Mississippi Map Turtle Problem Or Not?!

[simonfabris]

Hi, recently (3/4 weeks ago) bought 2 mississippi map turtles. I set the tank up over 2 weeks before making my purchase to allow the filter to cycle fully etc..

The tank is full of hiding places (plants) they often hide from me, basking areas and live food in the guise of shrimp. As well as the live food, I feed them twice a day bloodworm and fresh seafood. They do love their food, and are always actively searching the tank etc. It has a night glow moon light and a UV A+B day basking lamp (both Terra Firma). (pictures to come soon)

I've just noticed that the back of shaggy's neck (I named them Shaggy & Scooby because they both love food and to hide) appears to be pealing?! Is this normal?! The skin beneath this area looks very healthy and full of colour.

The only other problem I am having is due to the amount of UV etc I'm getting an awfull lot of green and brown algae, without reducing the lighting is there anything I can do to keep the algae under control?!

Thanks for any help!!

Simon

 

[Davo86]

Hi, Can you post a pic of the setup?
if not can i ask what size is the tank?

I'm afraid you haven't cycled the tank and this combined with the fact that you are overfeeding is contributing to the algae issues and will be leading to long term health issues. Do you know the water stats?

Also why are you feeding seafood to freshwater turtles?? seafood is ok as a treat now and again but shouldn't be fed as a staple diet, do you not feed any Reptomin or similar Vitamin/Calcium based pellet food?

 

[loraxchick]

turtles produce so much waste that htere is always a high nitrate value in a turtle tank. i struggle to keep mine under 80ppm with two or three times weekly waterchanges of about 70%. my turtle (an eastern red eared slider) is in a 55 gal with appropriate lighting and uv. she is 6" with a few fish in as feeders.
how big is your turtle? small water turtles (hatchlings and juvies) need lots of protein in their diet. shrimp are perfectly acceptable food. think about getting some earthworms or feeder guppies too. reptomin pellets are great and should be fed a few times a week (they are more veggie matter)...only feed as much as would fit in the volume of their neck (so estimate that volume and feed accordingly). and also make sure you offer greens like kale, spinach, and any lettuce OTHER than iceburg(of no nutritional value). Elodea they also like to eat. if you buy a bunch or two and float it around in the tank it can help itself to eat when it wants and also will help to keep the nitrates down, potentially cutting sown on the algae. but dont expect to find a simple cure for the algae. it happens. the brown algae will eventually go away. the green most likely will stay around. just clean it the best you can before waterchanges. depending on how old the turtle is, it may take them time to notice the greens and see them as food. it is also good to give them vitamins once a week. get some "repto-dust" and soak the reptomin and sprinkle some vitamin dust on them (or on the shrimp). put them in the basking area and they should take a mouthful, head to the water and eat them. by doing it this way instead of putting the vitamin food in the water, there is less chance all the vitamins will wash off before they can eat them.
water turtle shed their scutes once a year, sometimes twice. as long as the underlying plates look healthy and id isnt a continual shedding (in time you will see if it is or not) then its normal. it can take anywhere for 3-8 weeks to fully shed their scutes.
hope that helped. any more ?'s just ask.
cheers

 

[simonfabris]

Hi thanks for your reply, the Turtles only measure about 2.5inches/60mm each? Babies, although I dont know how old they are. In the tank I do have plenty of veg matter, Lots of Elodia, also have Java Ferns and Green Cabomoba amongst others, I have tried them on Reptomin but they refuse to eat it, but will continue to try it!! As well as the live shrimp, which as far as I can see are reproducing at a rapid rate, and I am yet to see the Terrapins catching or eating one. When I stated seafood, what I meant was food you can get form the seafood counters, ie uncooked freshwater prawn/shrimp/muscles etc... I will be adding a algea eater and snail to the tank to try and help control the algae, as well as some feeder guppies or equivilent live bearers as food! (unless of course you'd recomend an alternative to algae control?!)

I have done some research as well as posting on here, and many sites say it could be a number of things including too much heat for basking etc... I will be getting a Habistat thermostate to control the temperature in the tank, and a stronger external filter to try and reduce the amount of Amonia & Nitrates in the tank naturally I will continue with the regular water changes!!

I have done a water change over the weekend and in the process checked over both terrapins, and apart form the shedding the both seem fine, the skin beneath the shedding area seems nice and healthy, and it's causing them very little, If any discomfort at all. but I will be keeping a very close eye on it!

Many thanks again for your reply, If you have any other advice to offer, as a begginer all is welcome!!

Simon

turtles produce so much waste that htere is always a high nitrate value in a turtle tank. i struggle to keep mine under 80ppm with two or three times weekly waterchanges of about 70%. my turtle (an eastern red eared slider) is in a 55 gal with appropriate lighting and uv. she is 6" with a few fish in as feeders.
how big is your turtle? small water turtles (hatchlings and juvies) need lots of protein in their diet. shrimp are perfectly acceptable food. think about getting some earthworms or feeder guppies too. reptomin pellets are great and should be fed a few times a week (they are more veggie matter)...only feed as much as would fit in the volume of their neck (so estimate that volume and feed accordingly). and also make sure you offer greens like kale, spinach, and any lettuce OTHER than iceburg(of no nutritional value). Elodea they also like to eat. if you buy a bunch or two and float it around in the tank it can help itself to eat when it wants and also will help to keep the nitrates down, potentially cutting sown on the algae. but dont expect to find a simple cure for the algae. it happens. the brown algae will eventually go away. the green most likely will stay around. just clean it the best you can before waterchanges. depending on how old the turtle is, it may take them time to notice the greens and see them as food. it is also good to give them vitamins once a week. get some "repto-dust" and soak the reptomin and sprinkle some vitamin dust on them (or on the shrimp). put them in the basking area and they should take a mouthful, head to the water and eat them. by doing it this way instead of putting the vitamin food in the water, there is less chance all the vitamins will wash off before they can eat them.
water turtle shed their scutes once a year, sometimes twice. as long as the underlying plates look healthy and id isnt a continual shedding (in time you will see if it is or not) then its normal. it can take anywhere for 3-8 weeks to fully shed their scutes.
hope that helped. any more ?'s just ask.
cheers

 

[star4]

I wouldnt bother with snails for algae the turtles will eat them, they do shed (I have a mississppi map). Personally I wouldnt add an algae eater either, I have made the mistake of adding fish with my turt, I did have a red tailed black shark, which was great because he nibbled all the dead skin off the turtle, BUT keeping the tank suitable for both fish and turtles is really hard, I now just have 1 fish (kissing gourami, who is too nasty to be with other fish) and the turtle. With having 2 in the tank it will be not great for fish.