Urgent Care :: Bad Eye Infection??

[Cleverking]

I need help urgently. My turtle had a swollen left eye so immediately I changed the water and cleaned his tank. Good progress seemed to be happening then there was a slight build up on 'white' around the lids. From then onwards it has got worse and now he cannot open his left eye.

Only today I have noticed his right eye is becoming swollen aswell!

[marisa]

What is his diet like?

What kind of UVB lighting are you using? Is it new?

Is he rubbing at his eyes? Is it just the pic, or is he shedding skin badly?

[Cleverking]

He is currently on pellets and eating well

I've just taken the fluroscent lighting out of the tank lid and thinking that could be the cause - The lamp was an Arcadia which helps plant growth in fish tanks

That was my other question, Could the skin shedding be associated with the lamp also? He is shedding an awful lot..

[Cleverking]

Amazingly within 24hrs of keep that flurescent light constantly off with combination of some water treatment, his eye has gone back to normal!

Now just to sort out the skin shedding..

[AnnaTurtle]

Congrachulationz! I'm glad that's cleared up Light & Water change can make a big difference.

[marisa]

That looks like a big improvment in the second pic. He still needs a UVB light, though, not a light for plants.

As far as the shedding, what's the water temp and basking area temp?

What kind of filtration is being used and how often is the water changed?

[Cleverking]

That looks like a big improvment in the second pic. He still needs a UVB light, though, not a light for plants.

As far as the shedding, what's the water temp and basking area temp?

What kind of filtration is being used and how often is the water changed?

The water temp is 79F and the basking temp I have not measured because I haven't a thermometer for it
I'm using a fluval 4plus internal filter and the water is changed once a week.

[marisa]

OK, I responded to your other post and said that 79F is too warm for a turtle his size. I'd drop the temp about 5 degrees. I'd also get a thermometer and check the basking area temp.

I've used the Fluval 4+ (it's been in its box for a few years now). I have to say that it's not a very good filter compared to a canister. Inadequate filtration can lead to ammonia build up in the water, which can result in shedding skin. You say you change the water weekly---how much water is in the tank (and how big is the tank). If the water level is lower, it can get fouled farily quickly, even with the 4+.

If the water level is decent, the 4+ is probably not powerful enough to keep good circulation going (not to mention it has little, if any, room for biological filtration). A long time ago, my RES waited for a filter in a tank that had little filtration, and after a few days, you could see strings of skin hanging off of him.

[Cleverking]

OK thanks for the advice, I have a couple of thermometers on there way so will report accurate temperatures later on in the week.

Will invest in a canister filter, I was never impressed by the fluval anyhow..