Urgent Care :: Not Such A Great Track Record With Red Eared Sliders....

[Misa]

So I own two baby red eared sliders. I've done my research but I always have issues. My first RES passed away shortly after I got him. I received him from a woman who had kept him in a five gallon bucket with no dock or lights on her back porch for the first four months of his life. He had respiratory problems from day one. I spent tons of money and time at the vet and ultimately in the end he passed away.

A few months passed and I decided to try again. I revived two baby sliders from a friend's uncle. They were healthy, happy and he knew what he was doing. I've had them three months. Currently they reside in a 20 gallon tank (only because I'm having a hard time keeping the temperature up) they do have a 55 gallon tank I would love to put them in once I fix this issue.

I have several heaters in their tank and I cannot get the water temperature above 72 degrees. My larger of the two has recently started showing signs of a respiratory problem. Bubbling at the mouth, opening and closing his mouth and spends much more time on the dock under the lamp then he used to.

I just ordered a new heater that is not preset like the ones I get at the pet store. And plan on making a trip to Petsmart tomorrow to get a higher watt heat bulb.

This is my current setup:

- 1 20 gallon tank
- 1 floating dock
- 1 free standing dock (so they can get out of the water away from the heat lamp if they want)
- 3 submersible heaters
- 1 75 w heat light
- 1 13 w UVB light
- 1 100 w night time heat light

Any help on how to raise and maintain my tank's temperature would be awesome

[Misa]

*Received

[devilduck]

What type and what wattage are you heaters? What temperature is your room? Are you certain your thermometer is accurate? A single 100-200 watt heater should be enough to raise the water temperature to the upper 70's.

[Misa]

2 are 100 w, one is 50 w. My room temp is 70 degrees The tank is 72 degrees. It stays at this constant even when the room is 80+ I bought 2 more different thermometers they all read the same.

[steve]

What brand are those heaters? Name-brand heaters fortunately don't cost much more than other types, so I would consider a different one. Can you post a picture of your setup?

[vear]

2 are 100 w, one is 50 w. My room temp is 70 degrees The tank is 72 degrees. It stays at this constant even when the room is 80+ I bought 2 more different thermometers they all read the same.

That's really odd. If the room is above 80F, the water temp. should go up as well. I know you said you tried various thermometers, but I would think they're giving you false readings Were they two thermometers of different brands? So strange.