Female incubates eggs in her mouth. Optimum temperature 25 to 29 degrees centigrade. Average of three spawns per year with about 750 to 6000 eggs produced per year. Eggs hatch in 3 to 5 days and female guards young for 8 to 10 days after hatching. Fry eat zooplankton.
Adults eat phytoplankton, zooplankton, insects and other bottom organisms.
They also eat manufactured food. Optimum temperature is 25 to 30 degrees centigrade. Lower temperature tolerance is 11 degrees centigrade. Grow well in water up to 20 parts per thousand salinity. Both parents dig a nest and incubate the eggs and fry.