Endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. Males reach 10.5cm, females being smaller.
Add a sand substrate, some rocks for cover, more or less depending on which other fishes are going in the tank, and a patch of empty Neothauma tanganyicense or other suitable shells, such as those from escargot snails.
Unlike the larger form of temporalis, a substrate spawner associated with rocks, this one is a facultative shell brooder. While some males take harems of females most select a single partner, the pair occupying separate residences within their territory. They’re excellent parents and vigourously defend their young against predators when small