They prefer densely vegetated areas and still waters with small amounts of current. The species has a high temperature tolerance (8 – 41 °C) and also withstands brackish water with a salt content of up to 1.9%. Their young fish live of plankton, grown members of the species are, like all members of the genus Coptodon, primarily herbivores and eat algae as well as taller plants, as well as insects and smaller crustaceans.