Help! Parasites infesting my angels? Started treatment!

Lucie · October 04, 2007, 05:16:02 PM

How much Levamisole is needed... Let's see...

Here's what the vet in the article says for dosage:

In answer to your question, the dosage rate for levamisole in a bath is 2 mg/L (2 ppm) for 24 hours (followed by 70-100% water change, and siphon the bottoms of the tanks), with repeat treatments necessary--retreat in 2-3 weeks, and probably one more time after that. This is regardless of size of fish.
For the 10 gal = 37.8 l x 2 mg/l = .075 g, or 75 mg
For the 55 gallon = 207.9 l x 2 mg/l = .416 g or 416 mg For a total of 490.8 mg

That means I use 500 mg to treat the first time (I'm treating the 55 gallon because of the incubation period), and the 10 g hospital tank. Then a possibility of two repeat performances

, that means 1.5g of Levamisole should do it.

I will check things up in that other forum, and we should have enough of 5g for three people

I'll get back to everybody later tonight.
Lucie

dan2x38 · October 07, 2007, 01:11:39 PM

Lucie how are the angels doing?

Lucie · October 07, 2007, 01:56:22 PM

Hi! The angels are doing fine... same as before... in the hospital tank.
I am ordering Levamisole today. If anybody interested... please pm me. It should be here wednesday or thursday.

Lucie · October 14, 2007, 11:18:01 AM

I just gave my angels some long awaited Levamisole. I will also treat the 55 g. I'll kee you guys posted, as your help has been invaluable in all the stages of diagnosis (Thanks, Karrie!), searching for Levamisole (Dan, if it wasn't for you...

).
Thanks to the numerous vets I contacted but never got involved

Just so people know, the medication was found through canadianaquariumconnections.com
The article describing the treatment was found on loaches.com

More later!

fischkopp · October 14, 2007, 11:27:04 PM

Thanx again for getting this stuff!

I checked the other site for their dosing suggestion. Its all in all quite similar, but:

the dosage is doubled, means 5 mg/l (19 mg/gal)
24h after application WC, is the same, watch the fish 2-3 hours after treatment and do a WC right away if something looks not right
its said, that you should see the parasite dieing a few hours after the treament
the second application is suggested 8-10 days after the first one
a third application is not mentioned, but probably useful especially in well planted tanks

I will start the treatment in the next couple of days.
Good luck!

Lucie · October 15, 2007, 10:05:27 AM

Well, it's almost 24 h. There is a lot of worms coming out of the fish now, 5-6 strands, about 3/16" long. The lenght of the exiting worms seems to increase ever so slowly... I hope that they will come out completely soon. I gave them food and garlic to try to get them to eat, pushing out the worms in the process.
Fischkopp, do I understand in your post that I need to do a WC today, then repeat the dose today if the first treatment to expel the worms? What do you think...
Thanks!

fischkopp · October 15, 2007, 10:21:52 AM

Quote from: Lucie on October 15, 2007, 10:05:27 AM
... do I understand in your post that I need to do a WC today, then repeat the dose today if the first treatment to expel the worms? What do you think...

No, just do a WC to get the medication out of the tank and apply the second treatment about 1 week after the first treatment. This is to catch any parasites there were still in larvae stadium and didnt have an enzyme yet that is supposed to be blocked by levamisole (and hence benumb & kill the organism). So in one week these larvae callamus shall be developed far enough to be eradicated with the second dose (and do another WC 24h after this dose). The third dose is just applied to make sure nothing survives and should be applied if the tank is heavily planted, so you should get away with it.

dan2x38 · October 15, 2007, 01:37:44 PM

Lucie sounds like you are getting good results and finally winning the battle! Sure hope so you've worked hard to save these guys lives....

Fishkopp how goes your treatment and your fish?

You guys are great examples of real fish lovers...

I know who to call on if anything like this ever enters my tanks... knock on wood! Anyone logging their treatment with the fishes responses: WCs, doseage, amount of discharge, etc...

Lucie · October 16, 2007, 07:30:16 PM

Day 2... I did a large WC this morning, but the little worm ends don't seem to get any longer... So I thought that they really should eat to "push them out"... So... i tried lotsa kinds of food with no result... until I gave them a couple of blood worms. I am now expecting some change.
After removing any unused food.. I added more Levamisole. The other site did say double the dose, so I thought what if there is still some life in the Camallanus... So I am now repeating the treatment, same dosage as before, as It did initiate some change (longer ends protuding).
How are you doing, Fischkopp? Please let us know.
I am getting "obsessed"... (Camallanuphobia?)

fischkopp · October 16, 2007, 09:25:32 PM

Dont worry, the parasites will be very likely gone already, but as you said, its said that it may take a bit to push them out. The site suggested life food, which is hard to get, or lots of grains to clean the intestine. I would be carefull with repeating the same dose a second time right afterwards, its not the same as a double dose rigth away and may cause the parasite to become more resistive ... I havent started the treatment yet. I will do it on the weekend when I have more time to observe the fish, probably start with duoble dose right away and keep the bucket nearby just in case ...

dan2x38 · October 16, 2007, 11:50:29 PM

What about feeding sme frozen daphina? It is good for cleaning a fish out especially after meds. Lucie did you add any veggies like peas?

Not sure if it would help you guys... would some baby brine shrimp be to small? I could hatch a big batch for guys then you come pick it up...

Lucie · October 17, 2007, 10:21:51 AM

Dear Dan, I just went and got some frozen peas. I had put some bloodworms in this morning... we'll see if they eat. I will do a WC before going to work this morning, then add a couple more peas. There are so many strands coming out, I think they are stuck in traffic. Both angels are the same, not much progress. I guess its like the Queensway at the split

Thanks for the offer of brine shrimp, I'll keep you in mind. More later!

dan2x38 · October 17, 2007, 02:05:52 PM

Careful with the brine shrimp & blood worm they are high in protein can cause constipation if they get to much and already in that state... sounds like they are getting there...

KLKelly · October 17, 2007, 02:13:26 PM

Good news Lucie. cut up the peas into tiny pieces and don't over feed. When I was reading up on this worm I read a couple of things that concerned me. One of them was that the worms could die inside of them and lead to a secondary infection. I hope that you can get their systems moving and that the worms haven't blocked them up.

Did you read up on how your fish may have gotten infected? When I was looking today many sites said that its not normally netting or tools but from a live source - like live black worms. They said possibly live daphnia but that it was a long shot - just can't be ruled out.

fischkopp · October 17, 2007, 02:57:26 PM

Quote from: KLKelly on October 17, 2007, 02:13:26 PM
Did you read up on how your fish may have gotten infected?

Very likely is that the fish was already infected when it came from LFS. It can also come into the tank from another fish, that doesnt even clearly show the infection. As soon as the parasite is there it will preferably infect every fish that like to look on the bottom for food.

It may take a while to excrete the dead parts. Its also said that white stringy excrements are normal. Patience