# Levamisole Food or Straight up?



## Thoughtsprocket (May 16, 2015)

Hi Everyone,

I'm having my first camallanus worm situation. I believe it came in with a new guppy who is now presenting the obvious signs...red worms hanging in clusters from the anal vent. All other guppies have been very healthy.

The wormy guppy has been placed in QT. I'm treating him and the other guppies in the 20 gallon tank with Angels Plus Deworming Food with levamisole. I know I need to treat both tanks. Here are my concerns:

Is treating the fish with this food enough?

Should I purchase a packet of levamisole hci and treat both tank's entire environments?

Also, my 20 gallon is heavily planted. How on earth can I vacuum everything in the substrate if it's planted?

I understand the life cycle and so forth, but if levamisole only paralyzes the worms, what will actually kill them?

I have 1 corydoras catfish and 2 otocinclus catfish, how do I treat them? I've read that many of these species do not survive levamisole in the water column. Should I remove them? I have no idea of how to get lavamisole food into them. Are there any wafers that contain levamisole?

Should I remove the filter media?

Parameters:

2 GALLON QT
PH 7.8
ammonia 0
nitrates 10
nitrites 0
temp 79 (summer in the desert)

20 GALLON
PH 7.4
ammonia 0
nitrates 10
nitrites 0
temp 79 (summer in the desert)


Thank you for any advice. I need to act fast.


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## roadmaster (Nov 5, 2009)

Medication's are always more effective if you can get the fish to eat them.
Cory's will eat same medicated food if you only feed that food to the tank.
For the Oto's ,you can mix some crushed up medicated food with crushed up algae wafer and a few drops of water to make a paste which can then be frozen in Ziploc bag and can break off pieces when needed to feed them.
I normally only treat the water when fishes are not eating.
The guppies would not mind the warm temperatures posted, but cory's/oto's would prefer cooler temps day in/out.
IMHO


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Levamisole is water soluble so no need to feed them. It can go straight into the tank and the fish will absorb it. You'd need 5-9ppm of it in the tank.

Feeding it works too if you have the food already. You'd need to gravel vac the substrate once the worms have passed. And redo the process in a few weeks just to be safe.


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## Thoughtsprocket (May 16, 2015)

Thanks to both of you. Yes, It is water soluble. The pouch of food with levamisole in it says to feed tiny amount at a time as it will dissolves onto the water and not benefit the fish through the feeding method. So far the fellow with the worms hanging out of the anal vent has not passed any worms at all. Although I know the female worms are shedding even though I cannot see it happening. I've been feeding both tanks the levamisole food and cooked shelled peas. The fellow with the worms hanging out has trouble passing feces. 

My 20 gallon is a fully established planted tank. How can I get all of the nematodes in their various stages with water changes and vacuuming since there is little substrate to vac due to the plants. Do I need to break the whole thing down and start over?

Ugh. I absolutely detest this situation for the fish and for the cost if I need to start over. I will never buy a fish from my local fish store again!

Bump: roadmaster, I agree the temp is too warm for the cory and otos. I've frozen some treated water into ice cubes to cool the water on super hot days here in the desert. So far they are vigorous and seem content.

Bump: Also, has anyone had good results by QTing cores and otos and treating them with levamisole more gently and perhaps longer? I've read story after story of these two species dying during levamisole treatment. They've grown to their full sizes and are awesome fish. I don't want them to suffer or to die.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

I haven't heard of fish dying with levamisole unless you overdose.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

I treated a full tank with corys and otos and they all survived. Definitely do the full tank treatment with blackout for 3 days. Those worms are very hard to get rid of. I vacuumed as well as I could and had no further infestation after completing the follow up treatment.

You can do some feeding of the food after the full tank treatment just to get a bit more of it in the fish. That's exactly what I did. Did not lose one fish or invert in the process.

The fish will look drunk though, so don't get scared. They will all pretty much lay on the floor of the tank.


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## Thoughtsprocket (May 16, 2015)

Thanks mister green and bsantucci. You've relieved some of my anxiety. I'll do my best for them and NOT overdose.


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## Thoughtsprocket (May 16, 2015)

Lebowski, the peach and white colored male guppy, will go down in the annals of fish that died before the meds could be delivered by USPS. Such a bummer. Thank you to all of you for being so helpful. I've learned a lot and will be ready should this pesky nematode strike again.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

Treat your whole tank still. When you see the worms it's too late and they've dumped babies in your tank. If your tank goes untreated you'll have a break out of them eventually. 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## TINNGG (Mar 9, 2005)

Fenbendazole works on them too and it's always a good idea to rotate wormers. That one's also available as a flake from Angels Plus. Not water soluble, though some will give directions on how to use Safeguard (fenbendazole based horse wormer). Wouldn't advise that due to the additives to convince horses you aren't trying to poison them, like apple flavoring and sweeteners.

A lot of issues arose when people first started using these livestock wormers. I think, because the package says you can dose animal x every other day, people assumed you could do that in an aquarium. But animal x isn't forced to live inside a wormer-bombed room while being fed it simultaneously. My one attempt in the past with levamisole was at the advise of a breeder, using the stuff from a feed store. Result - dead fish. Same with fenbendazole. I think...if I used it now, I'd treat the tank, sure., but there would be several massive water changes before it got dosed again. Reason? it was always the second dose that got them, always at the advise of an expert/breeder. IF they were assuming that I was doing large daily water changes, then maybe it was a miscommunication issue. But they didn't say anything about it when I ran into issues.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

The basic dosing is the first dose based on where level after a massive water change and then wait three weeks I believe for the second dose. So there are water changes in between and a period or normalcy to get the fish strong again for the second. I've helped a few people using levamisole and never had deaths. Fembendazole I believe isn't as effective against these specific worms. 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Fenbendazole only works as a feed dewormer. If the fish won't eat, it won't work but it should work against callanus (nematode).


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## Thoughtsprocket (May 16, 2015)

bsantucci said:


> Treat your whole tank still. When you see the worms it's too late and they've dumped babies in your tank. If your tank goes untreated you'll have a break out of them eventually.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


Thank you for your advice, bsantucci. I plan to treat the tanks anyway when the levamisole arrives. It's a day late to arrive. It's driving me nuts! I have a golden lace male guppy who's acting funny today. So for sure will do the treatment.

Bump:


TINNGG said:


> Fenbendazole works on them too and it's always a good idea to rotate wormers. That one's also available as a flake from Angels Plus. Not water soluble, though some will give directions on how to use Safeguard (fenbendazole based horse wormer). Wouldn't advise that due to the additives to convince horses you aren't trying to poison them, like apple flavoring and sweeteners.
> 
> A lot of issues arose when people first started using these livestock wormers. I think, because the package says you can dose animal x every other day, people assumed you could do that in an aquarium. But animal x isn't forced to live inside a wormer-bombed room while being fed it simultaneously. My one attempt in the past with levamisole was at the advise of a breeder, using the stuff from a feed store. Result - dead fish. Same with fenbendazole. I think...if I used it now, I'd treat the tank, sure., but there would be several massive water changes before it got dosed again. Reason? it was always the second dose that got them, always at the advise of an expert/breeder. IF they were assuming that I was doing large daily water changes, then maybe it was a miscommunication issue. But they didn't say anything about it when I ran into issues.


Wow! I'm sorry about your fish. I already have all of the Angels Plus Medicated Foods. So I'll be sure to rotate to this food if needed. I've read some horror stories online from people who used Safeguard. I don't place to ever use anything except what has been approved for fish. I appreciate the warning. I read that only one massive water change is necessary because one might start a new cycle. But I'll do that anyway. I do water changes every week anyway. Are you saying I should do water changes everyday??? I'm going to order some bio starter balls from Great Wave Engineering just in case. I really like their products, and they are what I've used to modify my HOB filter on 20 gallon until I can upgrade. I've ordered the Angels Plus Prevent and Recover food. Do you think I should give the fellahs 10 days of antibiotic food too?


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## Thoughtsprocket (May 16, 2015)

Thanks for such excellent advice. I can't tell you all how much I appreciate you! I hope I learn enough to be able to helps other newbies too!


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

Any time. These worms were rough for me too. I got a bad batch my first time. Probably a fake from eBay. Lost a male ram as a result. Got the right stuff from aquabid and saved the rest of the tank. 

Just do the massive water change after the treatment and then your normal changes until treatment again. Then one more massive change after. It should all workout for you after! 

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk


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## Thoughtsprocket (May 16, 2015)

Thanks!


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## Vic (Jan 23, 2011)

I had them a few months back. I feed the fish, bloodworms treated with bendazole when I noticed the red worms protruding. keep in mind, the medication is only effective when the fish digest the medicated food. After a month of not seeing the worms, I dosed levamisole right into the tank to treat the rest of it. Haven't seen those worms in over 3 months now, but if they come back, I will be ready to fight...


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## Thoughtsprocket (May 16, 2015)

I wanted to add an update about the camallanus worms. I finally got the 100% Levamisole from Angels Plus. They did not include it in the shipment the first time around, so I had to wait again until it arrived. I was really getting worried about, Sol, my lovely golden yellow snakeskin male guppy. But he stuck it out and is claiming his territory! All fish are doing great and being fed Angels Plus Prevent and Recover with lots of healthy goodness inside. I plan to retreat on another week, and once more according to the guy at loaches.com. Thanks for all of your advice!


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