Ok, I know this is a LONG shot, but, I've heard of crazier things on this forum.
My neighbor came over last month and said his Hippo Tang had Ich. Not knowing what to do, he came over to see what I do with my fish when they are sick. I told him the standard procedure that I do (QT fish, Hypo or Copper treatment, main tank fallow for 6-8 weeks) and he went on his way. The next day he came over and said his tang looked so bad that night, that he tried a FW dip and saw the Ich falling off its body. Impressed with that, he then took at TOOTHBRUSH, yes a toothbrush, and gently brushed the fish, ridding it of Ich. He said after he put the fish in the tank, it hid from him all day, but the next day when he walked towards the tank with the toothbrush in his hand, the tang swam up to his hand and sat in his hand while he brushed him again! Anyway, it's been a little over a month and his tang looks great, no signs if Ich and none of the other fish a sick either.
On Friday, a friend gave me a small hippo tang because it was covered in Ich and he didn't have the proper means of taking care of it. I put him in my 10g QT tank and I didn't think the fish was going to survive the night, he was gasping for air, breathing hard, and barely swimming. The next day I thought I would loose the fish, so I decided to try the toothbrush technique and had the same results as my neighbor. The fish hid from me after releasing him but the next day, he was free (visibly) of Ich and he is now eating, swimming and acting normal.
By any means am I suggesting that a toothbrush cures Ich, but it seems to help rid the disease from the surface, thus making the fish feel better and more likely to survive.
Anyone else ever tried this (I'd be surprised if someone said yes)? Does anyone think they would ever try it in the future? What other interesting stories do other people have?
My neighbor came over last month and said his Hippo Tang had Ich. Not knowing what to do, he came over to see what I do with my fish when they are sick. I told him the standard procedure that I do (QT fish, Hypo or Copper treatment, main tank fallow for 6-8 weeks) and he went on his way. The next day he came over and said his tang looked so bad that night, that he tried a FW dip and saw the Ich falling off its body. Impressed with that, he then took at TOOTHBRUSH, yes a toothbrush, and gently brushed the fish, ridding it of Ich. He said after he put the fish in the tank, it hid from him all day, but the next day when he walked towards the tank with the toothbrush in his hand, the tang swam up to his hand and sat in his hand while he brushed him again! Anyway, it's been a little over a month and his tang looks great, no signs if Ich and none of the other fish a sick either.
On Friday, a friend gave me a small hippo tang because it was covered in Ich and he didn't have the proper means of taking care of it. I put him in my 10g QT tank and I didn't think the fish was going to survive the night, he was gasping for air, breathing hard, and barely swimming. The next day I thought I would loose the fish, so I decided to try the toothbrush technique and had the same results as my neighbor. The fish hid from me after releasing him but the next day, he was free (visibly) of Ich and he is now eating, swimming and acting normal.
By any means am I suggesting that a toothbrush cures Ich, but it seems to help rid the disease from the surface, thus making the fish feel better and more likely to survive.
Anyone else ever tried this (I'd be surprised if someone said yes)? Does anyone think they would ever try it in the future? What other interesting stories do other people have?
Sad thing is that a lot of parasites are below the surface which a toothbrush could not reach. Cleaner shrimp are basically doing something similar so I can’t see how it could stress the fish too much as long as it was “soft bristled” and other more proven techniques were tried first assuming the fish wasn’t “close to death”. 
