice back!>
-Leanna D.
Mays Landing, NJ
<two links: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm >
<http://www.xupstart.com/wwm>
Filtration needs for
outdoor RES habitat 05/08/08
Greetings and salutations WWM Crew,
<Hiya Kathy -- Darrel here>
Thank you for your wonderful site! Very informative.
<And you show a great deal of wisdom and taste for noticing!! Congrats!>
After an exhaustive, yet entertaining, search through the pond, turtle (slider)
and filtration pages, I am left with a few remaining questions as to how to
provide the best outdoor environment for our RES.
<You have questions? We have ... um ... well .... let's wait & see>
A bit of background may be helpful. Our RES "George" joined our family quite
unexpectedly one day. One of our dogs discovered George wandering through our
backyard and kindly alerted us of his presence by barking like mad! Given that
we live in a Central California suburban subdivision and have a fenced-in
backyard, his arrival was something of a surprise. After a fruitless canvas of
our neighborhood, we determined that George was to become part of the family.
<so far, so good>
George is a male RES with a carapace of approximately 6 inches. Right now, he
resides in our 167 gallon outdoor pond. The pond has a 450 gph in-pond pump, a
biological filter, pond plants (including very tasty water lilies, water
hyacinth and duckweed) and a small fountain nozzle. The water temperature ranges
from 65 to 75 degrees for much of the year; in summer, however, the water
temperature can reach the mid-80's. Since George's arrival, we have also added a
floating, basking platform for his sun-worshipping pleasure (of which, he makes
great use). George eats Koi pellets and occasional "Turtle bites", which he
enjoys quite a bit, as well as plenty of water lily foliage and spinach/greens.
<sounds nice!>
And, now, at long last, my question(s)...
The biological filter seems to be handling the addition of George very nicely.
In reading through the turtle pages, however, I see that it may be inadequate
for his long-term health and well-being. In your opinion, should I look to add a
mechanical filter as well? If so, what type/size would be best suited to the
task? Also, if I do need to incorporate the mechanical filter, should it be used
in-line with the biological filter or independently? The filtration pages have
so much information that I must confess to being a bit confused and in dire need
of clarity.
<Hmmm .. clarifying pond filter questions! A veritable fountain of puns (OH
DARN!!! I just did one!)>
<If, by a Biological Filter, you mean one of those in-pond basket thingies
attached to the pump, then I'd say yes it could probably need augmentation. That
said, remember that the surfaces of the pond, plants, etc. are ALL part of the
biocycle. Just like in an aquarium, the thing we call a biological filter is
often adding some amount MORE biological filtration to a working system>
<To keep it simple, it is a practical impossibility to have a substantial enough
biological filter to keep up after turtles the way you can for Koi. With JUST
GEORGE it may be possible, but if he writes to his family in Denver and invites
them over ... or if you're minding your own business at the pet store when a
Slider or Cooter leaps from the tank and into your shopping cart (don't laugh --
it happened to me last week) then you have to augment your system with more
mechanical cleaning AND ... begin more frequent water changes. What I'm
suggestion is more like a canister power filter that you can fill with physical
filtration as opposed to something like a 'barrel' type filter filled with
bio-balls.>
<Also, please keep in mind that you are working in partnership with Mother
Nature in any pond and Mom is the senior partner. Research your options for
"over wintering" George out of the pond, because even in Turlock and even for an
animal that can survive in frozen ponds much further up north, it's still very
hard on them and our job is to always look toward improving his odds.>
I thank you, in advance, for your advice.
<You're welcome. We hope you like it.>
Thank you,
Kathy in Turlock, CA
<If the advice doesn't fit, bring it back & we'll fix it for free!>
<Darrel>
Re: Filtration needs for outdoor RES habitat
05/14/08
Hey Darrel
<Hiya Kathy!>
Thanks you for your speedy reply! I think I have a clearer idea of how to manage
George's pond, now. In reviewing your response, however, I realized that I
hadn't been nearly as clear in my description of the existing system as I could
have been. Sorry if my lack of clarity, muddied the waters, as it were...(I
believe the puns may be contagious...pass the word!)
<They certainly are! And once good humor starts and takes hold, the only known
antidote is to watch Sister Act 2 - Back in the Habit>
Re. George's system, in addition to the previous info, I should have mentioned
that there is one of those pre-filter box thingies (as an aside, may I just
compliment you on your grasp of technical terms like thingie...I knew
immediately to what you were referring since I, myself regularly use equally
technical terms like thingamajigger & doohickey). The box has 2 layers of filter
media, around the pump. I clean this out regularly since George's addition as it
gets fairly mucky, fairly quickly -- I think he does it on purpose! The outlet
line from the pump, runs to the exterior biofilter, which is one of those barrel
deals, with 2 layers of filter media as well as a layer of bioballs. From there,
the water returns to the pond in a bit of a spillway/fall to add aeration. I
check the water quality weekly, using the same type of test kit that we have for
our indoor aquarium(s). So far, the water quality has been excellent...am I
missing anything beyond the mechanical filtration?
<You haven't missed a thing. At the risk of repeating myself and being redundant
(again) for our reading audience, Turtles are not a percentage increase in
filter load, they are a paradigm shift in .. um ... solid waste output and the
very best way to deal with it is mechanically - get it out of there.>
Also, given that our little corner of California is in the scenic Central Valley
and regularly has summer temps in the upper 90's/low 100's...I am planning on
providing a shade over part of the pond, to hopefully help moderate the water
temperature. Will this, in your considered opinion, in addition to continued
water changes, be sufficient to keep George happy and healthy thru the summer?
If not, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
<I think you're right on the money, Kathy! Everything we discuss is textbook
"quality care">
Thanks again for all your advice.
<Worth every penny you paid for it!>
<here's some of my stuff:
http://www.xupstart.com/wwm > |
|
Red ear sliders, sys. 5/2/08
Hi I have two red ear sliders. They will be a year mid - summer. I had them
in a 10 gallon tank. They were the size of a quarter when I got them. They are
now about 3 1/2 inches long.
<Grow fast, don't they!>
I just upgraded there tank to a 75 gallon. (figured they would grow into it).
<And how!>
I have it set up with a 50 watt basking light, 5.0 UVB light and a florescent
light that came with the tank. The air temp is around 80 during the day give a
little more as the lights heat up and 70 at night. The water temp is 70 during
the day and less when the lights are turned off at night. I have two whisper bio
filters going up to 40 gallons running right now with two turtle docks under the
basking and UVB light. I have the tank half way filled up.
<All sounds great.>
Now my questions are
is this to much water?
<Nope; so long as they can easily climb out of the water onto the land, they're
fine.>
is the light o.k.?
<Sounds good to me. Do keep ahead of light bulb changes though. Different brands
have different life spans, so check with the manufacturer on this issue. But all
lights "wear out" over time, and typically need to be replaced once a year.
After this time, the amount of light (including UV-B) can drop below a useful
level. Lights used purely to illuminate the tank can be changed when they fail,
but the UV-B light is critical, and needs to be monitored and replaced as
required.>
and my most important question is I need to know exactly the name of the best
filter to use and buy. I am so confused over this. If you could help me out that
would be great.
<No one brand stands out as "ideal". But Eheim filters are often said to be the
most reliable, so that's perhaps the direction to go. I'd recommend any messy
fish having a filter that offers 6 times the volume of the tank in turnover per
hour. I see no need to reject that rule for terrapins/turtles, so if you have
around 40 gallons of water in the vivarium, then a filter rated at 40 x 6 = 240
gallons per hour would be about right. External canister filters are the ideal
for terrapins, being better able at handling large amounts of solid waste
without ridiculous amounts of servicing.>
Also is it o.k. if I take them out in the summer. I live in P.A. I would love
for them to get natural sunlight if that is o.k. How long should they go for if
it is o.k.
<Where's "P.A."? Doesn't mean anything to me here in England, except "Personal
Assistant"! In any case, if you're in the temperate zone outside of the
subtropical natural habitat of this species, then you can't leave it outdoors
all year round. But across summer, provided the air temperature doesn't drop
below 15 degrees C at night, that's no reason not to leave them in a secure pond
area from which the cannot escape. I do this with some tropical fish, and it
actually does them some good. Now, your main issue is that terrapins are superb
escape artists, and can burrow and climb surprisingly well. Also, they are
vulnerable to predation by things like cats and foxes, so make sure those sorts
of things can't get into the enclosure.>
Thanks Christine
<Hope this helps, Neale.>
Re: red ear sliders 5/4/08
Thank you for all the information. I live in the U.S. and during the summer
days it gets pretty warm. So that's when I was wondering if I could take them
out. Maybe put them in a kiddie pool and keep an eye on the water. It would only
be for a couple of hours a day of course while I am out there with them.
Christine
<By all means put them outside for a few weeks when it is hot. But don't carry
them in and out for a few hours each day: animals don't like to be man-handled
and suddenly placed in a different environment. They aren't like us, and think
differently. To your eyes, a sunny garden is a tranquil place to sunbathe, but
to a pet reptile its a bizarre and frightening place filled with strange sounds
and smells. So if you want them to have a "vacation" outdoors (in itself not a
bad thing at all) create a safe, sheltered environment that they can settle into
around about May and then be brought back in once it cools down in September.
Make sure there are resting places and hiding places, and of course the water
still needs to be kept clean. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: red ear sliders, shell issues
5/5/08
Hi - Neale
Thanks for all the information. I have one more question. Since I changed over
the tank 4 days ago I took my turtles out and noticed that their shell very
slimy. They never felt like this before. Is this bad for them and what do you
think it is. Is there something I should do?
Thanks, Christine
<Hi Christine. Odd shell textures can be caused by a number of things. Hard
water can cause a crusty (limescale) deposit to develop on the shell. In itself
not dangerous but should be cleaned away gently with a toothbrush. Fungus is
more serious, and forms a fuzzy, slippery or slimy deposit. Related to poor
water quality, and potentially lethal, so needs fixing. Treat the animal with a
reptile safe anti-fungal medication, and review water quality management
(filtration, water changes, overfeeding). Algae is common, and forms a greenish
slime. Easily wiped away with paper towel. Not dangerous, and probably normal in
the wild. Hope this helps, Neale.>
Re: red ear sliders -05/07/08
Hi Neale
Thanks for the information. How would I be able to tell between a
slippery slimy deposit of fungus or and algae that is also slimy and
slippery?
Thanks Christine
<Hello Christine. Simple: algae is typically greenish brown, but can run
from reddish through to blue-green; fungus is off-white, perhaps
grayish. Hope that helps, Neale.>
Re: red ear sliders
05/08/08
Hi Neale
I am so sorry to bother you again but I really need help. I don't know what to
do next. I don't want my little turtles to get sick or die.
<Indeed not!>
It has been a week since I put them in the 75 gallon tank. I have the two
filters working up to 40 gallons each. (order another for 130 gallons). Have
75 watt basking light, florescent light, and 5.0 ubv light. O.k now I know this
green slime because my basking dock has green algae on it.
<Algae is harmless, but most easily removed with a pad or scraper.>
There is a film on the water. Now my filters are making soapy looking bubbles on
top of the water.
<Ah, likely too much organic material in the water (consider what polluted lakes
look like -- froth!). So, reduce the food DRAMATICALLY, do a big (90%) water
change, rinse the filter media in aquarium water. Switch to low protein (i.e.,
plant) foods from now on, and use high protein foods (pellets, seafood) once a
week and only in small amounts.>
Water is turning cloudy with what looks like white flakes in it.
<Do remember turtles (like all reptiles) shed their skin, and this looks like
big, transparent flakes of dead skin.>
It kind of looks like when the turtles shed. Could it be that they are shedding
so much from going from a 10 gallon tank to a 75 gallon tank.
<No idea.>
Please help turtles and me in desperate need.
Thanks Christine
<Hope this helps, Neale.>
Re: red ear sliders 5/10/08
Hi Neale
<Christine,>
Thanks for the information. I changed the water and hooked up another filter. I
purchased an eheim 2017.
<An excellent purchase; I have the Eheim 2217 (a similar unit) and while "old
school" in design, these filters are reliable and very effective.>
So now I have the three filters going. A noisy little filter.
<You can perhaps phase out any small filters after 3-6 weeks (to give the
bacteria time to colonize the new filter media in the new filters). Provided
you're offering at least 6 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour,
you're fine. With turtles, have one really big external canister filter is what
you need, and the less clutter inside the tank, the better. I bought a useful
little unit called an Hydor ETH, basically a heater you put into the outflow
tube from the canister filter. When I kept turtles, I found myself replacing the
heaters once a year, because the turtles would eventually smash them. So perhaps
worth considering.>
I have given them romaine lettuce for the first time and they are really not
sure what to do with it. They are looking for their pellets.
<I bet. The issue is this: imagine someone who loves steak. And then their
doctor tells them they need to eat salad and cut out the red meat. Yes, the
steak is bad for them, and yes, the salad is good for them -- but does that mean
the person would be happy to eat only salad? Nope. Same with animals; when they
get used to high protein diets, they can be very sniffy about switching to the
greens they should be eating. But your job as the pet owner is to be strong, and
give them what they need, not what they want (like kids, I guess).>
What other kind of green is good for them? And I really don't know how much I
should be feeding them daily?
<There's a great article on "salad options" here:
http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html
Note the point that as turtles age, they need more greens. And also, not all
greens are equally good: some are 100% safe, some are best used as treats, and
others should be avoided altogether.>
They will be a year in at the very end of July I think. Every time I go over to
them its like they are hungry and looking for food. I don't want them to be fat
and I don't want them to be starving.
<Absolutely no risk of them starving at all. In common with all reptiles,
turtles can go for long periods without food. Many carnivorous reptiles will
literally only eat a few big meals per month. Herbivores and omnivores eat
rather more, but still only less than 20% what a similar sized mammal or bird
would eat. So provided you are offering the right foods and otherwise keeping
them in good shape, they will eat when they're hungry.>
Have a good day Christine
<Likewise yourself, Neale.>
Re: red ear sliders 5/15/08
Hi Neale
How loud is this Eheim 2217 filter suppose to be.
<Eheim filters should be pretty quiet. But if you configure the thing wrong, it
can "rattle". Air bubbles get caught inside the pump and you get a very
distinctive rattling sound. Do also check the impeller itself is seated properly
in its housing. The little "stick" the impeller sits on can get worn or deformed
over time, and again, if this prevents the impeller from whirling around in its
socket properly, you'll get noise. Finally, kinks and constrictions along the
pipes can make the pump work harder, and potentially this can result in extra
noise. But otherwise, all you should hear is a gentle whirring sound.>
Mine is really loud. Also I am a little confused about cleaning the filter. When
you change the water, and I clean the filter wouldn't I be cleaning out all of
the bio out of it that has built up?
<There's two or three aspects to cleaning a filter, depending on your
configuration. If you have just mechanical and biological media, these are the
two steps: First, you rinse the biological media in a bucket of aquarium water
or under a lukewarm tap. The idea is to rinse off silt without upsetting the
bacteria. I always clean media in aquarium water, but supposedly lukewarm tap
water is fine. The second step is cleaning the mechanical filter media. This can
be rinsed in the same way but more aggressively as required, and filter wool
pre-filter layers may need to be replaced entirely. The third step is if you
have chemical media, such as carbon. Depending on the medium in question, this
will need to either be cleaned aggressively or else replaced entirely. Some
chemical media wears out within a few weeks (carbon, Zeolite) while others will
work fine provided any silt and bacteria are washed off (peat, calcium
carbonate).>
How do I do this?
<In the Eheim filter, the mechanical media are normally at the bottom and the
biological media towards the top.>
Change the water and filter?
<Some folks do indeed do both at once. Normally I change water every weekend (or
every other weekend if I'm feeling lazy!) and clean the filter every 6-8 weeks.
It will be obvious when the filter *must* be cleaned because the water flow will
drop substantially.>
Thanks Christine
<Cheers, Neale.>
|
I need your help! RES care,
humanity 3/30/08
Ok, I need some help convincing my mom that my red eared slider turtle is
important enough to have all of the right habitat stuff. I don't want my little
Jimmy-Hendrix to die!!!
<As always review water quality, diet, and basking environment before panicking.
Almost all reptile deaths come down to not observing these rules. RESs need a
large aquarium with a filter (certainly no less than 30 gallons for an adult,
plus a filter with a turnover of not less than 4, and ideally 6, times the
volume of the aquarium in gallons per hour). The diet should be 50% green foods
when young, and 75% green foods once more than half grown. Finally, these
reptiles MUST have a UV-B source to bask under. The tube or lamp WILL need to be
replaced periodically; check with the manufacturer on the recommended interval,
but typically its something like once a year.>
My turtle is only one and a half inches both long and wide, I have a 10 gallon
tank, two basking spots, some Zoo-Med Reptisafe Water Conditioner, Zoo-Med
Turtle Treats, Zoo-Med Aquatic Turtle Food.
<Too small, wrong food.>
I also have another kind of food witch he seems to like better, it's called
Tetrafauna ReptoMin, is that as good for him as the Zoo-Med stuff?
<Neither is what you need. These turtles are HERBIVORES, like sheep and cows.
They want lots of plants to eat. Pellets can be used once or twice a week.
Suggested plant foods include Elodea (pondweed) and curly (not iceberg or red)
lettuce.>
This is all that I have for him, no special lights or anything. Are those
necessary?
<Yes.>
Anyway, my question is what other stuff do I need, habitat wise, to keep my
little Jimmy-Hendrix healthy?
<A heater is also important unless you live somewhere it rarely gets below
18C/65F. Because these reptiles are super-destructive, get a heater with a
plastic guard. Over here in England these are standard on many of them anyway.
When I kept turtles, it seemed to me I was replacing the heater once a year!>
And do I need to add anything to his diet besides the turtle pellets and treats?
<Yes.>
I need you guys to help me prove to my mom that turtles are important enough to
spend a few extra bucks on. So please help me be a good turtle owner/pal.
<Start by telling your Mom you need a book. There are plenty at the library,
book shop or pet store. Read, my friend, so that you can do the right thing.
These turtles get VERY BIG, VERY QUICKLY, so be forewarned! Cheers, Neale.>
Green Water – 03/18/08
Hey there!
My RES is a little over 6 years old and everything has been going great!!
All of a sudden after the last water change my water has turned green! So green
that I cant see my turtle swimming in tank, and that can't be fun for
him either! He's no where near the window so there is no direct sunlight and the
tank is as clean as it could possibly be! Is there any other things that it
could possibly be???
Thanks
Hillary
<This is, as you seem to suspect, algae. It means you aren't doing enough water
changes and the filter is inadequate to the task. Sunlight + nutrients in the
water = algae. So do more water changes, and upgrade the filter. For terrapins,
you need a filter providing not less than six times the volume of the tank in
turnover per hour, and I'd recommend at least 8-10 times the volume of the tank
in turnover per hour. A bigger tank will also help by diluting the problem.
Nothing else will work. While the terrapin likely doesn't care about the algae
as such, the fact you have algae at all indicates poor environmental conditions,
and long term that opens you up to healthcare issues that are expensive to treat
and painful for the animal. Cheers, Neale.>
How big of a tank. RES sys.
12/25/07
Hi my name is Russell
<Hi my name is Darrel>
I have three red eared sliders, one male, one female, and one I'm not sure about
yet but I think its a little girl.
<Sliders are sexually dimorphic, which means it's very easy to tell the
difference once they're mature. Males are smaller than females and develop very
long front claws (fingernails)>
I was wondering how large of a tank will all three of them need when they grow
up to full size. I want to keep them together like they are now and want to use
a glass aquarium. Is this even possible?
<Yes it is, Russell. But when they mature, a glass aquarium isn't exactly the
right enclosure for them -- they need a wide surface area of water, even if it's
only a 3 or 4 inches deep, which is the opposite of most aquariums. Using the
Internet, I'd research what they used to call indoor ponds -- small ponds made
out of barrel halves or various tub shapes -- that can be combined with land,
dirt and slanted areas. You can make some very attractive water gardens and
planters that would be great for adult Sliders.>
thanks.
<Yer Welcome!>
Re: Big trouble in Little Turtletown 12/7/07
Well because we bought them off Chinese people in Chinatown..
<Yes, street merchants aren't known for their animal husbandry expertise>
They obviously couldn't speak much English and didn't mention anything what so
ever about a basking lamp or any temperatures... but most definitely I will take
you advice with the information you sent me!
<Here's some more complete advice for you -- a short article on how to keep them
& keep them healthy. You'll notice that it doesn't have to be expensive to keep
them well -- you just have to understand what's being said and then DO it>
< http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm >
And he usually is very active but for the past few days he's just bin slumped.
The food the Chinese had sold to us is called floating turtle glammarus pellets.
It says in the back that its specially made for all turtles <<There is no such
thing... RMF>> and provides complete diets.
<It may very well be true, but since I don't use it or know anyone who does, all
I can do is tell you what I personally use because I know that it will solve
that problem. Best of luck to you -- Darrel>
Re: Big trouble in Little
Turtletown 12/7/07
I honestly am very grateful for going out of your way and giving me the
advice you gave me... thanks and take care
<No problem, Cilenie, that's why we get the big bucks!>
<oh wait .... we don't GET the big bucks. Actually we don't get ANY bucks -- we
do this because we like helping people and their pets. So I'll accept your
thanks with great pleasure and at the same time thank YOU because without good
folks like you, we wouldn't have these jobs.>
<The jobs that don't pay anything. That we like. And the people. {sigh} I need
an aspirin!>
<>
<All kidding aside, Cilenie, it's our pleasure!>
Re: Big trouble in Little
Turtletown 12/9/07
Oh by the way how much would the lamps go for?? And what am I better off
getting? The lamp or the thing that warms the water up?
<>
<For those of you that just joined us, we're discussing some small turtles and
one that appears lethargic and/or ill very possibly due to housekeeping issues>
<>
<UV lamps are not all that expensive in the over-all scheme of things, but you'd
have to check both on line and in your local pets stores to see what is
available. I've used Vita-Lite fluorescent bulbs for years, mainly because they
used to be the only ones that published actual scientific data on their bulbs.
Recently I've been using Repti-Sun from my friends at Zoo-Med with good results.
Sorry, but that's as close as I can come to being your personal shopper.>
<For turtles, it's not a good idea and almost any level to heat the water. Let
the water remain at room temperature and heat their basking area to between 88
and 93 degrees using a conventional incandescent bulb for the heat in addition
to the aforementioned UV bulb for health. There's a link below that explains in
more detail.>
<For reference, that thing that heats the water is called heater.>
<
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm>
Is an over-active Slider too
hot? – 11/16/07
Hey Crew!
<Hiya Jamie!>
I read through your Faq's and I really enjoyed the site. Thank you for the great
info!
Well onto my questions...
My first question is about my female RES that I bought about 6 months ago, she's
been very healthy and always active and friendly. We keep her in long 20 gallon
tank, with a heater/filter, heat kept around 78 degrees, basking platform that
she can easy climb on, and a UVA/UVB lamp. She's about 4 inches now, maybe
slightly bigger.
1) First problem encountered with her was that she refuses to eat any kind of
pellets, we tried 3 different kinds and even soaked tem in tuna to entice her.
She dislikes them so much, she even acts like they aren't there. After many
tries, we finally decided to try to keep a balanced diet (as best as we can)
with veggies and extra stuff (usually feeder fish, crickets, krill..etc.) Any
suggestions on how to keep a good stable diet?
<The first problem is that the water is too hot. Water temp should be around
65-73 and the dry land/basking temp between 85-93 -- She needs to have a choice
as to be warm & dry or wet & cool and so far you've taken that choice away from
her. -- I'll address the feeding concerns a little later on>
2) For some reason lately she has become extremely active and loves to climb
onto her basking platform and then attempts to climb out of her tank, sometimes
getting too close for comfort. She even ends up back flipping into the water and
one time got stuck. Any explanation as to why she is doing this and how we can
prevent it?
<My guess is that she's active because she's a bit over heated and her behavior
will change when you provide her the proper temperature gradients. Also, you'll
find that the water stays a bit cleaner and clearer at the lower temperatures>
<Now, as far as diet and diet fixations go ... Sliders are not usually very
picky. If she's otherwise healthy and after about 3 months of correcting her
temperature situation ... you can just stop offering her any other kind of foods
.... and offer the Koi pellets once a week, scooping them out if she hasn't
eaten in 15 minutes, and after about three weeks, she'll wake up & smell the
writing on the wall (to mix metaphors) and start eating the pellets. If she's
otherwise healthy, 3-6 weeks in nothing to HER ... but you'll be beside yourself
with needless worry. Just for comparison, I've had a box turtle so fixated on
strawberries that she refused any and all other food. When I finally started
offering her a proper diet or nothing at all ... she went for TWO YEARS and
three months!!!! It was a real test of wills with an animal that will likely
outlive me.>
<Start by correcting her environmental issues and read the link below -- check
all your husbandry against the guidelines and then ... when it's all perfect.
Just out-wait her ... and she'll come along.>
Thank you again, and I hope to hear from you soon.
-Jamie in Chico, Cali.
<Nice town, Jamie -- my son went to college there! -- Darrel>
<
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm >
Help with a
slimy Slider 11/1/07
Hello -
<Hiya Kassie! -- Darrel here today. My 100th reply on behalf of Wet Web
Media!!!!!!!>
<Sorry, you don't win a contest or anything, but I thought you'd like to
know>
I have a red-eared slider - female, 9 years old - who shares a tank with
four small Danio fish (they've been in the tank with her for 3 years). I
have questions about her water/tank.
<I need to remind you that it's not really a good idea to mix fix and
turtles for a lot of reasons, the most common being that on very rare
occasions the turtle will, given the opportunity of a sick or weakened
fish, make it into dinner. It doesn't happen often, and after 3 years,
she's not likely to try to chase them -- but it needed to be said.>
1) Attached is a picture of some algae I've been fighting to eliminate
(unsuccessfully; the water in the picture is a little cloudy b/c I just
re-filled the tank). I have taken out all the rocks and scrubbed them
clean. I do water changes about every 3-4 weeks or so (so her water
stays clear). I have 2 Fluval canister filters in the tank (330 and 400
series) - I clean them about once every 6 months. The algae is mainly
dark green, slimy and covers everything - it leaves an oil-like sheen on
the water surface. I can literally peel sheets of it off the rocks, etc.
<It's called, appropriately enough, SLIME ALGAE. It's usually a
green-blue but also can be a deep green>
What causes this?
<It's usually attributed to a bacteria (Cyanobacteria) that thrives in
dirty water especially with an over abundance of organics. This is why
we see it so often in turtle tanks because total amount of food and
turtle waste quickly overcomes almost any biological filter you're
likely to set up. The Cyanobacteria secretes a substance than encourages
the growth of sympatric algae that is particularly slimy. Sort of like
my brother in law>
What can I do to eliminate it? I have algaecide that I use for my fish
tank - can I use that for the turtle tank as well?
<The reason you've had such a hard time eliminating it is that our
typical cleaning techniques aren't effective against a bacteria that is
colonizing virtually every surface of the tank, filters, the inside of
the filter HOSES (didn't think of THAT, huh?), air lines, stones,
heaters, cords ... ANYTHING in contact with the water. An algaecide will
kill off the green matter itself, but does nothing for the underlying
cause. As soon as the bacterium get another whiff of food or waste and
go back into production mode, the algae will appear faster than a lawyer
at the scene of a car accident.>
<You can treat the bacteria with erythromycin, but it's expensive
through the vet and (in my opinion) the commercially prepared stuff sold
at pet stores is next to useless. So do it the old fashioned way:>
<What you need to do here is a total break-down and initialization. Move
the turtle and the fish to a separate tank, tub or enclosure -- anything
from a glass tank to a Tupperware tub (this is just for 3 or 4 days).
Use the existing water and lamps and provide some sort of basking area
for the turtle. Meanwhile break down your tank, wash the components in
salt water (or ordinary table salt mixed in ordinary water) and get them
as clean as you possibly can. Rinse the tubes and hoses in hot, hot, HOT
water and then set it all back up -- gravel, filters, logs ... just like
usual ... but OUTSIDE somewhere. Fill it with the normal amount of water
and then add 2 cups of chlorine beach for every gallon of water. Make it
stink. Then run the full system, pumps, heaters, whatever ... for two
days. This will kill the bacteria, fungus, most viruses and almost
anything organic.>
<Now we're half done>
<Now rinse. Rinse again and then rinse more. Drain all the water, refill
with fresh water from the hose, run the system for an hour and drain
THAT ... and then repeat.>
<Now dry it off as needed, take it back inside and set it up just as you
would a brand new system (because it is) taking care to condition the
water (for the sake of the fish) and remember to feed lightly since
you'll have no real bio-cycle set up for a few weeks.>
A few months ago, my turtle had a shell issue - hard white spots
(calcified shell) that were a result of an infection. As per the vet, it
was NOT shell rot. I imagine it may be related to the algae problem and
I don't want it to happen again.
<Probably not related, but as we address the root cause of the algae,
this too will pass>
2) I usually fill my tank straight from the tap (using one of the gravel
vacuums), using a thermometer to check the temp (about 76 degrees) - do
I need to add a water conditioner to the tank? If so, what should I look
for?
<Treat the water for chlorine and/or chloramines for the benefit of the
fish>
3) How important is it for my turtle to eat a varied diet? I have tried
giving her something besides turtle food (meal worms, crickets, veggies)
but she won't touch it.
<She doesn't need a varied diet, but a healthy BALANCED diet ... of
which meal worms and crickets really aren't. Try to switch her to a diet
of Koi pellets, which are inexpensive and the fish enjoy them too, or
something identical in composition to the Koi pellets only more
expensive, such as Tetra Repto-min. I raise a couple ponds filled with
water turtles including hatchlings that grew into adults than in turn
produced more hatchlings (you can't swing a cat around my place without
hitting a couple dozen turtles) and they ALL are fed Koi pellets as a
basic diet. 100% complete and balanced>
<SPEAKING of 100& ..... Did I mention that this is my 100th response to
Wet Web Inquiries?>
4) I have two lamps (the aluminum half-dome shaped kind) with bulbs that
provide UVA and UVB but I'm having a hard time getting the air temp on
the basking rocks to be warmer than about 82 degrees. I can't move the
lights any closer to the top of the tank. Is there a different type of
light fixture I should use?
<In my opinion, yes. I use fluorescent UV bulbs for my indoor UV needs.
The relatively weak power of man-made UV means that the bulbs have to be
very close to the animal (8-12 inches) in order to be of real value and
incandescent bulbs can generate too much heat at that range, so I use
Zoo-med Repti-Sun bulbs in inexpensive fixtures I get at the local home
supply store. Then, for heat, I use an aluminum cone spot lamp, as you
already have, with a standard 100 watt household bulb suspended and just
the right height to get 88-90 degrees on the basking rock. >
<Speaking of 100 watts ..... Did I mention that this is my 100th
response to Wet Web Inquiries?>
Thanks so much for your help!
<You're most welcome, Kasie, we truly enjoy helping!>
Kasie |
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