Male Malawi Eyebiter

[RonBurgundy]

MFK members: I am kind of stoked right now and here's why. Just gotta share. About 5-6 weeks ago I transfered this eyebiter,(about 4 inches) to his own 20 gallon long and put him in with a recovering OB peacock and some small mbuna. It looked like a female. I've been feeding him NLS, Myusis shrimp and krill with 20% water changes twice a week. About 10 days ago, I noticed his body color was changing from a silver to a powder blue metallic and his anal fin is turning bright orange with large egg spots. This is the third one I've raised, (I have two large females in the hap tank) Calling all eyebiter experts! This is my alltime favorite predator! As to what I'm seeing, is this a male? Thanks!

[MalawiTango]

Id say its a male by looking at his anal fin and the red on the dorsal. Put him with those females and he'll be fully colored up in 2 weeks.

[RonBurgundy]

Id say its a male by looking at his anal fin and the red on the dorsal. Put him with those females and he'll be fully colored up in 2 weeks.
Thanks MalawiTango! The females are 8-9 inches in the hap tank and besides the fusco I have in there, they rule the tank. Do you think this will be an issue?

[JohnnyRooster]

I agree definatly a male. I have an Eyebiter about the same size maybe a little bit smaller but still not sure what it is. It has color on the dorsal and a little on the anal fin but the anal fin is rounded. The rounded anal fin makes me think female but I thought that females had no color at all ?

Ron since you have 2 adult female can you answer that Q. For me.

Nice fish I only hope mine turn out like that.

[RonBurgundy]

I agree definatly a male. I have an Eyebiter about the same size maybe a little bit smaller but still not sure what it is. It has color on the dorsal and a little on the anal fin but the anal fin is rounded. The rounded anal fin makes me think female but I thought that females had no color at all ?

Ron since you have 2 adult female can you answer that Q. For me.

Nice fish I only hope mine turn out like that.

Thank JohnnyRooster! IMO, the females do have a rounded anal fin and have just a little color on their dorsal. Here's a pic of one of the females in the hap tank I just took for you. Hope this helps.

[JohnnyRooster]

Thank JohnnyRooster! IMO, the females do have a rounded anal fin and have just a little color on their dorsal. Here's a pic of one of the females in the hap tank I just took for you. Hope this helps.
Nice thanks. Shes a biggins. My guy seems to have more color on the dorsal. I'll post a pic tonite or tomorrow my buddy is coming back with the camera. I'll also post the pics of my female aulonocara on your other thread of coarse, I haven't forgotten.

[JohnnyRooster]

Are yours always on the prowl?
My guy is constantly prowling its intresting to watch.

[RonBurgundy]

Are yours always on the prowl?
My guy is constantly prowling its intresting to watch.

My eyebiter, (which I believe now is a male) had a "rounded" anal fin about 2-3 weeks ago and only now does it seem to be squared or coming to a point. I was just in the garage a few minutes ago and he was "squaring off" with the OB peacock for territory and is hunting the small mbuna in there with him. To answer your question on prowling...yes, mine seem to be constantly on the prowl and hunting. They're fascinating!!

[JohnnyRooster]

really. I'll be watching to see what happens with him/her.

[cichlidgirl]

Yep, a very young male. I had a male eyebiter last year. I thought for months it was female because the fish reached a bit over 5 inches and still had female coloring, then practically over night it started those changes you are describing. Now the fun should start watching him transform himself. His true temperment should become more apparant now as well, mine got fairly aggressive and harrassed everything to spawn with it , even a male venustus LOL.

[tcarswell]

How cool! , one of my favorite cichlids I want to pack my 90 with them if I can. So many choices with that tank lol.

[Pittbull]

Sorta looks like an albino form of Dimidochromis Compressiceps definitely a male you can see the slight hump on his head developing..