# Dimidiochromis compressiceps (Albino) Malawi Eye Biter



## eyezak (Feb 22, 2008)

I scored big time  .I've never seen one of these anywhere besides in profiles.I just picked him up 3 days ago.

Dimidiochromis compressiceps (Albino) Malawi Eye Biter


----------



## remarkosmoc (Oct 19, 2005)

congrats looks nice 

hopefully he doesn't live up to his name..


----------



## xclub (Apr 15, 2008)

WOW 

all I know is that is mofo rare!!


----------



## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

Wow! Big price tag???


----------



## eyezak (Feb 22, 2008)

Picked this bad boy for $14 flat. The LFS had 2 mixed with a bunch of CA fish. I picked up the smallest of the 2 just because I want to see him grow.They were $15 but I talked him down to $14 no tax since he was smaller.Now thats some negotiating


----------



## xclub (Apr 15, 2008)

:x :x :x :x :x


----------



## copasetic (Nov 26, 2007)

i know a breeder in ON that has em..he says they do live up to their name!!!


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Dimidiochromis compressiceps are natural predators of small fish, they do not have an eye biting specialty, nor will they pluck eyes out of fish at a rate any different than other fish in my experiences.

As a side note on the albino's, please do not breed these with regular comp's, as the albinos are a developed hybridized fish, that looks like D. comps.


----------



## eyezak (Feb 22, 2008)

Now what makes you think this is a hybrid? Just because it's an albino doesn't mean automatically it's a hybrid.Albinoism does happen naturally.Now I know there is the OB D.Comp that is a hybrid.Even the forums own profile does not mention the albino D.Comp of being a hybrid http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=2319.


----------



## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

Lucky! $14?  How did you do it? My LFS will only come down on oscars (and I dont want an oscar) and a pretty guy like that would cost me about $40  :x Talk about crazy!


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

eyezak said:


> Now what makes you think this is a hybrid? Just because it's an albino doesn't mean automatically it's a hybrid.Albinoism does happen naturally.Now I know there is the OB D.Comp that is a hybrid.Even the forums own profile does not mention the albino D.Comp of being a hybrid http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=2319.


The OB and Albino came from the same Singapore breeders... The same breeder had albino Lab's.. that were clearly not Labs'.. I don't think their website is up anymore, but they had a ton of hybrids and interesting creations. More than just a coincidence when a single breeder suddenly has a ton of "new" albinos and OB strains in a very short period of time.


----------



## F8LBITEva (Nov 9, 2007)

very nice!


----------



## Chestermere (Mar 24, 2007)

Fogelhund said:


> eyezak said:
> 
> 
> > Now what makes you think this is a hybrid? Just because it's an albino doesn't mean automatically it's a hybrid.Albinoism does happen naturally.Now I know there is the OB D.Comp that is a hybrid.Even the forums own profile does not mention the albino D.Comp of being a hybrid http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=2319.
> ...


I certainly hope they are not hybrids When I purchased mine I bought them as albino Dimidiochromis compressiceps not as a hybrid. I searched and could not find anywhere that claimed them to be hybrids but I will contact the dealer I got them from and see what he has to say


----------



## DEREK21 (Dec 21, 2006)

I bought an albino d.compress in Rockville MD 2 weeks ago. I had a long trip to pittsburgh tho.

He lived 6 days and I thought I was in the clear. Then on Day 7 he was stuck to the prefilter on my powerhead.

FYI - cost me 22 bucks, but they're giving me store credit for him.


----------



## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

Oooo, Im sorry to hear that but @least you get store credit! Better than nothing!


----------



## eyezak (Feb 22, 2008)

DEREK21 said:


> I bought an albino d.compress in Rockville MD 2 weeks ago. I had a long trip to pittsburgh tho.
> 
> He lived 6 days and I thought I was in the clear. Then on Day 7 he was stuck to the prefilter on my powerhead.
> 
> FYI - cost me 22 bucks, but they're giving me store credit for him.


Your lucky I just found my Albino Ruby Red on the floor and my Albino D.Comp no where to be found  THIS REALLY SUCKS!!!!!


----------



## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

Im sorry to hear that. Hope you find him and he is ok!


----------



## audierou (Jul 25, 2012)

I saw some albino comps today for $6.99 a fish. Should i jump on a fish or two? Never been a big fan of OBs or albinos because of the human interferance. Im a pure lake man usually.


----------



## Jonesab7 (Feb 7, 2013)

Desi<3 said:


> Lucky! $14?  How did you do it? My LFS will only come down on oscars (and I dont want an oscar) and a pretty guy like that would cost me about $40  :x Talk about crazy!


I work at a fish store and we ordered regular Malawi Eye Bites and got an albino in. I was not under the impression that they were that rare. Are there multiple types?


----------



## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Jonesab7 said:


> Desi<3 said:
> 
> 
> > Lucky! $14?  How did you do it? My LFS will only come down on oscars (and I dont want an oscar) and a pretty guy like that would cost me about $40  :x Talk about crazy!
> ...


They are not rare around here. I see a lot of them. Only started popping up the last year or so.


----------



## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

I've been wanting one of these for my new hap/peacock tank. The distributor that I'm buying from doesnt have any currently though. 

On a side note. Derek, glad to see yet another pittsburgh person on here.


----------



## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

Yes these albino and OB comps are the next wave of hybrids, just like the albino and OB Sciaenchromis fryeri that have been around for a couple of years. Both Comps and Fryeri are notorious for not be very selective in their choice of mates and are one of the easier haps to work with to create mbuna/hap crosses.


----------



## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

I clearly live in the wrong area to be a Malawi guy. Only ever seen 1 D. comp and it's in a display tank in a fish store, not for sale. She's never seen them on her stocking list.

Selection and such low prices kill me!!! Awesome looking fish.


----------



## IanR29 (Dec 13, 2012)

Yea D comps are common in my neck of the woods as well. 6.99 is the going rate and they had hundreds last time I was there. That was a few months ago.


----------



## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

To be honest I'm quite surprised. Comps are a staple of african cichlids, I don't think I've ever not seen them in a store that carries cichlids.


----------



## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

Chester B said:


> To be honest I'm quite surprised. Comps are a staple of african cichlids, I don't think I've ever not seen them in a store that carries cichlids.


Then hop on a WestJet flight and come out to Comox! For peacocks/haps in LFS: Mostly female OB's, poor fish, been in tanks for months, not growing. Same for a bunch of sunshines. I venustus has been there at least 2 months. Juvies ~$16, any male starting to show colour is $35. 1hr south a LFS has a mixed tank of OB's, rubescens + obliquedens + albino taiwan reefs. Mixed tank has several fish with mouth deformities. Told her those shouldn't go out the door into the hobby and she agreed and said she'd probably feed them to her arrowana. I offered to take them so got a couple of freebie rescue fish. No plans on breeding, working to get an all male tank so I'm OK with that. Kids call 1 guy "crooked mouth".

Back to D. comps, amazed fish are available for $7. 1hr away we have a Petsmart (in the US too? box pet store) and they have african malawi fish for $8-12 as juvies. Again very basic fish only. Their "fancy" fish recently has been milomo's. Recently was in Vancouver, checked out 3 stores, horrible selection as well. Not sure what gives out here in BC.

I would second or third the comment that a store can mislabel if the fish come in mislabelled. Hard to be an expert or have the time to online research every fish they carry. Test of a good store is what they do when you bring it to their attention that they've made an error. Have you contacted the store yet about the mix up? I've pointed out errors before and the next week the tank is still mislabelled. Tells you something about that store doesn't it?

Enjoy your fish everyone, don't take for granted your local selection of fish!!!


----------



## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

Believe it or not being able to get any fish you want at any time kind of takes the fun out of hunting for the right fish. If you have the money no fish is off limits.


----------



## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

Chester B said:


> If you have the money no fish is off limits.


Aaaahhhh, that must be my problem


----------



## tinman7344 (Jul 4, 2010)

i just received 3 albino eye biters in the mail. From 2- 3" long. I wanted a different shape in my tank. I like the way they act (so far.) it is cool watching them stalk juvie labs in the rocks. I'm sure eventually their size could be a nuisance. by then my tank will be all adult haps i guess. Does anyone know how fast they can grow? My tank is 6ftlong, 155g.
I am a little dissapointed to learn that they are most likely hybrids, i guess i should have known. Hopefully they still grow to look like normal d. comps.


----------

