is there anyone who knows about yellow belly sliders. I have 2 hatchlings .I have had them for about a month. they are in a 10gal tank. I have uvb bulb and basking bulb. the basking temp is 90_ 95degrees. my turtles are starting to get dark necks on the top and black spots on their carapace.the basking light is a few inches above the top screen, it is a 50 watt incadascent . could they be getting too hot( like a sunburn)?also shedding skin. any ideas?
yellow belly slider hatchlings
- Thread starter LeStan82
- Start date
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cgthebeast
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hmm, not really an expert, but I know it's called flaking an it means there growing new shell underneath. Kinda like how we loose skin cells. They will also need a bigger tank in the future
LittleLucy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I think 90 is a perfect temperature for the hatchlings. The lighting seems fine.
Since they are babies, they are /most likely/ shedding their skin and scutes. It is a good sign! that they are healthy and growing.
If you are too worried, try to raise the light a couple inches higher, see if that changes anything.
And I agree with cgthebeast with the tank, for turtles need 10 gallons of water per inch of shell length. So the bigger the tank you get now, the less tank changing will be needed!
A 10 gallon tank for 2 hatchlings is better than nothing, the smaller amount of water will make it easier for bacteria to stay and make the turtles sick quickly. Of course a good filter will help. But the more water, the less illness!
Since they are babies, they are /most likely/ shedding their skin and scutes. It is a good sign! that they are healthy and growing.
If you are too worried, try to raise the light a couple inches higher, see if that changes anything.
And I agree with cgthebeast with the tank, for turtles need 10 gallons of water per inch of shell length. So the bigger the tank you get now, the less tank changing will be needed!
A 10 gallon tank for 2 hatchlings is better than nothing, the smaller amount of water will make it easier for bacteria to stay and make the turtles sick quickly. Of course a good filter will help. But the more water, the less illness!
TrueEnvy
Aquarium Advice Freak
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2013
- Messages
- 289
Sounds fine to me
robyndarlene
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2013
- Messages
- 31
Whoa there!! Ive been raising sliders forever. Temp needs to be a MAX of 80degrees. They also need about 30 gallons of water and pleanty of basking space that's controlled (about6inchesabove)
They also need to be eating small feeder fish to grow properly. The dark skin is a result of too much basking/too strong of a light. They don't shed their shells either, they wont until they are about 6 months to a year old. Try getting a bigger tank. Order a in tank heater thats built just for turtles (has a case around it to avoid breaking) and it will keep the tank at 78 always.
They also need to be eating small feeder fish to grow properly. The dark skin is a result of too much basking/too strong of a light. They don't shed their shells either, they wont until they are about 6 months to a year old. Try getting a bigger tank. Order a in tank heater thats built just for turtles (has a case around it to avoid breaking) and it will keep the tank at 78 always.
BLUEaquarium06
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I believe that the poster meant that the basking area is in the 90s, which is a bit to hot, I personally keep mine at 85, I would raise the light up about an inch and a half. Other than the fact that they will need a bigger tank everyone has basically covered everything, you should get an in-tank heater if you don't already have one
