Why does my turtle's water turn red?

Question

i will clean the turtle tank then in about 2 or 3 days the water and the bottom of the turtle's shell will be pinkish red. Can anyone help?

Answer 1

This might be completely irrelevant but I remember seeing somewhere that on baths and showers and tiles etc the pink build-up is body fat, so the pinkish red water in your turtle's tank might be related to something like that. :S

Answer 2

I have a turtle and his water dosnt turn red so i dont know. I'm sorry i cant help but I i hope nothings wrong with him/her.

Answer 3

well maybe your turtle is bleading. But i dont know how.

Answer 4

no idea.. girl>>period ??

Answer 5

Maybe if you have rocks in the tank it got cut and is bleeding

Answer 6

its algae.

just scrub it off very gently with a toothbrush.

Answer 7

What do you feed your turtle, and does it eat in the tank it lives in?  Does the food have a red dye content (such as frozen blood worms, commercial pellets, shrimp, etc.)?

Are you using a pink/purple/red aquarium gravel in the turtle's tank, and if so - did you wash it thoroughly before use?  (Colored pebbles can 'bleed' color, especially strong red/dark colors, for years.  A thorough scrubbing between your hands with iodine free salt will greatly reduce color 'bleeding.')

Do you thoroughly scrub/clean your tank with iodine free salt?  This is abrasive, and rinses completely away, aiding in cleaning the silicone corners/joints, etc.  Also, if you miss a bit, it won't harm your turtle in small amounts (but do try to rinse and remove it all).  The salt will also discourage algae growth on rocks/perches (a toothbrush is useful for tight places), etc. and algae 'blooms (it clouds the water green or pinkish) in the turtle's tank water.  It also controls bacterial growth on/in the tank.  The salt will not star/scar the glass.  (Salt is a good thing!)

Do you have a mischievous sibling with a vial of red food coloring who got punished for something you did?!!  j/k (I hope!)

Those are the only suggestions for the water/turtle discoloration I can think of; short of the turtle being the source due to internal bleeding/injury (a pebble cut the bowels, etc.).  But, that would not be likely to discolor the turtle's plastron., and you would notice clouds of blood when it voided.

I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you.  I hope you discover the cause.

You might want to take a sample of the water, along with the discolored turtle, to your reptile vet.

I hope this has been helpful.

Answer 8

Ask a reptile expert they should probably know what is the matter with your turtle.