ðɪ ˈoʊnli tɹˈɑːfɪəs spˈiːsiːz tə dwˈɛl fˈɜːðɚɹ ˈaʊt ænd dˈiːpɚɹ ɪnðə lˈeɪk ɪz tɹˈɑːfɪəs dˈuːbɔɪsi, wˌɪtʃ ɪn dʒˈɛnɚɹəl ɪnhˈæbɪts dˈiːpɚ ɹˈiːdʒənz ʌvðə lˈeɪk dˌaʊn tʊ ɚɹˈaʊnd fˈɪftiːn twˈɛnti ˈɛm. ˈɔːl spˈiːsiːz ɑːɹ ˈælɡəl ɡɹˈeɪzɚz ænd hæv ˌʌndɚslˈʌŋ mˈaʊðz ɐdˈæptᵻd tə ɹˈæspɪŋ ˈælɡiː ænd mˌaɪkɹoʊɪnvˈɜːɾɪbɹˌeɪts fɹʌm səbmˈɜːdʒd ɹˈɑːks.
The only Tropheus species to dwell further out and deeper in the lake is Tropheus duboisi, which in general inhabits deeper regions of the lake down to around 15–20 m. All species are algal grazers and have underslung mouths adapted to rasping algae and microinvertebrates from submerged rocks.