Malawi Eyebiter

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Endemic to Lake Malawi (Africa), where it patrols the sandy littoral zones thick with Vallisneria reeds. It is specialized in hunting among the reeds by camouflaging itself upside down.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Malawi Eyebiter (Dimidiochromis compressiceps). Its body is laterally compressed like the blade of a knife. Disproportionately large protrusible mouth with a strongly prominent lower jaw for swallowing whole fish.

Social Behavior: Lethal ambush fish (extreme piscivore). Lies in wait vertically (head down) to imitate a blade of grass and then darts suddenly. Males become aggressive when breeding; females cohabit.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Juveniles and females are silvery, with a sharp black lateral band from snout to tail. Adult males explode in a dazzling iridescent azure/cobalt blue nuptial suit with orange egg-spotted ventral fins.

Aquarium Setup: Requires monstrous dimensions (200 cm / 80 inches tank) or it will live badly and cause massacres. Essential to create thick forests of giant Vallisneria or similar plants on the sides and leave enormous space for central swimming.

Diet and Feeding: Piscivore. Must be accustomed to large pellets, white fish (smelt, frozen whole bleak), mussel meat and Pacific krill. It is strongly not recommended to give it live food as it foments hyper-aggression in the tank.

Water Quality: No mysteries: hard, alkaline water (pH 8) and very heavy filtration, given the mass of feces produced by a 25 cm (10 inch) meat devourer. Tolerates nitrates above 40ppm poorly.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Any young Mbuna or Haplochromine cichlid (Nimbochromis, Tyrannochromis) that passes near it and measures less than 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) will magically disappear in 1 second (in nature the "Malawi Eyebiter" also eats the eyes of other fish).

Aquarium Reproduction: Polygamous maternal mouthbrooder. Builds a large "bowl nest" (Bower) on a flat rock or in the sand. The female will keep an immense offspring in her mouth (up to 250 larvae!) for about three weeks.

Risks and Diseases: Males clash hard, damaging their mouth and scales; these wounds in water loaded with compounds lead to intractable fungal attacks. Very low bloat risk compared to other cichlids.