This attractive yet aggressive cichlid is found throughout much of West Africa, also known as the Zebra Tilapia or Buttikoferi Cichlid, it is a very  popular aquarium fish. In nature they prefer the deeper waters and rocky habitats of vegetation choked West African rivers with salinities between next to nothing to nearly seawater strength at their mouths. They forage among the rock crevices for small crustaceans, worms, small fish, and vegetable matter. They are highly aggressive, extremely territorial, and in the wild maintain large territories.