Id

[CraigMac]

Sorry for the terrible pic, this guy won't sit still. He's gray with 1 black horizontal stripe, he's next to the plant leaf.....

Can you ID?

 

[garfy]

Looks very much like a female eye biter to me.

 

[garfy]

In fact I'm positive
Malawi eye biter (female)
Dimidiochromis compressiceps

 

[kelbaker79]

Looks very much like a female eye biter to me.

+1.... I agree

 

[CraigMac]

Thanks.

 

[garfy]

No problem I have a male and a female.The male is my profile pic and this is my favourite cichlid by far
Long live the eye biter lol

 

[CraigMac]

Oh couple more questions, you're positive it's the eye-biter, are you also positive it's a female? Can you tell when they are juvies or do makes color up when they mature?

Males get up to 11 inches, do females get as large?

Thanks!

 

[CraigMac]

Garfy, sweet tank! Does your eye biter leave the yellow labs, johani etc alone? Also are your plants real or artificial?

 

[garfy]

Males reach about 10" and females about the same.Your fish looks about 2-3" in which case definately a female.At a couple of inches the male shows his brilliant blue with orange finsThe lateral stripe is much more apparent in the female.Im truly jealous as I want another 2 females for my male but am struggling to find them.I have a lead and tomorrow I'm visiting a store about 30 miles away.Its supposed to be a little diamond mine so we will see

 

[garfy]

Thanks man
The eye biters are surprisingly passive and undeserving of their name.My male is about 61/2 to 7 inches and although he's the boss he only breaks up fights.Never bullies.Id say you need 100 gallons plus though.This fish loves open water and is extremely fast as its shape suggests.

 

[garfy]

My plants are all fake.I tried real plants but the eye biter in particular tore them apart.