 They are mouthbrooders like many other cichlids from Lake Malawi.In their natural habitats, the bumblebee cichlid is a cleaner specialized in feeding on parasites from larger fish particularly the catfish "Bagrus meridionalis", which apparently recognises the species as a cleaner.Notable is that "P. crabro" has also been found preying upon the eggs of the "Bagrus meridionalis", but will change colour to a dark brown while doing so.