Spec Caiman juv. Sick

[thamunsta]

here's a pic of my juv. spec. caiman, shes sick and hasn't eaten in a while. Ive fed her shrimp and scallops so far, haven't had her long enough to try many different foods. Shes been insanely agressive from day one, had all of her siblings cut up and scarred in the petstore and she was immaculate. Anyways she has developed these white spots on her back. Im thinking of treating with peroxide/polysporin. Bacterial or fungal those are my guesses. She also has a bit of blood in her eyes everytime she opens them, she hasnt moved much lately, just lays in the water eyes shut with her head underwater and nostils poking out. I attached a pic of her now all sickly and one of her in better condition.

 

[Z Trip]

What the tempurature in the tank? Does it have heat and UV lights on it? What kind of filters are you running?

would use salt water and a tooth brush to scrub her down with. It's the most natural thing that works.

Any full tank shots?

 

[thamunsta]

What the tempurature in the tank? Does it have heat and UV lights on it? What kind of filters are you running?

would use salt water and a tooth brush to scrub her down with. It's the most natural thing that works.

Any full tank shots?

The water temp is about 76 with basking area around 90. I keep a small metal halide lamp without the tempered glass UV protector close to the basking spot, its only 20w but MH is pretty intense. Filter is a 15 gal aquarium filter, I set the heater in there. Tank is a 20gal with about 4" of water and some basking rocks with a small waterfall.

 

[coreyweinkoetz]

WOW Dude lots of issues to deal with here first plug in the heater or filter or WTF ever the bare plug in the water is from then move the hatchling in to at least a 75 gallon and mercury vapor lighting not metal halide and up grade your filter about 1 or 2 hundred times biggerlike a FX5 or wet dry sump then give him a way better diet shrimp is ok but shell fish is risky try a little closer to there natural food sources like insects and fish maybe a little frog every once in awhile mostly cricket type food sources they eat a lot of grass hopper, locust, dragon flys,water beetles and small fish crayfish would be alright and also trun the water temp up when he's sick 2 degrees a day intill you hit about 80 set up a warm and cold basking site two extra large turtle docks work well for this and get rid of the stack of rocks they will dig under an around them intill they knock them over and hurt themselves and yes a salt water bath scrubb down will help if you improve there living conditions

 

[coura]

WOW Dude lots of issues to deal with here first plug in the heater or filter or WTF ever the bare plug in the water is from then move the hatchling in to at least a 75 gallon and mercury vapor lighting not metal halide and up grade your filter about 1 or 2 hundred times biggerlike a FX5 or wet dry sump then give him a way better diet shrimp is ok but shell fish is risky try a little closer to there natural food sources like insects and fish maybe a little frog every once in awhile mostly cricket type food sources they eat a lot of grass hopper, locust, dragon flys,water beetles and small fish crayfish would be alright and also trun the water temp up when he's sick 2 degrees a day intill you hit about 80 set up a warm and cold basking site two extra large turtle docks work well for this and get rid of the stack of rocks they will dig under an around them intill they knock them over and hurt themselves and yes a salt water bath scrubb down will help if you improve there living conditions

One of the causes of that is that the animal cant dry himself up because the air is to moist or because the water quality is low, inprove both and you should see inprovements. But about the blood in the eye, well something more serious maybe going on There is not much you can do about it, improve the condicions give time and then we will see. Is there any chance that you could get her into a experienced herp vet? The vet probably is going to say just this but is allways good to get a experienced opinion.

 

[coura]

The water temp is about 76 with basking area around 90. I keep a small metal halide lamp without the tempered glass UV protector close to the basking spot, its only 20w but MH is pretty intense. Filter is a 15 gal aquarium filter, I set the heater in there. Tank is a 20gal with about 4" of water and some basking rocks with a small waterfall.

Oh by the way dont know if already someone said this but that water temp is suitable for a full grown healty adult (but even then a bit to low) not for a sick baby, bost it up to 85-86 to give her himune sistem a chance to figth back

 

[Z Trip]

What they said

If you want to save your caiman, follow their advice. Do you know how big they get?

 

[varanio]

That basking area needs to be at least 110 crank it up to 115 -120 if possible once you see her turning around a bit. When you feed her throw some powder on the food (calcium and multivitamins). If you want her to fight this off her immune system needs to improve and her digestive system needs to be running full mode for her to eat.

 

[thamunsta]

WOW Dude lots of issues to deal with here first plug in the heater or filter or WTF ever the bare plug in the water is from then move the hatchling in to at least a 75 gallon and mercury vapor lighting not metal halide and up grade your filter about 1 or 2 hundred times biggerlike a FX5 or wet dry sump then give him a way better diet shrimp is ok but shell fish is risky try a little closer to there natural food sources like insects and fish maybe a little frog every once in awhile mostly cricket type food sources they eat a lot of grass hopper, locust, dragon flys,water beetles and small fish crayfish would be alright and also trun the water temp up when he's sick 2 degrees a day intill you hit about 80 set up a warm and cold basking site two extra large turtle docks work well for this and get rid of the stack of rocks they will dig under an around them intill they knock them over and hurt themselves and yes a salt water bath scrubb down will help if you improve there living conditions

thanks for the advice. Just to clarify the bare plug was not just laying in the water its under the tank on the floor. I think the pump and 70gal would be overkill for such a small caiman she was only about about 8". I had intended to build an outdoor pond this spring as these caimans have the potential to get huge. The setup I had her in was a huge inprovement form the one she was in, it was her and about 20 hatchlings in a 15 gal no filter, heater, lights and ****ty water quality. I dont think I would have had problems if I had purchased from a more reputable place. She died about 2 days after I made this post. It all hapened in less than a week the sickness and death. She was really agressive from day one and got defensive, hissing with mouth open when I walked by the tank, I think this stressed her out a ton and didnt help with the lumps on her side. She was the only caiman left in the store without cuts and scars. overall pretty ****ty experience shouldnt have picked her up from where I did.