Looking for advice on next step post wipe out

[89Sem]

Hi guys, so 5-7weeks ago I made a post as my entire tank got wiped out. One fish and inverts survived, Couple of theories from too many fish too fast, to ich to major Amonia spike. The one fish surviving is a long nose hawk fish so I feel like if it was ich the long nose would’ve been dead by now right?
I almost gave up on the tank and the hobby but I feel like I’m ready to rebuild. Do you think I’m good to start adding fish back or would I be better off taking the long nose out and letting the tank sit for 72 days?
What would be the right next step?

 

[MnFish1]

Hi guys, so 5-7weeks ago I made a post as my entire tank got wiped out. One fish and inverts survived, Couple of theories from too many fish too fast, to ich to major Amonia spike. The one fish surviving is a long nose hawk fish so I feel like if it was ich the long nose would’ve been dead by now right?
I almost gave up on the tank and the hobby but I feel like I’m ready to rebuild. Do you think I’m good to start adding fish back or would I be better off taking the long nose out and letting the tank sit for 72 days?
What would be the right next step?

Make sure your current parameters are in order,

 

[threebuoys]

That's a difficult question to answer. If the wipe out was due to a parasitic infection, then the tank has not yet been fallow for the recommended 6 to,8 week interval. Although the hawkish appears healthy, he may have provided just enough for parasites to survive.

If inverts survived the wipe out, you water quality at the time was likely acceptable. Barring any other information, some disease or parasite seems plausible and a full fallow period would be in order. Essentially, you want to be comfortable that the tank is exactly what you tried to achieve before you added fish the first time.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi guys, so 5-7weeks ago I made a post as my entire tank got wiped out. One fish and inverts survived, Couple of theories from too many fish too fast, to ich to major Amonia spike. The one fish surviving is a long nose hawk fish so I feel like if it was ich the long nose would’ve been dead by now right?
I almost gave up on the tank and the hobby but I feel like I’m ready to rebuild. Do you think I’m good to start adding fish back or would I be better off taking the long nose out and letting the tank sit for 72 days?
What would be the right next step?

I remember this thread and with 5-7 weeks gone by, the life cycle of parasites if any likely has ceased without a host fish and you should be ready to stock. I recommend quarantine to prevent a reoccurrence and siphoning the gravel bedding to remove any dead cysts if any.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

With the hawk fish still in there, it is difficult to run a true fallow period. Still, the longer you wait, the less likely the hawk will be carrying a latent infection. On a sliding scale I would go between 45 and 75 days after the last fish dying, with 75 being safest of course. The very safest plan would be to pull the hawk, treat it in another tank and leave it fallow for 75 days.
Jay