Does not make an ideal community fish and best kept in a species-specific set-up.
Although males in particular are territorial towards one another a group of 6 or more should be the minimum purchase since when such numbers are present aggression is spread between individuals plus the fish are bolder and exhibit more natural behaviour.
Inhabits both fresh and brackish water, and generally restricted to lowland, coastal environments including mangrove swamps, estuaries, and tidal streams. Substrates thus tend to be composed of mud, sand and silt with overlying organic material such as leaf litter, mangrove roots, and submerged driftwood.
Some populations inhabit ancient peat swamp habitats with highly-stained, tea-coloured water, very low acidity, minimal conductivity, and negligible hardness.