# Levamisole HLC shrimp treatment



## Konsa (20 Mar 2018)

Hi
Have a substrate problem in my dirtied shrimp tank and as a result my shtimp have bacterial Black spot that I want to treat with Levamisole HCL but there is a catch there is a large colony of Californian black worm in the tank.Will they be affected by the wormer drug as if they die the polution will finish everything else in the tank.
Curently added few Almond leaves as read they help with Black spot .
I will be closing the tank down  in few weeks but dont want to pass the condition to the new shrimp home I will setup for them.
Any input greatly appreciated
Regards Konsa


----------



## sciencefiction (20 Mar 2018)

I am not familiar with the disease but levamisole does not treat anything bacterial, if that's bacterial. If you treat with it, you'll probably kill the worms and you wont' kill any bacteria.....


----------



## Konsa (20 Mar 2018)

I was surprised too when I read the articles about the treatment.But the source  seems legit enough and came across that same info on multiple websites
Here is the original article for anyone interested
https://skfaquatics.com/forum/topic/5052-shrimp-diseases-and-diagnosis/
Its quite big article and the post is from 10 th October 2013
Regards Konsa


----------



## Edvet (20 Mar 2018)

Levamisole can help restore  immune function ( number and function of immune cells). Also has been reported to stimulate antibody production.
So by boosting the immune system it helps fighting off bacteria.
This does not mean it should be used if a bacterial disease is suspected.
Consult a local veterinarian!


----------



## jolt100 (20 Mar 2018)

Hi,  I used Panacur to remove hydra and planaria in a shrimp tank that had a colony of blackworms and all the blackworms perished :'(


----------



## Konsa (20 Mar 2018)

Hi all
Thank you for your replies
My suspicion was that the Levamisole will wipe out the worms just part of me wanted someone to give me the green light by posting it will be safe.lol
If anyone knows any other treatment of the Black spot that will be worm safe please share your experiences .
As last resort will have to wait with treatment  till the closing down.Luckily its a condition that takes its time before finishing off the shrimp .
Regards Konsa


----------



## sciencefiction (21 Mar 2018)

One thing I disagree with all shrimp keepers is about the amount of water changes. I do large water changes on shrimp tank, upwards of 50% + to 90% without an issue. I've kept neocaridina shrimp for some years now. In response to that someone on another thread said to me recently that low grade shrimp(implying my cherry shrimp) are not as sensitive to water changes as "high grade" shrimp. That's funny, calling sickly shrimp "high grade"...but that's another topic..

One thing I want to say about this is that in the years I've kept shrimp, and water changed them the way I do, I've never seen a shrimp disease in person...Take of it what you wish. If it were me, and I have the issue you have which is apparently "bacterial" from bad water conditions, I'll take out the python, or big buckets, and start a daily 50% water changes for a good while...think weeks. .Then go from there if no improvement. Everyone thinks meds are magically going to kill whatever the issue is.. They don't, they reduce the number of the issue(so do water changes), the rest is up to the immune system to fight off.  


Some info on shrimp diseases  you may fancy reading/watching below.

https://skfaquatics.com/forum/topic/5052-shrimp-diseases-and-diagnosis/


----------



## alto (21 Mar 2018)

I've bought shrimp in with various diseases - local shops dramatically under-light their shrimp sale tanks which is less stressful for shrimp but also means it's easy to miss signs of infection

I've not used levamisole HCl to treat shrimp specifically but have had them in tanks where I was treating fish for nasty internal worms, my preferred method of treatment is medicated food
For these particular parasites, recommended treatment is at intervals over a 6 month period 
Shrimp deaths occur over time - I'd started the treatment with a levamisole bath, then switched over to medicated food (which the shrimp also eat), by treatment end, only some of the japonica shrimp remained (mostly mature females), various cherry shrimp variants were "gone", though it was always only one here & there 


I've found instances of levamisole HCl being used to (successfully) treat bacterial infections, though I've only used it as an antihelminthic

In your situation, I'd remove the shrimp to a treatment tank, I'd expect the Cbw to be affected over time

Good luck

(note like sf I also perform regular water changes with shrimp)


----------



## Konsa (21 Mar 2018)

Thank you for your input.
The tank is a temporary experimental one that I never had inted to keep that long .I am very religious about water changes too all my tanks have strict routine of about 50 to 80% changed every week.As wrong as it may seem the current state of the tank and shrimps in it is totaly my fault as in such a overgrown tank the flow bacame insufficient and althought the water quality is good(as my ottos breed in it ) the dirtied substrate turned bad about 6 if not more months ago  judging from my plant die off and I did nothing to sort that as thought will let it do its thing and observe.It is really weird that apart from the Black spot the shrips never breed properly in it for 2 years.They keep trowing their eggs all the time and then I hatch them in a net in the same tank.Think I only had one or two that got berried once each when they were young  for that peiod.Cherries breeding like rabbits didnt happen in this setup.lol
Anyway the tank has come to its final days now and will rehome the shrimp I have to a plain sand smaller tank.I have and use Levamisole  in my other tank to treat my puffers for internal parasites every 4-6 months too as I feed lots of live food and all shrimps have been fine with it so it is quite shrimp and fish safe chemical even if slightly overdosed.Will give them a bath before the move as a preventive measure.
Regards Konsa


----------



## sciencefiction (21 Mar 2018)

Could be the soil type itself...chemicals in the soil that dont agree with shrimp


----------



## Konsa (21 Mar 2018)

Yes I also think it is the  reason too as had amanos that had the same issue but after moving them to different tank are berried all the time providing my puffers with extra food supply every month when the larvae are released.
Regards Konsa


----------

