Bit the bullet - levamisole flatworm treatment

[Pan]

So next time someone sneezes on the bus I know what to do

[Chin_Lee]

Hey guys/gals
Found a source for Levamisole
http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/ItemsForSale.html
The prices are as follows:
$10.00 for 5 grams of the 100% powder,
2x 5 grams @ $15.00
3x 5 grams @ $18.00
4x 5 grams @ $22,
5x 5 grams @ $27.50

In Bulk, not packaged to treat:
100 grams is $110.00,
200 grams @ $190.00
300 grams @ $ 280.00,
500 grams @ $450.00.

He ships to Canada too but at higher shipping costs.
Enjoy killing your flatworms. I know I will be!!!!!!

[Chin_Lee]

Well I'm glad I got wind of this thread and a couple of weeks ago I bought my Levamisole from http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/ItemsForSale.html
Prices are very reasonable and I purchased a bulk amount that will be a lifetime supply for me.

I did my first application by
a) mixing 5 grams with 500 ml of RODI water.
b) siphoned out as much of the flatworms that I could see first.
c) shut off my sump return pump ( i didn't have any flatworms in my sump with inline skimmer and filter bags)
d) poured in 250 ml into a 165 gallon tank (1.5 ml of medication per gallon of tank water)
e) I turned on a canister of carbon in a phosphate reactor
f) within about 2-3 minutes the flatworms are hanging by a thread to the substrate. With the powerheads on, they released the thread about a minute later and start floating.
g) I put a Mag12 into the tank with a hose on the output. The I placed the other end of the hose into a filter bag on the side of the tank and turned on the the mag 12. Basically the Mag12 sucked out 90% of the floating flatworms into the filterbag and the water returns into the tank without the worms. This process doesn't stop the toxins but takes out the flatworms.

Best of all, no fish casualties! Its only day 5 after the treatment. I plan to add multiple supplemental doses at the same rate of 1.5 ml/gallon on day 10, day 20 and day 30.

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[Myka]

I wonder if they have to start decomposing before they release toxins or whether they actually do start releasing toxins immediately upon death...?

[Alberta-newb]

Chin_Lee:Happy to hear it worked out for you....it's good stuff eh? I haven't done a re-treatment on my tank yet, but so far no flatworms to be seen.


Myka: I believe the toxin release is almost immediate, when I dosed my tank I noticed a yellow colored liquid in the vicinity of dead/dying flatworms right away..it's almost like they disolve as soon as they die. (My personal observation and not scientific fact).

Francis

[JDigital]

I am just mixing up and big batch of WC water... got my 1lb of carbon yesterday... I will be dosing either today or this weekend.. Glad to see 2 local reports using this product!

[Chin_Lee]

Definitely beats paying $$$$$$$$$ for Flatworm Exit. When I had 600 gallon in my system, I had to buy 2 bottles of FE to treat. When they reappeared, I couldn't afford another 2 bottles. I think they were about 25 a pop back then.

[JDigital]

Dosed my tank tonight... what a load of work that is... LOTS of worms died, but I also siphoned for the past 3 days. 20G water change, Carbon, and sump is back up and going with a filter sock to catch the worms I missed with the siphon/WC.

We'll see how the tank looks for the next few days.

EDIT:
1 hour later, my PBT and Foxface are huddling under a rock... SPS has little to no polyp extension, zoas are half out, rest of the fish are swimming around as normal... kinda odd... but prepping another batch of WC water for tomorrow...

[Chin_Lee]

Hello everyone, just wanted to update on my tank status after my levamisole treatement. Its coming up to seven months and I have not had any flatworms return to my system.
I"M FLATWORM FREE FOR SEVEN MONTHS!!! For those who have this problem, I strongly suggest getting some levamisole. I've tried Flatworm Exit 5 times (probably spent close to $150-200 on Flatworm Exit in the past 6 years when I had up to 800g water volume a few years ago) and the flatworms always returned. I knew this stuff would kill the flatworms but I was skeptical about it on the long term. So far so good.

I do have extra if you are in a pinch and not wanting to get it shipped so PM me if you want some.

[Myka]

That's great Chin Lee! I'm going to start dipping all my incoming corals in Levamisole.

In the hunt for Levamisole, has anyone come across any liquid Levamisole? If so, please PM me.