Malawi Eyebiter (Dimidiochromis compressiceps) Care Guide
Highly compressed predatory hap from Lake Malawi vallisneria beds, reaching 23 cm. Males iridescent silver-blue with red anal fin; specialised piscivore that ambushes prey side-on.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Dimidiochromis compressiceps is a species in the family Cichlidae. Highly compressed predatory hap from Lake Malawi vallisneria beds, reaching 23 cm. Males iridescent silver-blue with red anal fin; specialised piscivore that ambushes prey side-on. Needs long 500 L+ tank with vertical leaves.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Dimidiochromis
- Scientific name: Dimidiochromis compressiceps
- Other names: Eyebiter, Compressiceps
- Origin: Africa, Lake Malawi
Habitat
Endemic to Lake Malawi, where it ambushes prey among Vallisneria weed beds and reed margins. The strongly laterally compressed body provides camouflage among vertical stems. A piscivorous hap and maternal mouthbrooder; sometimes reported to eat the eyes of prey fish.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 500 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C
- pH: 7.8-8.6
- GH: 10-20 °dGH
- Adult size: 20-23 cm
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
- Difficulty: intermediate
Diet
Classified as carnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: semi-aggressive
- Swimming level: middle
- Compatible tank mates: Larger haps, Aulonocara
- Avoid with: Mbuna, Tropheus, Discus, Apistogramma, Tetras, Small fish under 7cm
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: mouthbrooder
- Breeding difficulty: intermediate
Dimidiochromis compressiceps Breeding Guide
Overview
Dimidiochromis compressiceps, the Malawi Eyebiter, is found in Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper Shire River and reaches a length of about 23 cm (9.1 in). Its body is narrow and laterally compressed (hence the name compressiceps), with a large mouth and long jaws reaching about one-third of the body length. It is mainly piscivorous, hiding among aquatic plants and darting out to grasp prey, and it swallows prey tail-first. Its eye-biting reputation lacks wild support, as such behaviour has never been observed in the wild, although eyeballs have appeared in gut samples.
Sexing
The base colour is a whitish-silver body with a brown horizontal stripe along the sides. At sexual maturity males develop a dazzling metallic blue with reds and oranges on the fins, while females remain silvery, making mature males easy to distinguish.
Conditioning
As an ambush piscivore, broodstock should be conditioned on a meaty, protein-rich diet. Provide tall plants or vertical leaf-like structures to match the vallisneria-bed habitat in which the species hunts, along with stable, firm, alkaline rift-lake water.
Breeding Setup
House the species in a long tank that gives the compressed body room to manoeuvre, with vegetation or vertical cover. Its laterally compressed body is an adaptation that lets it hide among aquatic plants and dart out to grasp prey, so tall plants both suit its natural behaviour and provide cover into which fry can be released. Keep one male with several females so courtship pursuits are spread across the group, with open substrate among the plants for spawning.
Spawning Behaviour & Trigger
The species is a maternal mouthbrooder. After the male fertilises the eggs the female takes them into her mouth, holding the developing young as is universal for Lake Malawi haplochromines.
Egg & Fry Care
The female mouthbroods the eggs and larvae for around three weeks before releasing the young into vegetation. Because the adults are predatory, released fry are vulnerable and are best reared separately among plant cover on suitably sized foods.
Common Challenges
The main challenges are providing a long, well-planted tank for this specialised ambush predator and protecting released fry from predation. As with all maternal mouthbrooders, the holding female fasts while incubating, so condition broodstock well beforehand.