So then, updates. I lost all four of the anthias. I'll probably never know why. They were all healthy and eating well just before they died. In one of the photos below, you can see all three females schooled up, behaving normally, just a couple days before they disappeared. I sent an email out to WetWebMedia, where Bob Fenner suggested something may be wrong in the food I was giving them. This is the same food every fish ate, so I don't know. I tried new food as a last resort to save the last two anthias, but they never touched it. This really upsets me, since the anthias were such a great color and activity addition to the reef. I'd like to try them again, but I'm a little gun shy now.
The aquarium has hit that 6 month cyano stage, so I'm just waiting it out, and keeping nutrients as low as possible. Hopefully, it clears by summer. It's a little frustrating to look at, and I begin to understand why the 6 month and 12 month stages are where a lot of people jump out of the hobby. I can wait it out, though. I just have to remember it's natural, and will go away. It's mostly all over the sand, and the bottom rocks.
I brought in a new tank mate, a powder blue tang. I watched him at the LFS for quite a while, because I was a little scared. PBTs are known for ich, and I don't have a proper quarantine tank for a fish like this, so I knew he'd make it directly into the display. He very readily ate at the LFS, and was in a holding tank only a foot away from the front door, so I know he was used to people traffic. His markings were perfect, so when he ate, I went for it. He's been in there about a week and a half now. He's already established his position in the pecking order, beating out the sailfin for #2, even! He's a good eater. Flakes, pellets, frozen, nori... he takes it all, so that's a blessing. And there hasn't been a single sign of any ich.
A while back, I rented a fish eye lens for my camera for some live concert photography. While I had it, I snapped a couple shots of the tank, just for fun. They're nothing special, but they're entertaining to look at.
And finally, I'm way overdue for that monthly FTS. Here's today.