Anyone else here keep/have kept a softshell?
I have a few questions I’d like to ask a fellow keeper.
One question is what does normal shedding look like?
Googling hasn’t really been the biggest help.
My little guy has already shed the skin on his legs and feet and now his shell is pealing. I just want to be sure this is healthy shedding and not burnt skin.
This is what it looks like.
Another question, is wrinkling on the shell normal?
It’s a bit hard to see in the picture above, but there is some wrinkles along where I believe his ribs end inside the shell. Maybe he is still just thin? I feed him once to twice a day, but he has started to eat less and less pellets. Preferring instead to eat blood worms and snails. I’m trying to get him to eat more things, but he is being a bit stubborn.
I’d love some feeding advice.
A little info
He has his uvb/uva light and a heater in the water. No heat lamp since it stays very warm with just the one lamp.
Water is filtered and changed every 3-5days.
Currently he has giant danio fry in the tank with him, but they will be moved out after the holidays. I suspect he has been picking off the little ones. Though I haven’t caught him in the act.
He is basking regularly and also loves to hide in the sand substrate.
I have cuttlebone in the tank and some weird little turtle thing that claims to keep bad bacteria in check. Anyone know if those really work the way they claim?
I have a few questions I’d like to ask a fellow keeper.
One question is what does normal shedding look like?
Googling hasn’t really been the biggest help.
My little guy has already shed the skin on his legs and feet and now his shell is pealing. I just want to be sure this is healthy shedding and not burnt skin.
This is what it looks like.
Another question, is wrinkling on the shell normal?
It’s a bit hard to see in the picture above, but there is some wrinkles along where I believe his ribs end inside the shell. Maybe he is still just thin? I feed him once to twice a day, but he has started to eat less and less pellets. Preferring instead to eat blood worms and snails. I’m trying to get him to eat more things, but he is being a bit stubborn.
I’d love some feeding advice.
A little info
He has his uvb/uva light and a heater in the water. No heat lamp since it stays very warm with just the one lamp.
Water is filtered and changed every 3-5days.
Currently he has giant danio fry in the tank with him, but they will be moved out after the holidays. I suspect he has been picking off the little ones. Though I haven’t caught him in the act.
He is basking regularly and also loves to hide in the sand substrate.
I have cuttlebone in the tank and some weird little turtle thing that claims to keep bad bacteria in check. Anyone know if those really work the way they claim?
