Malawi Eye-biter

The Malawi eye-biter is an extraordinarily compressed cichlid that looks large from the side but almost as thin as a knife from the front. Its long, pointed head, large mouth and the dark horizontal stripe running along its body set it apart from other Malawi species at once. Besides the natural silvery form, gold and albino forms are also sold for aquariums.

Its name comes from old observations that it attacks the eyes of small fish; however, this behavior is rare, and its main way of feeding is to swallow small fish whole, head first. Toward fish of its own size it is relatively calm.

• Natural form: silvery body, dark horizontal stripe, blue-green sheen in males.
• Gold form: a yellowish-gold aquarium-bred form.
• Albino form: an aquarium-bred form with a white-pink body and red eyes.

It lives along the shallow, sandy shores of Lake Malawi, especially where there are Vallisneria meadows. It hides among the plant leaves, hanging vertically head-down; its compressed body and stripe make it almost invisible among the leaves. It catches approaching small fish with a sudden lunge.

• Volume: at least 500 liters and 150–180 cm in length for an adult group.
• Layout: A wide sand area with rock groups along the sides; tough plants such as Vallisneria or Anubias provide ambush spots.
• Water: Hard and alkaline (pH 7.8–8.5); aragonite substrate or Malawi salt.
• Maintenance: Strong filtration, weekly 30–50% water changes.

Carnivorous. A large cichlid pellet should be the staple; it is varied with frozen mysis, krill, shrimp and fish meat. Once settled in the aquarium, it readily accepts prepared foods. Live feeder fish carry a disease risk and are not necessary.

During the day it swims slowly and carefully, often waiting motionless among plants or rocks. Males are territorial toward other males of their own species. It gets along well with large haps of similar size; in the same aquarium as aggressive mbuna, however, it struggles because of its delicate fins and slow eating.

Good companions: venustus, livingstoni, blue dolphin cichlid, electric blue ahli, Fossorochromis rostratus, large Aulonocara species, large Synodontis catfish suited to hard water.

Avoid: any fish that fits in its mouth, aggressive mbuna, community fish, shrimp and snails.

• Harem: 1 male and 2–3 females; a single male in the aquarium is recommended.
• Large hap community: It is compatible in aquariums made up of single males or small harems of different species.
• The natural and gold forms are the same species; if a pure line is wanted, they are kept separately.

A mouthbrooder. The male courts on the sand or on a flat rock; the female picks up the eggs in her mouth and they are fertilized via the egg spots on the male's anal fin. The female carries dozens of eggs for about 3 weeks. The fry are compressed and striped just like the adults.

• Malawi bloat: wrong food and stress.
• Fin injuries: its delicate fins tear easily when kept with aggressive tankmates.
• Hole in the head: associated with insufficient water changes.

Mature males show a blue-green metallic sheen on the silvery body and more colorful fins; there are prominent egg spots on the anal fin. Females are plain silvery with a dark horizontal stripe. Juveniles resemble females.