Do you think I was being mean?
I was trying to help you, actually. I have four successful spawns under my belt. The eldest is nearly 16 weeks old (that's about 4 months), and the youngest is 6 weeks (about 1 1/2 months old). I'm trying to give you the benefit of my experience, so you'll have as successful of a spawn as possible.
It is, of course, POSSIBLE to use a 2 1/2 gallon for a spawning tank, but that is reserved for experienced breeders, who can safely transfer a spawn to a larger tank without suffering losses. If it's done improperly, the entire spawn can be lost.