Malawi Eyebiter

Care at a glance

Overview

The Malawi eyebiter is a large cichlid from Lake Malawi that swims in the middle of a roomy tank. It is hard to keep well and suits experienced keepers. The Malawi eyebiter's name comes from old reports that it bites the eyes off prey fish. In reality it usually takes smaller fish head-first in one go. The eye-biting story is mostly exaggerated, but the name stuck.

Caring for the Malawi eyebiter

Give a Malawi eyebiter at least 66 gal (250 L), with open sand, scattered rock and some Vallisneria-type plants. Leave open swimming space as well.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed high-protein foods such as carnivore pellets, frozen fish and shrimp, and the occasional live food.

Despite its reputation, it is fairly calm for a big Malawi cichlid, though it gets pushy at breeding time. One male to several females works best. Tank mates should be too large to be seen as a meal.

Males grow a bit larger than females. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth until they can manage on their own. Breeding is hard.

Good to know

Dimidiochromis compressiceps is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae, with a body strongly flattened side to side. That shape lets it slip through plants and line up on prey. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.

In the wild

The Malawi eyebiter lives in Lake Malawi, around sandy areas with light plant cover and the edges of rock piles. It uses that cover to wait and ambush.