Treatment and Care for My Pet Painted Turtle With a Fungus

Painted turtles are commonly found in open waters in North America, and due to their size (5 to 10 inches long), they often make good household aquarium pets. Though healthy turtles can live up to twenty years, painted turtles can acquire several illnesses, including a white fungus that infects the skin or shell. Proper treatment and aftercare of a painted turtle with a fungus is necessary to return it to full health and allow it to live a full life.

Things You'll Need

  • Fresh water
  • Bleach
  • Scrub brush or sponge
  • Table salt
  • Iodine
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove your painted turtle from the aquarium and place it in a secure secondary location, such as a large covered box or second aquarium.

    • 2

      Clean the aquarium thoroughly with a 3 percent bleach solution. Make sure that all walls, permanent and impermanent features of the aquarium are also cleaned thoroughly. Scrubbing them with a brush or sponge and then washing them in clean water is the best way to make sure they are cleaned well.

    • 3

      Add clean water that is approximately 75 degrees F. One of the primary ways that a turtle can acquire a fungus is due to a dirty aquarium and dirty water, so make sure that you clean the aquarium once a week and that you change the water every day. You don't need to replace the entire aquarium's water supply every day, but make sure to add some clean water every day. The exact amount will vary depending on your aquarium size, but try to add at least three or four cups of clean water a day.

    • 4

      Add one-fourth cup of table salt for every five gallons of water each time you change the water.

    • 5

      Paint the turtle's shell with a thin layer of 5 percent iodine on the places where the shell has fungus. Do not put iodine on the turtle's flesh. Allow the iodine to dry on the shell before putting the turtle back into the aquarium. You can repeat this every day for several weeks to hasten healing.

    • 6

      Take your painted turtle to an exotic pet veterinarian if it shows any signs of distress, or if its behavior changes drastically. Some signs of distress would be change in appetite, erratic swimming and abnormal feces. A vet may want to prescribe an anti-fungal medication for your turtle if your home remedies do not work.