Known from Lake Tanganyika, where it is relatively rare and confined to weedy river mouths (Ref. 118630, 118638), including Malagarazi River (Ref. 118630). Introduced to Lake Victoria in 1953 (Ref. 1739, 4967, 13624, 118630, 118638), probably from Lake Albert, as a contaminant of Coptodon zillii stocks, but this was later augmented by other translocations (Ref. 118638). Now introduced in most catchments of Tanzania (Ref. 118638), including Zigi River (Ref. 118630), Pangani River (Ref. 118630), Lake Eyasi (Ref. 118630), Lake Burungu (Ref. 118630), Lake Kitele (Ref. 118630), Lake Manyara (Ref. 118630), Lake Singida (Ref. 118630), Lake Sulungali (Ref. 118630), Wami River (Ref. 118630), Ruvu River (Ref. 118630), Ruaha/Rufiji River (Ref. 118630), Mbwenkuru River (Ref. 118630), Lukuledi River (Ref. 118630), Rutamba Lakes (Ref. 118630), Lake Rukwa (Ref. 118630), Lake Malawi (Ref. 118630) and Zanzibar Island (Ref. 118630). Now the most important cichlid in Lake Victoria, mostly in inshore waters but extends down to at least 15 meters (Ref. 4967).