Urgent Care :: Turtle laying at bottom of tank

[ubungleebin]

I have two turtles in my tank and in the last day or two one of them has been laying at the bottom of the tank a lot. It concerns me to see him like this, but I don't know what to do with him. Any suggestions? Here are the answers to the questions:

How big is your turtle? About 3.5" - 4"
How long have you had it? Had them since June '12

What is the water temperature? 78 degrees
Did you use a thermometer? Yes, one that sticks to the side of the tank
Are you using a water heater? Yes, EHEIM Jager Aquarium Thermostat Heater 75W
How much water is in there? 20 gallons
Are you using a water conditioner? No?
Are you using any filtration? Yes, Rena 722 Filstar XP3 Canister Filter

What is the basking temperature? Don't know
Is there a basking light? Yes
Is there a basking platform that is easy to climb on? Yes
What kind is it or what is it made out of? Zoo Med Turtle Dock for 15 Gallon Tanks, Medium
Is there a UVB light? Yes

What have you been trying to feed it? Tetra ReptoMin Sticks
When was the last time your turtle ate? Today I think

How big is the tank/pond/enclosure? 20 gallon tank. I know, I need to get a bigger one
Is the tank near a window? No.
Is the tank in a room with a lot of activity? Not during the day, at night there is more activity, but not a ton

Have you read the Basic Care section? Yes
Have you searched the forums for similar situations? Yes

Is there any other unusual activity/symptoms? Lately, every night the turtles have been making a lot of splashing sounds at night. It only lasts for a couple of seconds and I can't get up quick enough to see what they are doing. When I get to them,the splashing has stopped, and they seem to be acting normal. They don't make the splashing sounds during the day, but they do make the splashing sounds multiple times during the night.


Thanks for your help!

[dumbork14]

It looks like the turtle is just sleeping. The splashing sounds may be the turtles' fluttering motions. Let's see what the other members say.

[steve]

Are both your turtles males?

[ubungleebin]

Yes I think they are both males. They both have really long front claws and the lump on their tail looks like it is in the same place to me.

[steve]

I would give him an inspection, to make sure there are no wounds or injuries. The shell has a bit of pyramiding, so I would re-evaluate their diets too.

[ubungleebin]

I would give him an inspection, to make sure there are no wounds or injuries. The shell has a bit of pyramiding, so I would re-evaluate their diets too.

Thanks for the reply! He actually hasn't been laying on the bottom any more since I posted this, but I appreciate your help.

As far as their diet, I give them Tetra Repto Min food sticks daily and I give them red wigglers and crickets about once a week. Is there something else I should be doing?

[steve]

I would cut that down and offer some veggies into the diet.

http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html

[ubungleebin]

I would cut that down and offer some veggies into the diet.

http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html

They have never shown much interest in veggies. Should I just put the veggies up on their basking platform and let it sit there to see if they eat it?

[steve]

Try using a veggie clip and/or some freshwater aquatic plants.

[ataraxiamb]

My turtle is picky about vegetables, but the minute I put Anarchis plant in his tank for the first time, he ate at it readily for hours.