Four Diseases to Guard Against in Golden Coin Turtle Farming

During the rearing of golden coin turtles, deteriorating pond water, excessive stocking density, mixed rearing of large and small turtles, improper feeding, cold damage and heat damage and other reasons often cause turtles to become ill or die. The four diseases that golden coin turtles are prone to and their prevention and treatment methods are introduced as follows:

1. Red neck disease

Symptoms: This disease mostly occurs in the plum rain season. Red spots appear on the diseased turtle's abdomen, the throat and neck swell, the neck stretches out and cannot be retracted, appetite decreases, and reactions become sluggish. When the condition is severe, there is bleeding from the mouth and nose, intestinal inflammation and erosion, and generalized redness and swelling, followed by death before long.

Prevention and treatment: Once this disease is found, immediately isolate and treat the affected turtles, disinfect the turtle pond with quicklime, and replace with new water; treat with antibiotics such as chlortetracycline or oxytetracycline, injecting 150,000 international units at the base of the leg for each kilogram of turtle.

2. Saprolegniasis

Symptoms: At first the diseased turtle's appetite decreases, it is restless in activity, and becomes thin and weak. In severe cases, water mold parasitizes the turtle's neck and limbs, plastron and carapace. The shell is corroded, becoming soft and thin, leading to cessation of feeding, sluggish movement, and finally death.

Prevention and treatment: When this disease is found, let the diseased turtles go onto land to move about and bask in the sun, reducing the environmental conditions for water mold growth. Replace all the water in the turtle pond with new water, and disinfect and sterilize with 0.04% salt plus 0.04% baking soda; splash 3 grams/cubic meter of Zhimeiling over the whole pond.

3. Turtle skin rot disease

Symptoms: With the naked eye, the skin on the turtle's limbs, neck, tail, skirt edge and other parts can be seen to be putrid, eroded and necrotic. In severe cases, the skin on the limbs rots away, the claws also fall off, and the bones are exposed.

Prevention and treatment: When this disease is found, isolate promptly, and soak the turtle bodies in 10 grams/cubic meter of sulfonamide drugs or antibiotics for 48 hours. For initial onset, 2 to 3 times per week, and it can be cured in 1 month. Every 2 weeks, use 0.4 grams/cubic meter of Biejing for medicinal bathing, which can prevent turtles from biting each other and the occurrence of skin rot disease.

4. Mucormycosis

Symptoms: Spots appear on the diseased turtle's limbs, skirt edge and other areas. In the early stage they appear on the edges, then gradually expand, forming patches of white spots, causing epidermal necrosis and partial disintegration, decreased appetite, and restlessness. This disease can occur in all four seasons, but is most prevalent from April to June.

Prevention and treatment: 1. Thoroughly disinfect the turtle pond with quicklime, and keep the pond water a tender green color regularly, which can reduce the occurrence of this disease. 2. Use 150 grams/cubic meter of Baibanjing for a 15-hour medicinal bath. After all the white spots on the diseased turtles' bodies have fallen off, drain the medicinal liquid and add new water again up to the rearing water level.