thoughts on levamisole

[glenna]

I have a skinny dojo, and finally got some levamisole (thanks to you, Starsplitter! ... for the info on where to get some)
Anyway, I have NOT put it in the tank yet. I always stew and study something for a while before I commit.
I am interested in hearing other people's experience with this med. Has anyone had a negative experience? does it kill snails? (I would guess not)
I have three dojos in a 55g and only one is skinny (otherwise acting normally). I am concerned that even if the others are not skinny yet, that they have been exposed. The other two seem fine, and are growing well. I have several established tanks without other signs of parasitic infection. Yet, I did not have this med as part of my quarantine process and so may have missed something.
I am pondering which tanks to treat. I KNOW I want to treat the dojo tank, but it has a lot of snails. I do not think this will be a problem.
All my tanks have loaches, and the other loaches seem healthy and fat...
Ah,,,,,what to do

[Diana]

I used Levamisol on some really small Clown Loaches (1"-1.5" long) and it really made a difference. They grew faster than the earlier Loaches I had bought (but not treated). I have used up the whole bottle over the years and in several tanks and never had any problem with the fish being treated. I have a lot of different Loaches, Cats and some oddballs like Bichers and Black Ghost Knife. I do not remember if I treated these last 2 species, though.

I used a tablet, ground it up, divided it into the right dose for the tank, wrapped it in a coffee filter and put this in the tank filter.

[glenna]

thanks for the reply

I read the sticky that Martin had posted about treating skinny disease with this med, and at the end of that someone had emailed the author about losing all the fish in his/her tank as a result of that treatment. I guess if they had been really infested, the med COULD kill a fish via intestinal obstruction.

I got the liquid levamisole hydrochloride from Joe Gargas in Tampa (one of starsplitter's posts noted that as a reliable source)

It is a powder in a dark glass bottle. You are supposed to add water up to the fill line, and then treat by a "drops per gallon" sort of dosing. He also sent along a number of interesting articles on helminth infections in fish, specific worm parasite information, etc. It was kind of expensive, but will be REALLY worth it if it does the trick. I think I over-ordered (I thought one bottle treated 100 gallons, but it turns out it treats 1,000!). I got two bottles. I am thinking I will divide the dose and only mix up enough for 500 gallons and save the other one and half bottles.

wish me luck!..well wish the FISH luck

[water patters]

Hey everyone,

We're having an issue with what I believe is a skinny dwarf loach. We have some levamisole hydrochloride that expired in 12/2009. Will it still be effective?

I've been trying to find some to buy online, and am having an issue. Do you guys have any leads?

Thanks,

Kelly

[starsplitter7]

Kelly, I sent you a PM. The biggest problem with Levamisole is that it needs to be kept in the dark. I think as a powder, kept dark, it lasts. But if it is in a liquid or exposed to light it loses its viability.

Glenna, I have used levamisole on lots of fish with no problems. I also have snails, shrimp, . . . in many tanks, and I don't remember a problem. I actually am setting up a Q tank tonight to treat a dojo that appears to be having problems. I hope this works. Once mixed the Levamisole lasts in the fridge, kept in the dark for 6 months. Follow the instructions on water changes and keeping the tank dark. I will be doing the same for my dojo.

Take care and good luck to all the fishies. Tanja.