Levamisole HCL questions

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Kaidonni
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2013 4:37 pm

Levamisole HCL questions

Post by Kaidonni » Tue Jan 08, 2013 5:51 pm

In the case that I have to use Levamisole or Levamisole HCL, I just wanted to clear a few things up.

It is fine that I intend to use it in a tank that contains Clown Loaches, correct? One of them is ill, and I'm a bit paranoid about medicating fish (very bad experience in the past). I've done my research on Levamisole and Levamisole HCL, but I find it helps to ask anyway (it probably indugles my OCD, so not the best idea).

Unfortunately, I was naive when I first got my Clown Loaches (there are three), so got them for a tank too small. It was a 90L tank...downsized to 50-60L (can never remember) during an emergency evac; the old tank leaked one morning in 2009, and there was no chance to cycle the new tank (it's a wonder anything survived, especially Clown Loaches). I've been terrified of removing them ever since because of the fight they put up back then, and a fear of what trying to remove them again will do to them (especially if they injure themselves). The present health issues have finally convinced me I need to put feelers out for a new home, and once the current issue is resolved, I'll be doing that (naturally I don't want to dump any parasites or bacterial infections on someone else). They've never had health issues before, but one of them is wasting, along with a White Cloud Mountain Minnow (and another minnow is reddened and with swollen gills, but doesn't look like he's been wasting). No other fish seem to be affected, and only the one minnow is reddened and with swollen gills. No other fish has any of those symptoms. I did notice some flashing by my one Clown Loach, but they've always done that over the years and nothing has ever come of it.

I've done at least three 10L water changes over the course of the weekend just gone (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) to deal with any possible water quality issues (but when it comes to the Nutrafin liquid tests, I cannot tell if that's an ever-ever-so-slight hint of colour on the ammonia test ). Maybe an ammonia spike stressed the fish (replaced one foam pad in my fluval 2-plus filter back in November, didn't use Nutrafin Cycle...), and these few in particular didn't cope as well as the others. Prior to that, 10L changes on the 19th Dec and 24th Dec (noticed the same ever-so-slight hint of ammonia on the 23rd in a test). When I first noticed the wasting in the Clown Loach, I had *no* idea what was happening, didn't even realise it was actually wasting at first. He had some red marks on his face and around his mouth, and I considered that the other two loaches had probably been bullying him and those were scratches, possibly irritated by something in the water. I dosed with Nutrafin Aqua Plus for cuts and scratches...:roll:

Another thing I now remember is that the filter outflow slowed down at one point in November. Didn't think much of it at first, but after a number of days realised that it wasn't anything to do with the positioning of the filter outflow, it was actually slowed down (yes, I'm an idiot). Did a 10L water change after realising that, and cleaned the magnetic propellor in the filter housing.

I've discussed it at length with a fish specialist, and Levamisole was one of the recommended treatments from him. I certainly want to make sure before I use it I have correct information on its use (I have checked the article by Shari which is where I first heard of it, but I still feel better asking in a forum). Praziquantel was another he recommended. I also have an aeration stone for whenever I obtain either of those treatments and treat the tank (I understand various treatments lower the oxygen content of the water).

Current water stats would be:
NH3/NH4 ~0.1-0.3mg/l??? (the reading is ever-ever-so-slight, almost non-existent, so either I'm seeing things, it really is that small, or it's a false-positive)
NO2 0mg/l
NO3 5-10mg/l (but I've only consistently tested the ammonia and nitrites the past week, so this may well have gone down now)
PH 7-7.5
Temperature consistently 26 degrees celsius (I do not temperature match replacement water)

Diana
Posts: 4675
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Levamisole HCL questions

Post by Diana » Sun Jan 13, 2013 1:22 am

Levamisol is safe for Clown Loaches. I have used it on Clowns as small as 'just over an inch'. Really little guys. I was treating them for skinny disease and alternated Levamisol with am antibiotic (Do not remember which one). I use the Levamisol sold in large tablets as a wormer for sheep and similar sized livestock.

Once treatment was complete I moved them to a larger tank and they grew REALLY FAST!
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

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