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I have 3 turtles all about 5 inches that have developed what appears to be fungus. It started with 1 and I treated with silver sulfadene cream and it seemed to be much better almost right away after I dry docked her for a night and left the cream on till it washed off. But now I notice all 3 have it and 2 of them have some small small blood spots. I am treating all 3 with the cream and dry docking. I also have 4 larger turtles. Is this contagious to them if I put them in a 300 gallon stock tank they were in today? I would not put them in it together - just concerned if the water could be affected.
Thank you!
Also, any help with ideas to fix this other than the cream? Basking outdoors in the sun would be helpful I assume?
Thanks!
Pam

Well, the fungus is contagious. The only thing I can think of is the use of a UV sterilizer, though there is no information out there on it's effectiveness against the type of fungus we've seen.

Besides the cream, I think shedding would be the best way. In my current fungal situation, the cream is not effective.

What do you mean by small blood spots?

Basking in the sun works wonders on the shell.

Thank you Steve and Marisa.

Steve - what is your fungal situation where the cream is not effective? It does seem to be helping here quite a bit. I am assuming it is a fungal problem but it is not fuzzy or anything? Could it be something else?

Marisa - By small blood spots one turtle has two small places where the white on the shell you can actually see light blood. Another turtle has one spot like that. The other none. I have put the silver sulfadene cream on them. I am keeping all of them dry docked in the evenings and outside in sun for about 6 hours a day. I have also given them cuttlebone.

Hi Pam, the cream worked quickly and efficiently the first time I used it, though when the fungus reemerged about 6 months later, it was no longer effective. It's possible that there was more than one strain present and the dominant strain was susceptible to the cream or that fungus adapted to the cream.

It's definitely fungus/yeast, I have no doubt about it.

Thank you. What causes fungus problems?

Poor water quality and insufficient basking are two common causes.

If they're all getting fungus, you should do a total clean of your whole tank. Drain it, scrub the whole thing down (my vet told me to bleach it) and rinse really well. It is contagious and lives in the tank too, not just on the individual turtles.

Thank you. I had them in 2 aquariums but have permanently moved them out of them into a rubbermaid stock tank. I think they outgrew the tanks so the water quality was not as good. Also, I have them outside more in real sun. They have improved a great deal. Most of the fungus is gone. I am treating the remaining spots with silver sulfadene cream.
So far they all get along fine together - thankfully.
I also have 4 larger red eared sliders that I have to keep separated or else they fight so I have to rotate them in between a 300 gallon and 150 gallon rubbermaid stock tank and dry docking. They are all doing great. I would really love to find homes for some of these though as too many to take care of when they must be separated. Anyone in Northern CA know of someone who may want one?
Thanks!
I won't put them on craigslist as most times people there don't know how to properly care for them or what is involved.