Malawi Eye-biter

1 Species Overview

The Malawi eye-biter, also called the horseface cichlid, reaches 25 cm as an adult. True to its name, its face is bizarre and one of a kind. It is native to Lake Malawi in East Africa.

Subgenus: Cichlid subgenus

Latin name: Dimidiochromis compressiceps

Species: Horseface cichlid

Chinese name: Horseface cichlid

Family: Cichlidae

Order: Perciformes

Class: Actinopterygii

Phylum: Chordata

Kingdom: Animalia

Genus: Oreochromis (tilapia)

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Suborder: Labroidei

2 Appearance and Physical Traits

The body of the Malawi eye-biter is shaped like a knife, and its face is unique among single-tone fish. Because both the face and body are so strange, it is very popular with aquarists. Its nose and mouth jut forward, giving it a rather fearsome look.

In appearance it is a typical silver-white fish with a single brown horizontal stripe. Mature males show their colors: electric blue with fluorescent orange-red on the caudal fin. A particularly striking fish, its lower jaw is nearly one-third of its total body length. With that huge mouth, the female D. compressiceps can spawn over 250 fry at once. The name comes from its compressed body, whose advantage is ambushing prey with its extremely narrow profile. It strikes from below the head, turning its narrow body toward the prey to minimize visibility.

3 Habitat and Living Environment

The English name means Malawi eye-eater, which tells you this fish is extremely aggressive. If kept in an aquarium, a water temperature of 22 to 28 C and hard water with pH 7.5 to 8.0 are recommended.

If you plan to keep one of these large predators, consider a few things. First, keep tank decoration minimal, since they like open water and should not be crowded. Second, they grow large (9 to 12 inches) and need a big aquarium. Third, and most important, remember this fish is a born carnivore.

4 Feeding Guidelines

The Malawi eye-biter is a natural carnivore, so never mix small ornamental fish with it. In the wild it also attacks other cichlids, so follow strict mixing rules in the aquarium.

It is fully carnivorous; in a community tank only fish of similar size can coexist safely. Feed live foods, especially small fish, river shrimp, krill, or shellfish. Sexing: males are golden with red dorsal and anal fins edged in red, while females are entirely silver.