Author: (Thys van den Audenaerde, 1967)
Comments: Pair-bonding, open substrate brooder/spawner with both parents guarding the brood (Ref. 52307, 81260). It breeds in shallow water above 2 m water depth, where pairs excavate shallow pits often close to stones, branches or similar structures (Ref. 85854). <i>Coptodon</i> cf. <i>deckerti</i> observed to primarily feed upon zooplankton, copepods and small amounts of insect larvae; juveniles were observed nibbling on fins of <i>Sarotherodon</i> species (Ref. 52307).