Its small size makes it an excellent addition to any mbuna community tank, but this fact should also dictate the choice of its tankmates. Extremely aggressive species or markedly predatory ones, such as the larger Melanochromis species should be avoided. Males of this species interact very aggressively with one another, and most aquarists have found that only one dominant male will emerge from a group of young fish, regardless of the size of the tank in which they are housed. Males also court females very vigorously. These facets of its behavior suggest that it is best to house L. freibergi in quarters well furnished with rockwork or comparable shelters.
Males are polygynous and court very vigorously.
This species is therefore best spawned on a harem basis, using one male to two or more females. After several days of intense courtship, the male succeeds in enticing the female into a cave or similarly secluded spawning site. The pair indulges in circling behavior that is broken off as the male chases away intruders. This circling devolves into reciprocal vent nudging, following which the female deposits one or two yellowish-white pyriform eggs, each measuring 3.0 mm along its major axis. The male and female then switch positions.