Levamisole Dosage

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Pangiophile
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2014 3:29 pm

Levamisole Dosage

Post by Pangiophile » Thu Jan 29, 2015 5:18 pm

Hello all,

My quarantine tank has a glowlight tetra with camallanus (or a similar red anal worm). She was a rescue from a neighbor and was in bad shape, the sole survivor out of a small school that had all died a few months before. Very skinny with a tummy bulge, but had a good appetite. We spotted the worm after bringing her home, or else I might have walked away in fear. Instead, I am treating the quarantine and main tanks out of caution, including black kuhlis.

We're part way through treatment with Levamisole and I wanted to ask what dosing people have used. The 2 sites I found were Inkmkr and our own LOL.
http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/CamallanusTr ... edure.html
http://www.loaches.com/disease-treatmen ... chloride-1
They are very different regimes! 13 ppm vs 2 ppm. 3 days vs. 24 hrs. Second dose after 3 weeks or 1 week. No third dose, or third dose after 1-2 weeks. Keep the usual lighting or lights off. About the only things they agree on are that levamisole works, and the water pH isn't an issue.

For the first dose in quarantine, we used the Inkmkr 13 ppm for 3 days. The poor fish didn't eat a bite and we thought she wouldn't make it l, but after the 3 days we did a deep water change and she is doing okay. It was concerning that she didn't eat since she needs intestinal motility to pass the worm(s), right? Also, the Malaysian trumpet snails in the tank were paralyzed and looked like they might have died, but we monitored ammonia closely and after the water change they are back to normal.

For the second dose in quarantine, which coincided with the first dose in the main we used the LOL 2 ppm, but are sticking with the 3 day period and kept the lights on. Everyone kept eating, and the snails weren't paralyzed. The thinking is that for the first dose, we need to kill the established parasites in the fish, but after that, the worms are in the substrate or are tiny babies just trying to get established, so should be easier to kill. I'll fully admit that this is just a conjecture, or maybe a convenient rationalization.

I'd like to stick with the 2 ppm dose since it is obviously less traumatic for the fish, but the that only makes sense if it is going to work. Does anyone have any experiences they could share?

Aside, for anyone interested the levamisole HCl powder was Prohibit(R) dewormer from Valley Vet Supply, online at http://www.valleyvet.com. They were fast and reasonably priced, and the goods came in a sealed retail package as you would hope. They don't supply an aquarium treatment protocol though.

Also, for anyone that needs it, the dosage calculator is still available:
http://www.geocities.ws/chefkeithallen/Levamisole.html

Any advice would be much appreciated.

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atmichaels
Posts: 144
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Location: Detroit, Michigan USA

Re: Levamisole Dosage

Post by atmichaels » Thu Jan 29, 2015 8:32 pm

I have successfully used levamisole to treat camallanus in my hillstream and livebearer tanks. Trial and error has taught me a few things. I fast the tanks for a day or two prior to treatment, use double the LOL dosage ( so 4 ppm), feed boiled peas during treatment (really gets things moving), treat for 24 hours with the lights off and use a gravel vac 6-8 hours after dosing. I repeat once a week for three weeks. Good luck!

Austen
Currently keeping: gastromyzon spp., hypergastromyzon humilis, pseudogastromyzon sp., sewellia spp., ambastaia sidthimunki, homaloptera spp., serpenticobitis octozona, Yaoshania pachychilus. As well as various catfish, loricarids, livebearers and tetras.

Pangiophile
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2014 3:29 pm

Re: Levamisole Dosage

Post by Pangiophile » Thu Jan 29, 2015 10:55 pm

Is the fast just so they'll eat the peas?

You mentioned "trial and error", would you be willing to say more about what didn't work?

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atmichaels
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Detroit, Michigan USA

Re: Levamisole Dosage

Post by atmichaels » Fri Jan 30, 2015 7:02 am

Yes, the fast is to make sure they want to eat and to make sure their GI tract is cleared out and ready for movement. I'm sure they'd eat the peas regardless but since the levamisole is a paralytic I want to make sure the worms can actually pass through (and out!).

As far as the trial and error, I've learned
- too low of a dosage ( it's really hard to overdose) was ineffective, especially on livebearers
- vacuuming is a must or the fish just reingest the worms they've passed
- at least three treatments are needed to ensure eradication

Hope this helps!

Austen
Currently keeping: gastromyzon spp., hypergastromyzon humilis, pseudogastromyzon sp., sewellia spp., ambastaia sidthimunki, homaloptera spp., serpenticobitis octozona, Yaoshania pachychilus. As well as various catfish, loricarids, livebearers and tetras.

Pangiophile
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Nov 05, 2014 3:29 pm

Re: Levamisole Dosage

Post by Pangiophile » Fri Jan 30, 2015 9:09 am

Thanks for the advice, I'll try the peas, thanks. Hopefully everyone will eat them!

Was it your experience that the worm paralysis was temporary, so that reingesting the worms would result in reinfection? Or is this just a concern to make sure they don't have to pass the worm a second time?

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atmichaels
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 9:31 pm
Location: Detroit, Michigan USA

Re: Levamisole Dosage

Post by atmichaels » Fri Jan 30, 2015 6:48 pm

Make sure to shell the peas. It's my understanding that the worms can survive treatment and reingestion will lead to reinfestation. Hence the vacuuming. Plus there are the eggs to consider.
Currently keeping: gastromyzon spp., hypergastromyzon humilis, pseudogastromyzon sp., sewellia spp., ambastaia sidthimunki, homaloptera spp., serpenticobitis octozona, Yaoshania pachychilus. As well as various catfish, loricarids, livebearers and tetras.

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