Easier to socialise than for many other dwarf cichlids, the umbrella cichlid is considered as relatively peaceful but can be aggressive at times especially with smaller aquariums, the company should rather stay in the middle or upper levels of water levels.

An excellent pet for a planted aquarium but it also needs a fair amount of open space. This cichlid is generally compatible with other peaceful fish as long as it has plenty of space. Territoriality is typically at its peak during spawning. Dwarf shrimp and other small, delicate invertebrates should not be kept with this species but more durable, larger shrimp and snails could possibly make good tankmates in a large enough aquarium. If spawning is desired, tankmates of other species should be kept to a minimum or avoided altogether.

Feeds on small invertebrates and are primarily carnivorous but live frozen food such as artemia, daphnia and bloodwoorms should be offered for it in the aquarium regularly although most specimens will also learn to accept dried alternatives with pelleted products generally preferred to flake.