Dimidiochromis compressiceps: The Malawi Eyebiter

Today I would like to teach you about an exciting and beautiful fish you can breed, raise and enjoy. It is the Dimidiochromis compressiceps, or in some circles called, the Malawi Eyebiter...

First off, this fish earned its un-becoming nickname in part due to its predatory nature - the mouth of this fish extends about one third the length of its body. Apparently they find convenience in seizing upon the protruding eyeballs of its victims!

You cannot usually tell the sex of this fish until they get 2" or 3" in length. Early on they appear flashy silver in color. The females remain a striking silver while the males develop an absolutely gorgeous rainbow color with bright orange top fin fleck.

You could start a community with 4 to six of these fish in a 55 gallon however I would strongly recommend a 125 gallon tank as they can grow to 9" in length (if allowed ideal circumstances)!

(thank you for the above cool vid Don Poisson!)

This fish is native to areas such as Malawi, East Africa, Mozambique, and Tanzania.

• Lake Malawi

Ironically, when I ordered 4 of these fish online - I got them from a breeder in Lake Mary, Florida. I was lucky to receive 3 females and 1 male - although as I said it took a couple months to determine.

Please note the accommodations below for a successful community of this type fish:
(they are not saltwater fish)
Recommended pH range: 7.6 - 8.6
Recommended water hardness (dGH): 9 - 19°N (160.71 - 339.29ppm)
Recommended temp.: 23 - 28 °C (73.4 - 82.4°F)

Dimidiochromis compressiceps' are mouth brooders. This means that the female’s mouth enlarges and she will stop eating when she is holding eggs. Incubation takes about a month and she will spit the fry out when they are large enough to fend for themselves.

I love these fish and they are easy to care for once you take the time to set up a nice aquarium which I promise is a beautiful and worthwhile addition to any home. I recommend a nice white shell based gravel and plenty of 'Texas Hold Rock' (see below) which they love to dart in and out of. (I bought mine off eBay)

I hope you all enjoyed this presentation and your interest has been raised in this beautiful fish of nature. Thank you so much, I appreciate every one of you Steemit friends so much! Have a beautiful tomorrow!!

Always,

• additional info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malawi_eyebiter
  STEEMIT Tools:
  Steem Voter Bot- https://steemvoter.com/
  Steem Help- https://www.steemithelp.net/
  Steem Welcome- https://steemit.com/welcome#Upvotes
  Steem Whales- http://steemwhales.com/?p=1&s=reputation
  Steem Payouts- https://steemviz.com/pendingpayouts
  Steen Emojis- https://steemit.com/emojis/@blueorgy/steemit-emojis-master-list