Habitat - Indoor :: Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 11:16 am   Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

Need recommendations on how to heat water in my "hospital" tank. It is 5-gallons, 1/4 full of water. I have two very undernourished, extremely underdeveloped one-year old RES with Metabolic Bone Disease. I have read to make it as easy as possible for them to get around the tank and to bask because they are most likely in pain. I have also read that I need to maintain an 80-degree water temp. Would you suggest an in-tank heater or an under-tank heater? What size, etc...? I am so overwhelmed when I go on amazon.com.
timmytommytutu
 
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 1:03 pm   Re: Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

Eventually you will probably want a good, adjustable stick type heater (or maybe you already have that in your larger tank).

For the little hospital tank you might try one of these (not necessarily this one but something like this. I would look at the reviews though). Make sure you also get a thermometer to monitor the temperature. I would be a little bit nervous about using a glass stick heater in such a small tank. These little plastic ones you can suction right to the floor.

Also that seems like a very small amount of water to me even for a sick turtles, but I don't really have any experience with that.

https://www.petsmart.com/fish/supplies/ ... Heaters%20
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Kingbird44
 
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 1:29 pm   Re: Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

Stay away from those under tank type. Like what Kingbird said will work or maybe one for a betta tank. Something with a thermostat would be even better. Only problem with this type most I've used only get to 76-78*. With MBD you want to keep water at 80* or even 82* do not let it go under 80*. With 1/4 water and proper distance for you UVA and UVB bulb should get it to 80*? UVB at this point is a must. Each type bulb is different the box tells you proper placement!
Just me but 1/4 water is high , they are very weak and could drown. How about just enough to cover shell then all they have to is raise there head.

Are you doing diluted pedialyte soaks? Have they eaten anything? A supplement like cuttlebone can also be offered for more calcium.
Really need a good thermometer ... IR type very accurate.
litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 2:31 pm   Re: Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

Thank you both for answering.

I have a stick type for my larger tank. I found a small, plastic stick type on Amazon but it does not have a temp adjuster. I will keep looking for that type with an adjuster or the type in the link with an adjuster. I have a good thermometer.

They are under UVA and UVB lamps which are placed properly.

I "rescued" these tiny guys on Monday. I thought she just caught them as hatchlings and was selling them for profit (which I detest). But when I got there, I was informed she had had them for a year. You can imagine my surprise at their size (see photo).

The smaller one does not seem to be uncomfortable as he is very active. The larger is very lethargic although he started eating on Tuesday and is moving around a little more... just a little.

Both are eating cuttlebone.

I am not soaking in Pedialyte as I have researched this and have read conflicting opinions on where this can be more detrimental than helpful. These guys are so tiny, I just don't want to risk it. However, I am soaking in aquarium salt at 80 degrees and it was after one of these soaks the weak one started to eat.

I just hope I can turn around the MBD.
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timmytommytutu
 
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:19 pm   Re: Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

Poor guys.
Were you going to release them if they had just been caught? I'm in the Northeast so you can't really do that here, but I guess that makes sense if you are in their native range?

I wasn't sure how hot those flat, plastic ones got. But probably it partially depends on the room temperature (e.g. if it's already warm in the house maybe less of an issue, but if it's cooler in the house then they probably won't work well?)

Good luck! I hope they get better soon!
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Kingbird44
 
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:38 pm   Re: Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

I was going to keep them in my tank until they were larger and healthier and then put them in my outdoor habitat. I think people totally ruin their little turtle lives when they catch them even if it is only for a few days. I have saved them from well-meaning people who don't have a clue as well as the greedy idiots. Ugh. Sigh.
timmytommytutu
 
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Post Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 5:00 pm   Re: Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

Happy they made it to you. May have gotten to them in time. It may take three months for full turn around. You got this ! Doing good !
litefoot
 
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Post Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 10:49 am   Re: Best heater for 5-gallon tank 1/4 full of water...

Thank you.
timmytommytutu
 
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