Camallanus cotti treatment meathod... read all cautions

[Aftaburn]

Some have had trouble with these worms... I don't know about the availability of the stuff but here is a treatment meathod from "Fish Diseases" Dieter Untergasser.

The worms are very resistant, thus difficult to combat.

Treatment Meathod C6 is effective.

Flubendazol and acetone or DMSO, flubenol 5%

Flubendazol is a solvent used for gill, skin and intestinal workms. Since

the active ingredent is insoluble in water, it has to be first disolved in

and organic solvent. Dimenthylsulfoxide (DMSO) was used in recent years.

It is very toxic and should not come in contact with unprotected human skin.

In nocase should children get hold of it. Fish tolerate it well when no

other chemicals or drugs are in the water. Even water preparation

substances can become toxic in the presence of DMSO. The tank or breeding

facilities must be in an absolutely clean condition. High levels of nitrite

or ammonia, in the presence of DMSO, can become leathal to fish.

Rinsing out the filter material and changing a large portion of the water

beforehand has a good effect. DMSO also causes an unpleasant tank odor for

weeks. Since treatment also kills gill worm eggs, the treatment does not

have to be repeated . Because of all of the above riskis associated with

DMSO, it should not be used by aquarists any longer.

Acetone has been used very successfully since 1988 as a well tolerated

solvent for flubedazol. All gill and intestinal worms as well as their

eggs are destroyed. Only at 100x normal doseage does acetone become toxic

to fish. It does not leave any unpleasant odors in the vicinity of the

tank. Feeding with flubenol 5% in feed mix B5 destroys the intestinal worms

but reinfection is possible wen fish pick up eggs from the bottom.

DOSEAGE A: For each 100 litres of tank water, put 200mg flubenol 5% in a

small glass (do not use plastic) and then add 5ml acetone or DMSO. After

agitating several minutes, distribute the ilky suspension over the surface

of the water. After five to eight days begin to remove the medication by

water changes. The water can become silightly turbid. Aerate the water

well during treatment. Bacterial overgrowtn may occur in many cases,

causing turbitity and oxygen-depletion symptos in the fish. An immediate

major water change is necessary.

Dosage B: Add 100 mg flubenol 5% to 100g feed mix B5 Give it five times

every second day. On those days feed only once with the regular diet.

Microscopic monitoring of the treament will not reveal any results for ten

days, but after this time the worms begin to die. That is expected because

flubenol 5% blocks the resorption of certain nutrients from the intestine,

thus straving the worms. That taks about eight days for gill worms, for

Wxyurdia about ten days, adn for Capillaria anout 15 days. In the female

worms, however, damage to the egg walls can be seen as soon as the second

day of treament. They seem malformed and burst when expelled. Therfore

there are no worms eggs visible in the feces or on the gills by the third

day of treatment.

Method B5

Recipie for preparation of medicinal feed.

Prepare a mash of 2/3 beef heart or lean beef and one third spinach. Both

ingredients must be minced small enough to be ingested by small fish. After

torough mixing, 50 gram protins are froxen in small plastic containers or

bags then later thawed as needed.

Now, to a small tin can, add 50ml cold water and 1 gram powdered agar agar.

A tiny amount of red food dye makes the feed more appetizing, as does some

Maggi, not more than needed for a cup of sup. Strir with a small fork while

heating the can fo mix in a wate bath until the agar dissolves and the

solution thickens. at about 80 deg C, stir in the 50g beef mash in small

portions without letting the temperature drop significantly. When all the

beef mash is stirred in, remove the tin can from the water bath and let it

cool slowly. Depending on its heat stability, the medication is stirred

into the hot, liquid feed or added just before solidification at about 40-50

deg C (follow the instructions under meathods of treatment). Many

antibiotics do not tollerate any heat, so the feed must be cooled quickly

(refrigerator 2 to 5 deg C) after stirring in the active ingredient. Do not

let it freeze or the agar again liquifies. The finished feed has a solid,

rubbery consistency and fish like to eat it once the become accustomed to

it. It can be kept 3 days in a refrigerator at 2 to 5 deg C.

For feeding, cut the mass into mouth size pieces that will remain solid in

the aquarium at up to 28 deg C (just 82 F). After 12 hours at the most, all

uneaten food jst be removed from the tank, otherwise it will become moldy,

Any antibiotics mixed into the feed soon lose thier effacy, therefore do not

give more medicated feed than can be eaten in an hour.

[sharn]

i can get levamisole which is easily obtained (for me anyway, its supposedly really hard to get around the rest of the country for unknown reasons). i had issues with Camallanus Cotti myself and ridded it easily with Levamisole but i understand Piperzine (sp) and Fenbendazole is also used. i found it faily easy to rid the tank of these despite all the hype about how hard they are to remove :-?

the method for treating is simple-

90% water change vaccuming bottom of tank really well

1ml per 20L of Levamisole (at 24% strength) into the tank and left there for 24-48 hours depending on how your fish react

another 90% w/c vaccuming bottom really well

wait 2 weeks

repeat (a third treatment may be necessary)

levamisole causes intestinal upsets in any amount, ODing has seen no ill effects but will often cause the fish to excrete yellow poops which is like the runs it is also safe to use as far as bacteria colonies go as it will not harm them, plants or inverts. im writing an article for caryl for the AW on this now.

if you would like me to see if i can still get some levamisole pm me, im willing to send ya some