Urgent Care :: RES snapping at thin air

[seanrezel]

Hi all, I'm puzzled at this behavior. My 1 year old RES is swimming underwater and seems to be biting the water (with no food there). He also sticks his head out and snaps at the air 2-3x (really fast- snap, snap, snap) and then goes about his business normally again. This has been repeated 6-7x in the last hour. He's eating normally and responds to me by coming up to see if i had food, which is normal. but as soon as i step away, he swims around and does the snapping thing again, both underwater and while floating...

He doesn't seem to have the symptoms of RI - no bubbles, no mucus or yawning...

See Video here: http://youtu.be/C7qK-RJtqFk starts snapping from 35secs onwards...

Should i be worried?


Thanks.

Sean

[steve]

Have you changed the water recently?

[seanrezel]

Hi Steve, we added water on Saturday. We changed the charcoal bag on Saturday as well in FX5. I've included a video now of him snapping thin air. http://youtu.be/C7qK-RJtqFk

Haven't changed water for 144 days now (just been topping up because of evaporation). The FX5 seems to be keeping the water super clean and crystal clear. I just tested the water and the reading was nitrates - 10 and ammonia - 0.25.

Thanks.

[devilduck]

It he snapping in the exact same place? I wonder if he see's a reflection of something?

I'd still do a large water change every few months. As water evaporates and you top off your adding minerals that the test kits do not catch and your filter cannot remove.

[xcristina]

My does the same thing when she thinks there's food where she bites. Kinda cute

[steve]

Hard to make out what it could be. I'd check around the mouth, inside if you can, for any injuries. I'd also do what devilduck suggests and go for a water change. Nice tank set up btw.

[seanrezel]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. No injuries around the mouth as far as I can see. @devilduck - you are correct - it seems that he snaps at the same location. I have never seen him do it at the other side of the tank. Does that mean something? I can't imagine it is reflection since it's a black pre-formed pond....so i'm still baffled.

80% water change about to get done today...I have a nitrate and ammonia test kit....should i get other types of tests in future?

Thanks!

[steve]

I think those are the major ones. If you get the API mater test kit, then you can do several types together.

[xcristina]

Perhaps it's the reflection of the bulb in the water? Or any other source of light that casts a shadow on the same spot that your turt may think it's food ... Seems like nothing to worry about, I guess.