How large a QT?

[James_in_MN]

How large of a quarantine tank do you have?

Living in an apartment doesn't give me all that much room to set up too many tanks, and I already have a 20g high and am cycling a 10g tank. Today, I bought a 2.5g acrylic hex tank kit with the intention of using it as a QT, if necessary. Is that too small for me to consider using as one?

 

[ejaramillo01]

Could be small if you plan to QT for a long period of time, ideally for 4 weeks. Because in just 2.5G you won't be able to properly quaretine a medium size fish, or a group of school either.

But it's just my opinion.

 

[cinnamaldehyde]

The tank that I designate as QT is an old 29gal that I had with no lid or lights, I've added a filter, heater and light. No substrate, just a few rocks.

My inadvertent QT is a 2.5gal, which is currently QTing a batch of Endler's. I wouldn't dare put anything larger than an Endler in there. It was/will be a hospital tank.

So, back to the question. I would say a 2.5gal IS too small for QTing anything bigger than 0.5." I do struggle though to keep it cycled when nothing's living in it... IDK, maybe I should keep a few fish in there just to keep it cycled?

As for space, I live in a small apartment too. My 29gal is in my laundry room, and my 2.5gal is in my kitchen

 

[James_in_MN]

My laundry room IS my kitchen.

Perhaps what I should have asked was if a 2.5g was good enough for a hospital tank, since that's what I was thinking of using it for, not a QT tank. I don't have the room to store fish in a tank for a month before adding them to their permanent home.

If all else fails, I could either return the tank, or use it as a shrimp tank I guess.

 

[James_in_MN]

hospital tank, not quarantine tank

So, a 2.5 gallon could work for a hospital tank perhaps?

I honestly was thinking of hospital tank and not quarantine tank when I started this thread. Ooops.

 

[cinnamaldehyde]

So, a 2.5 gallon could work for a hospital tank perhaps?

I think it really depends what type of fish might be hospitalized. If it's a very small fish and you'd only be putting one or two in there, it's probably fine if it's filtered enough.

If you have larger fish, and you might be hospitalizing a few at a time, I'd say no, it's not big enough.

If you can, I'd return it and exchange it for something bigger.

 

[Homedog98]

If you can, I'd return it and exchange it for something bigger.

or make it a Betta/adf tank.

 

[James_in_MN]

Hmmm.

The majority of the fish I'm looking at are not very big. Black neon tetras, cardinal tetras, and a fish to be named later (either cherry barbs or the african banded barb).

The only other fish that could be an issue would be the one or two rams that I plan to add to my 20g high.

The rest will all be shrimp.

 

[James_in_MN]

or make it a Betta/adf tank.

I don't think I'd want to make a 2.5g tank a permanent home for anything except shrimp.

 

[Homedog98]

Ya, probably smart.

 

[jenatron]

I thought the same thing when I got a 2.5 for a QT/hospital tank. But if you don't have a large DT, you can't really be getting large fish, so why get a large QT?
I understand your situation; as long as it's short-term, like intended, it shouldn't be an issue IMO.

 

[James_in_MN]

It might be pushing it a bit if I ever had to put a GBR in a 2.5g hospital tank, but I think I'll keep it for the intended purpose.

I did find a great filter to use with the tank: Tom's Aquarium Products mini internal filter. I'm thinking about running it either on my 20g high or 10g to build up bacteria in it. That way, I can move it to the hospital tank with the sick fish as needed.

Tom Aquarium Products Mini Internal Filter - Fish - Free Ship - PetSmart

I wish I could find a reliable, but small, heater to use as well. I did buy and try a Marina C10, but it barely even heats the water at all.

 

[andreahp]

How large of a quarantine tank do you have?

Living in an apartment doesn't give me all that much room to set up too many tanks, and I already have a 20g high and am cycling a 10g tank. Today, I bought a 2.5g acrylic hex tank kit with the intention of using it as a QT, if necessary. Is that too small for me to consider using as one?

I am currently using a 5gal as a QT. Right now I have 2 danios & 2 cories in it. Honestly, I wish I had a 10gal because the danios need the swimming room even though they aren't very big yet. If necessary I will use it as a hospital tank in the future, but considering I see 5gal as small (my main tank is 46gal) I can't imagine using a 2.5gal for quarantine unless it's only for like 1-2 fish at a time - hospital tank purposes, maybe, depending upon how large a fish you're talking but you'd have to be diligent about keeping it clean.