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I recently purchased a baby razorback musk turtle and I have a few questions:
Can house him with my 3.5 inch RES?
Would a 2.5 gal be suitable for the first few weeks?

how small is the musk? you could try it and see if there is aggression depending on the size of tank you have the RES in and the difference in the sizes they are. if its more than 1" i wouldnt try it. and 2.5 gallons is not suitable for any turtle.

2.5 gallons should only be a quick fix until you get something proper.

I have some concerns..

RES are very agile in water and will easily swim straight up and down. They grow to be quite large, even 15 inches or more. Also, RES are aggressive, more so than similar turtles like painteds, cooters, etc.

Musk turtles are less athletic, and aren't designed, nor inclined, to swim straight up and down, which is required in a tank. They are more close to snapping turtles in the way that they are walkers. They will walk around the bottom of the tank, and won't have enough energy to swim straight up to safety. In nature, they can just walk up to land so it isn't a problem.

Your musk turtle is likely to drown in a tall tank. A "breeder" tank (longer than it is tall) would be more appropriate, with a land area instead of a dry dock. Also, your musk turtle will grow to be MUCH smaller than your RES, and will be bullied. This can lead to scratches, nips, loss of limbs and even death.

In short, these are two different kinds of turtle and they need different kinds of tanks. Also, because of the great size difference, there will be violence. Don't mix these two turtles, they need seperate environments.

- Spike

Thanks for the advice. I have no intension of raising the musk (which will be the size of a dime) in a 2.5 gal tank long term. I will keep it in there at a max of 4 weeks. Probably less than that. I just wanted to know if he could be housed with my RES. Thanks.