Pool & room
Water maze size guide: rats and mice side by side
All the numbers from the original notes, in one place.
These figures come straight from the original watermaze.org sections on the pool and on pool and platform size. We've only gathered them into a table; follow the links to read them in context.
| Rats | Mice | |
|---|---|---|
| Pool diameter | 6 ft (1.8 m) to 2 m | 5–6 ft (1.5–1.8 m) in the pool section; 1 m to 1.5 m in the size section |
| Pool depth | about 2 ft (0.6 m) | 2 ft in the pool section; pool height about 30 cm in the size section |
| Water depth | 1 ft (0.3 m) | about 25 cm (size section) |
| Platform diameter | 4 in (10 cm) | 5 cm to 10 cm |
| Platform below the surface | 1/4 in | very close to the surface |
| Water temperature | 26 °C ± 2 °C | see the mouse notes |
| Pool base | 1–2 ft (pool section); 12 in (0.3 m) suggested in the safety hints | same |
Converting units
The original editor's note gives the conversion: 1 inch = 2.54 cm (a precise conversion), and 12 inches = 1 foot. So a 6 ft pool is 182.9 cm across, and a 4 in platform is 10.2 cm.
: Whatever size you choose, make sure the animal can see the room cues from near the platform.
If you're buying, see HVS Image's water maze pools and tanks.
Spotted a mistake, or know a better source? Tell us and we'll fix it and say so on our corrections page.