Re: Hole in the shell disease?Fungus or Bacteria??HELP!

Posted by Minh on June 13, 2002 at 07:58:08:

In Reply to: Hole in the shell disease?Fungus or Bacteria??HELP! posted by Flavia Guimarães on May 30, 2002 at 01:09:45:

shell rot infections may be either bacterial or fungal. I have treated matamatas with shell rot by using acriflavine, gentian violet, betadine, and chlorhexidine. I place the antiseptic on the infected areas and leave the turtle out of the water for about an hour until the medication has dried, before returning the turtle to the water.

Matamatas and softshells need good water quality to be healthy. Use biological filtration to keep ammonia/nitrate levels low, and change the water every time there is turtle waste present. Best biological filters are wet/dry or fluidized bed filters, but you might want to experiment with power filters (ie Whisper with Triad foam, or Marineland Bio-Wheel) or sponge filters.

The pH should be acidic, for softshells I would suggest around 6.5 to 6.8. For matamatas, I use a pH of 5.5 to 6.0 since they come from blackwater in S America.

Good Luck

MINH

I bought a baby turtle few weeks ago with white fungus.I treated her with Acriflavine and she was OK.Then I found a small scar in her carapace the same place where the fungus were before the treatment.But the scar is getting bigger(it looks like white plastic) and it is almost perforating the shell.I didnt know what was happening with her until I read in the INTERNET about the "hole in the shell"disease.It looks like that?What can I do to save her? Should I start with the Acriflavine again? But I read also that the treatment against fungus can cause an increase in the bacteria.That's true? The "Hole in the Shell"is caused by bacteria or by fungus??
: Flavia

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: shell rot infections may be either bacterial or fungal. I have treated matamatas with shell rot by using acriflavine, gentian violet, betadine, and chlorhexidine. I place the antiseptic on the infected areas and leave the turtle out of the water for about an hour until the medication has dried, before returning the turtle to the water. : Matamatas and softshells need good water quality to be healthy. Use biological filtration to keep ammonia/nitrate levels low, and change the water every time there is turtle waste present. Best biological filters are wet/dry or fluidized bed filters, but you might want to experiment with power filters (ie Whisper with Triad foam, or Marineland Bio-Wheel) or sponge filters. : The pH should be acidic, for softshells I would suggest around 6.5 to 6.8. For matamatas, I use a pH of 5.5 to 6.0 since they come from blackwater in S America. : Good Luck : MINH : : I bought a baby turtle few weeks ago with white fungus.I treated her with Acriflavine and she was OK.Then I found a small scar in her carapace the same place where the fungus were before the treatment.But the scar is getting bigger(it looks like white plastic) and it is almost perforating the shell.I didnt know what was happening with her until I read in the INTERNET about the "hole in the shell"disease.It looks like that?What can I do to save her? Should I start with the Acriflavine again? But I read also that the treatment against fungus can cause an increase in the bacteria.That's true? The "Hole in the Shell"is caused by bacteria or by fungus?? : : Flavia

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