A somewhat robust species that can also be territorial and aggressive, depending on the temperament of the specimen. It will eat also smaller fish and may bother slow-moving tankmates. However, it can be kept with more active fish including larger barbs, such as tinfoils or lemon-finned, Apollo sharks and large cichlids. It can even be kept in communities of African mbuna. It is usually intolerant of its own kind and only one should be kept unless the tank is very large.