# Malawi Eye Biter compatibilities?



## DCEyeBiter (Sep 7, 2008)

I just started up a new Malawi tank and the first inhabitants are 2 d. compressiceps. They're tiny... about 1.5" long right now. What would be compatible with them for a 100G aquarium?

Here's a pic of one of them:










Thanks in advance for any help!


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## frankeyser (Jul 29, 2008)

peacocks and larger mbuna may be fine. If I was going to add other fish I would want to introduce the fish now. Choose bigger juvies than your current guys so hopefully they are full grown before the predoters.

introduce fish at their risk best to do a speices only tank with these guys I would think.

I would also avoid feeding the fish feeders because it make make them more aggressive. here is a good article from this site on these guys.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/d ... siceps.php


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

don't know how long a tank you have but you should concentrate on medium sized Haps. Acei might be a good Mbuna. Red Empress, Fryeri, Azureus, etc.


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## alexandrend (Jun 28, 2008)

I have two D. compressiceps on my 90 gal tank. One off them is almost 15cm now and already showing male colors and the other one is around 7cm and is still unsexed (I'm hopping for a female).

I have them in my tank with L. caeruleus "Nkhata bay", A. baenschi, C. borley, C. moorii, P. taeniolatus and S. frieri.

The D. compressiceps is the largest fish in the tank, almost 4 times the size of the smaller lab and is the dominant male. So far there was no problem with any other fish except the second D. compressiceps that some times gets a bite.

Btw, here is a picture of my beautie.


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## F8LBITEva (Nov 9, 2007)

WOW! That Comp is awesome!!! I got two of them that im waiting to start showing color.


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## DCEyeBiter (Sep 7, 2008)

I recently added 2 young Hap Mooriis in what the Comps. Did I do ok? lol they're all about the same size:


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## Chestermere (Mar 24, 2007)

I think their aggressiveness is over rated possibly due to the eye biter common name I've kept them with many different haps,peacocks and tangs never had a problem---even in the fry tanks with other fry that they could eat they leave them alone


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

DCEyeBiter said:


> I recently added 2 young Hap Mooriis in what the Comps. Did I do ok? lol they're all about the same size:


They are fine


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## the_evil_dickfeldi (Feb 17, 2006)

Chestermere said:


> I think their aggressiveness is over rated possibly due to the eye biter common name I've kept them with many different haps,peacocks and tangs never had a problem---even in the fry tanks with other fry that they could eat they leave them alone


I second that. My old 4" male eye-biter didn't eat any of the half-inch long acei or lab fry I put in the main tank(I counted)

Maybe they are overrated....But it seems that full-grown females of this species are rare? Maybe the males kill them?


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## emptyhead (Apr 16, 2007)

I have a lone male - a bit over 4" in with very small juvie yellow labs and they don't bother the smaller fish. There are also acei, peacocks, an S. fryeri, and a venestus in with him.


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## spotmonster (Nov 23, 2006)

the_evil_dickfeldi said:


> Chestermere said:
> 
> 
> > I think their aggressiveness is over rated possibly due to the eye biter common name I've kept them with many different haps,peacocks and tangs never had a problem---even in the fry tanks with other fry that they could eat they leave them alone
> ...


I don't have the same experience with mine. He will eat anything he can get in his mouth and nip at anything not pretty large. Very laid back with all fish full grown, but if they are small, forget about it!


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