Softshell Turtle with "rotting" shell?? Experts!!! Need help

[SumoNinja]

I have 2 Florida Softshell Turtles. When I first bought them their shell diameter was about 2" and now they're about 3 to 3.5" in diameter. Had them for about 2 months now. They eat a lot! Turtle pellets, shrimp, fillet, frozen & live bloodworms, freez dried misus, shrimp & krill. They live with my baby monos and tems. The water temp is at 86 F. Water params are good. I siphon poop about 2 times a week and do 20 % water change 2 times a week.

I turn on their heat lamp around 4pm until 10-11pm. I started noticing at first a little white spot on their shell towards the back. (between their tail and right hind leg) And it's gotten worse and bigger. It looks like some kind of infection, almost like someone put out a cigerette on the shell or even kind of like a bird pooped on them while sun bathing.

Check out the pics and let me know what I can do. Thanks everyone! The first 4 pics are of one turtle. The one in the 5th pic only has 2 white spots instead of like the one turtle in the first 4 pics.

 

[Brooklynella]

It's either a fungal or bacterial infection.
Use Sulpher dip. Under $10 at any pet shop. I think Zoo Med makes it.

 

[evilxyardxgnome]

Are heat lamps needed for softshells? Aren't they fully aquatic or do they bask? Is the pbass picking on them at all?

 

[Onion01]

is there a pleco in there with them? They tend to suck on the shells

 

[SumoNinja]

Are heat lamps needed for softshells? Aren't they fully aquatic or do they bask? Is the pbass picking on them at all?

they do bask. pbass leaves them alone.

is there a pleco in there with them? They tend to suck on the shells

did't think about that, i threw one in because of algae growth but now algae is gone I'll take it out. but the symptoms were already there before I put the pleco in

It's either a fungal or bacterial infection.
Use Sulpher dip. Under $10 at any pet shop. I think Zoo Med makes it.

Thanks, I'll go get some today.

 

[SumoNinja]

at first i thought maybe they got burned by the heater but it's funny that they both have it on the same spot on their shell

 

[SimonL]

I would say heater burn...they both may be sitting on it in a similar way...

 

[Fly River]

Make sure they have a heat lamp and somewhere to pull them self out of the water, They love to bask. (turtle docks work great) Try drying them out for about two hours a day for a week or two. That should help. Dry them apart and in a warm location. Rocks (but the rocks in your pics look fine.), fish bites and other little things can cause fungs on these guys.

 

[SumoNinja]

I would say heater burn...they both may be sitting on it in a similar way...

I position the HOB filter and heater so that the water flows to the heater and they don't like the water flow from the filter so they're almost never over there but perhaps I can get a heater cover. It'd wouldn't worry me too much if it actually was heater burn. It would heal itself in time right?

Make sure they have a heat lamp and somewhere to pull them self out of the water, They love to bask. (turtle docks work great) Try drying them out for about two hours a day for a week or two. That should help. Dry them apart and in a warm location. Rocks (but the rocks in your pics look fine.), fish bites and other little things can cause fungs on these guys.

They do have turtle docks and as long as I'm not in the room, they bask while the heat lamp is on. When I walk into the room they'll jump into the water towards me and beg for food. I'll try to dry them at least 2 hours a day.

 

[Vicious_Fish]

If you have a submersible heater, you can hide it along the bottom under some rocks where they can't get at it.