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Otopharynx argyrosoma can be found in entire Lake Malawi and also in Lake Malombe which is situated southern of Lake Malawi and is directly connected with it through the Shire River. They are mainly living in reasonable shallow water, sometimes in deeper water, where they remain in unprotected sandy environments. These specimens were found in the neighbourhood of Mbowe Island. This is one of the variants which were described before as Nyassachromis sp."interruptus". In Lake Malawi the males of these species can grow to 15 cm, in the aquarium however they can grow a little taller because of a good feeding. The males can then grow to about 17 cm, females grow to about 13 cm. The cichlid species which are found in Lake Malombe seems to stay smaller then in Lake Malawi and they seem to become sexually active earlier, probably this is because they live under pressure due to the overfishing in that lake. Otopharynx argyrosoma is in common a real peaceful cichlid. You can keep this species best with other peaceful species and multiple females in a tank with some places to hide. In the lake they are mainly feeding themselves with plankton and invertebrates which they find on and in the sandbottom. In the aquarium they are comfortable with any food. They take everything they get offered, like spirulina pellets, mysis, artemia, cyclops and shrimp-peas mix. 
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