Is this shell rot?

[Nellie Rose]

Hello. I noticed some spots on my painted turtle Napoleon today. He's my first turtle, I've had him since November now. He is 30 years old.
I scrubbed them gently with a toothbrush and the white color went away to reveal some small pits.
I believe it is shell rot, but I've never seen it before so wanted to confirm.
If so hopefully I caught it early and can start home treatments to cure.

Not sure what I did to cause it, I change his water once a week and he has a dry basking spot with the proper parameters he uses regularly. I have been having some problems with my filter but that's only been going on about a week, and I just ordered a new one.

I'll start changing his water more often in the meantime, and start treating for shell rot tonight. I'll go over my care parameters too and make sure everything is right and correct anything that isn't.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

It’s really tricky to tell on the pictures, to me it looks like old shell damage but it could be rot I'm not sure, I’ll tag some more experienced members to have a look for you, they’ll be able to advise further🙂 @ZEROPILOT @wellington @Tom @Alex and the Redfoot

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Also yeah if you could include some information on how you keep them/photos of the set up that’s always helpful😊

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Sorry, I can't really help with water turtles.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Sorry, I can't really help with water turtles.

They’re lost on me too tbh, I just like to try boost the threads if they don’t have a reply yet haha

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't think so, but I'm not sure. It looks old and not active to me. Applying athlete foot cream would not be harmful and might be beneficial. Dry the spots well, rub in the cream then keep him out of the watr for a half hour or so. Before you put him back in the water wipe off he excess cream.

 

[wellington]

@mark1

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I don't think so, but I'm not sure. It looks old and not active to me. Applying athlete foot cream would not be harmful and might be beneficial. Dry the spots well, rub in the cream then keep him out of the watr for a half hour or so. Before you put him back in the water wipe off he excess cream.

lol Yvonne is someone I forgot to tag, wise words of advice as always🙂

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My experience with water/aquatic turtles is non existent

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

My experience with water/aquatic turtles is non existent

Haha fair enough, I need to start learning who’s the go to on aquatics lol

 

[Nellie Rose]

It’s really tricky to tell on the pictures, to me it looks like old shell damage but it could be rot I'm not sure, I’ll tag some more experienced members to have a look for you, they’ll be able to advise further🙂 @ZEROPILOT @wellington @Tom @Alex and the Redfoot

Thank you, I'm just not sure. I figure treating him for it can't hurt.

I don't think so, but I'm not sure. It looks old and not active to me. Applying athlete foot cream would not be harmful and might be beneficial. Dry the spots well, rub in the cream then keep him out of the watr for a half hour or so. Before you put him back in the water wipe off he excess cream.

Thank you, I've never had a turtle before so I don't really know what I'm looking at. He's really old too, and missing half of both his back feet so he's been through some trauma. Maybe old damage to the shell I didn't notice before?

Also yeah if you could include some information on how you keep them/photos of the set up that’s always helpful😊

Water temps around 75-78, I'm not sure which species of painted he is so I split the difference, been meaning to ask. 65 gallon tank.
Basking spot with a mercury vapor bulb over an acrylic platform. I just ordered one of those above tank Basking platforms that comes tomorrow so he'll have more swimming room. I'm planning on switching to an incandescent bulb and a tube uvb soon.
He had a large tree root to hide in until yesterday night, the wood was starting to fall apart so I removed it. I'm going to get him some plants to hide in instead.
His staple is mazuri aquatic turtle food. He has a variety of greens, but loves munching on the water lettuce that grows in his tank. I also feed super worms every once in a while as a treat. I know it's not the most varied diet, he's very picky, and it's what he was fed at the shelter I adopted him from. He's too slow to catch fish so he lives with some corydoras, danios, and kuhli loaches.
Here is the tank. I promise its cleaner than it looks. The lettuce sheds its roots which muddies the water and i have algea under the basking light.


I'm still very new at this so any advice is appreciated.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thank you, I'm just not sure. I figure treating him for it can't hurt.

Thank you, I've never had a turtle before so I don't really know what I'm looking at. He's really old too, and missing half of both his back feet so he's been through some trauma. Maybe old damage to the shell I didn't notice before?

Water temps around 75-78, I'm not sure which species of painted he is so I split the difference, been meaning to ask. 65 gallon tank.
Basking spot with a mercury vapor bulb over an acrylic platform. I just ordered one of those above tank Basking platforms that comes tomorrow so he'll have more swimming room. I'm planning on switching to an incandescent bulb and a tube uvb soon.
He had a large tree root to hide in until yesterday night, the wood was starting to fall apart so I removed it. I'm going to get him some plants to hide in instead.
His staple is mazuri aquatic turtle food. He has a variety of greens, but loves munching on the water lettuce that grows in his tank. I also feed super worms every once in a while as a treat. I know it's not the most varied diet, he's very picky, and it's what he was fed at the shelter I adopted him from. He's too slow to catch fish so he lives with some corydoras, danios, and kuhli loaches.
Here is the tank. I promise its cleaner than it looks. The lettuce sheds its roots which muddies the water and i have algea under the basking light.
View attachment 371825View attachment 371826View attachment 371827View attachment 371828View attachment 371829

I'm still very new at this so any advice is appreciated.

Potentially old damage but yeah I don’t think treating him on the side of caution will do any harm in the event it’s a bit of rot.

I can’t answer to your temps and environment but maybe @Yvonne G or @mark1 can?

Sorry I just tagged a bunch of the regulars before, I’m still getting to grips with who knows what with aquatics vs the land dwellers on here lol🥲but maybe they’ll know who to tag for you🙂

 

[Nellie Rose]

Potentially old damage but yeah I don’t think treating him on the side of caution will do any harm in the event it’s a bit of rot.

I can’t answer to your temps and environment but maybe @Yvonne G or @mark1 can?

Sorry I just tagged a bunch of the regulars before, I’m still getting to grips with who knows what with aquatics vs the land dwellers on here lol🥲but maybe they’ll know who to tag for you🙂

I appreciate the tags 😉 we all have different strengths.
Me I am very new to aquatic turtles, but I've had my tortoise for 10 years!

I just hope I'm doing everything right for this poor little turtle. He was found in a dirty aquarium next to a dumpster with a note taped to the tank detailing how old he was.
He's tiny, only about 5 inches, so he was named Napoleon, and he has the personality to match!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I appreciate the tags 😉 we all have different strengths.
Me I am very new to aquatic turtles, but I've had my tortoise for 10 years!

I just hope I'm doing everything right for this poor little turtle. He was found in a dirty aquarium next to a dumpster with a note taped to the tank detailing how old he was.
He's tiny, only about 5 inches, so he was named Napoleon, and he has the personality to match!

Oh bless him that’s so sad💔good for you taking him in!

 

[Nellie Rose]

Oh bless him that’s so sad💔good for you taking him in!

I love him, he's a sweet little guy. Very fun to feed, he's very enthusiastic!

 

[Nellie Rose]

First night of treatment. I put him in a box with a towel over it so he felt safe after scrubbing with a toothbrush some more. I wiped the area with peroxide because it's all I have, going to pick up some betadine soon.
I'm upping the water changes to every other day, but I have a new stronger filter arriving next week for him.

 

[Nellie Rose]

Also, does anyone have any suggestions for fish to keep with him? I know not goldfish. Mainly clean up crew fish.

 

[Nellie Rose]

I treated him for three days, and at the moment there's no white stuff in the little spots of damage so hopefully it was just old shell damage.
Still I upgraded my filters to be safe.