Acclimating New Fish

[jkt001]

If I get a new bag of fish with 10 fish in it, but I want to put 5 in one tank and 5 in another, how do I do the acclimation process? 

[H.K.Luterman]

Are the two tanks similar in temperature (within a few degrees)? 

If so I'd just float the bag in one for 15 minutes, pour them out into a bucket and then net out the appropriate fish into the appropriate tanks. 

[jkt001]

23 minutes ago, H.K.Luterman said:

Are the two tanks similar in temperature (within a few degrees)? 

If so I'd just float the bag in one for 15 minutes, pour them out into a bucket and then net out the appropriate fish into the appropriate tanks. 

Yes they are the same temperature. Thank you, I assumed that would be what to do but thought it better just to ask. 

[Jeff]

I would recommend putting them all into a quarantine tank. 
 

If this isn't possible, float the bags to temperature acclimate. 
 

Put a net over a bucket, and pour the fish into the net, picking the ones out you want to separate...and do it that way. 

Another method you can do, is: put them all into one bucket, create a siphon with tubing, with a slight knot. Loosen or tighten the knot so that you can drop acclimate them from one of the tanks (assuming both tanks are same temp)....and net out the ones you need to separate that way.