2.5 Gallon Aqueon Tank Too Small For Quarantine?

I have a 2.5 gallon Aqueon brand tank, complete with a glass top and an Aquaclear 20 that I plan to use as a quarantine tank. I've heard mixed answers from people at the LFS telling me I need a bigger tank for quarantine. Is this true?

I like the 2.5 gallon for it's small size and ease of movement even with water, and that I can take 2.5 gallons of my display tank water to quickly set up a quarantine tank for any new fish without removing a whole lot of water from my display. My last quarantine tank was a 10 gallon and I feel it was just too big.

 

It’s pretty dependent on what species you are QT’ing, size of said fish, and number of fish. I would not use that size for a larger fish, like a bosamani. Nano fish should be fine and a few medium sized fish(like cherries) might be alright.

 

It would probably be just a few fish at a time, if even that. I generally don't buy a whole lot of fish at once just because I don't want to crash my cycle. I also usually try to limit the size of the fish I buy. If they can get huge, like bigger than 5" huge, I tend to stay away.

 

I agree that it depends on what kind of fish. But personally, I think that is way too small. The new fish are already stressed from crowded breeding situations, to shipping, to crowded fish store environment, then back in a bag to your house. A 2.5 gallon is really small. I wouldn't QT any fish in there unless they are nano fish. I wouldn't want to cause any additional stress for the new fish.

also, using water from your main tank is not cycling your QT tank. There is very little beneficial bacteria in your water. The majority is in the filter itself. So if you want to instantly cycle your QT, you do not need to take ANY water from your other tank. You just need to take some of the filter media out of the other tank and add it to the filter on the QT.

I would absolutely stick with a 10 gallon and not a 2.5g for QT. I think you will lose more fish in QT if you use such a tiny one. A 10 gallon is not a big QT either. I personally won't go any smaller than 10 gallon for QT.

 

I agree that it depends on what kind of fish. But personally, I think that is way too small. The new fish are already stressed from crowded breeding situations, to shipping, to crowded fish store environment, then back in a bag to your house. A 2.5 gallon is really small. I wouldn't QT any fish in there unless they are nano fish. I wouldn't want to cause any additional stress for the new fish.

also, using water from your main tank is not cycling your QT tank. There is very little beneficial bacteria in your water. The majority is in the filter itself. So if you want to instantly cycle your QT, you do not need to take ANY water from your other tank. You just need to take some of the filter media out of the other tank and add it to the filter on the QT.

I would absolutely stick with a 10 gallon and not a 2.5g for QT. I think you will lose more fish in QT if you use such a tiny one. A 10 gallon is not a big QT either. I personally won't go any smaller than 10 gallon for QT.

I've considered using the 10 again and possibly even a 5.5 but ever since I upgraded the size of my display tank, I have run out of room to effectively operate a QT for a handful of weeks.

I should probably rephrase what I meant about using water from my display. I meant this as in making acclimation an easier process. I run two filters for multiple reasons, one of them being good circulation, the other being media storage for quarantine purposes. I currently have the AC20 media in the smaller of the two filters I run so that if I ever need to set up a tank in a hurry, I can just pull some of the media from one of the filters. Would a 5.5 gallon still be too small?

 

I use a 5 g bucket with a small sponge filter I incubate in my main tank for instant cycle. I throw in pothos to hide in. Not for long term or really big fish but for 3-5 days qt or medicating it has worked

 

I've considered using the 10 again and possibly even a 5.5 but ever since I upgraded the size of my display tank, I have run out of room to effectively operate a QT for a handful of weeks.

I should probably rephrase what I meant about using water from my display. I meant this as in making acclimation an easier process. I run two filters for multiple reasons, one of them being good circulation, the other being media storage for quarantine purposes. I currently have the AC20 media in the smaller of the two filters I run so that if I ever need to set up a tank in a hurry, I can just pull some of the media from one of the filters. Would a 5.5 gallon still be too small?

5.5 would definitely be better than 2.5!

But it still depends on the fish. I wouldnt qt even a small angelfish in a 5 gallon. For instance.

 

I've considered using the 10 again and possibly even a 5.5 but ever since I upgraded the size of my display tank, I have run out of room to effectively operate a QT for a handful of weeks.

I should probably rephrase what I meant about using water from my display. I meant this as in making acclimation an easier process. I run two filters for multiple reasons, one of them being good circulation, the other being media storage for quarantine purposes. I currently have the AC20 media in the smaller of the two filters I run so that if I ever need to set up a tank in a hurry, I can just pull some of the media from one of the filters. Would a 5.5 gallon still be too small?

For the time it takes to medicate and put in your tank you should be fine your not a store that needs to medicate allot of fish . The fish will be fine.

 

Depends