Found flukes & chilodonella in my turtle's tank water. Should I worry?

Ideally, you should submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose and identify the worm in question. It may be something normally found in the environment or it could be an intestinal parasite. If it is a parasite, your veterinarian can dispense an appropriate dewormer to treat Toru.

These are likely not parasites, but rather insects that made their way into the enclosure. To be sure, you can submit them and a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites. Clean the enclosure and water bowl as planned. Fresh water should be provided daily.

Yes, it is possible Melanie has a respiratory infection. She should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles to confirm the diagnosis. Antibiotics will be necessary if this is the case. Left untreated, she may develop pneumonia which can be life threatening. If an experienced reptile vet is unavailable, your local veterinarian may be able to consult with one online or by phone. Follow this link for a file regarding care of flapshells: http://www.infowares.com/j/indian_flapshell_turtle_caresheet.pdf You may need to take her from the garden and set up a tank for Melanie while she is being treated. It will make it easier to treat and monitor her condition.

Thank you for the pictures - they are very helpful. I am sorry that this is happening to Finley! Her shell looks very dry - I am not sure if you dried her for the picture, or if she is not hanging out in her water enough. If she is not utilizing her water source enough, that could cause her shell to get dry and flaky. With your description of the shell looking cloudy and white underneath the layer, it could also be that there is an infection (bacterial, fungal) of the shell. If the water quality in Finley's enclosure is not adequate, this can result in infections. I would recommend that you take Finley to a veterinarian who is familiar with reptiles. To find one in your area, you can visit the ARAV website. The veterinarian will ask about Finley's husbandry set up and diet, and will perform a thorough examination of her. They then can take samples of the flaky, white, cloudy areas of the shell to evaluate for culture to determine if there is an infectious reason for it to look abnormal. They may also prescribe treatments, such as antibiotics, or have suggestions for husbandry changes, depending on what they find. Please do not give Finely any human medications, as they can be harmful for our scaled friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I hope Finley feels better soon!

Thanks for reaching out about Peanut. Intestinal parasites (including worms) are fairly common in aquatic turtles. The best thing to do would be to present him and some feces, to a veterinarian for examination and to run a fecal examination. Identification of the parasite will suggest a treatment plan. Some of the worms seen in the aquaria are not pathogenic and live/breed on detritus in the water, but is suggestive of non-ideal water quality. Good luck.

Without an image or physical exam, it is difficult to determine what is growing on Shady's head. A fungal infection typically presents as a gray or white fuzzy patch on the skin or shell. There may be redness, bleeding, swelling or discharge as well. Check water quality, performing a water change and rinsing filter media if necessary. Pristine water quality is the foundation for treatment and recovery. You can use a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution to gently cleanse affected areas. Allow for a 1-2 hour dry dock (out of the water) after each cleaning. If there is no improvement in a few days, have Shady examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating reptiles.

Looks can be deceiving, but the shell looks fine in the picture provided. "Heathy" is more than just a clean shell though. He should be eating and defecating normally, basking regularly and swimming. There should be no redness or pitting on the shell. Provide clean water at proper temp, a basking spot also at proper temp, UVB lighting and an appropriate diet. You can review the article at the link below to confirm correct husbandry. http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html