Most species occur along the coastal fringes of the lake at depths less than 3 m. These rocky shores, with numerous rocky outcroppings and boulder formations, form a habitat similar to many of the mbuna cichlids of Lake Malawi.
mˈoʊst spˈiːsiːz əkˈɜːɹ ɐlˈɔŋ ðə kˈoʊstəl fɹˈɪndʒᵻz ʌvðə lˈeɪk æt dˈɛpθs lˈɛs ðɐn θɹˈiː ˈɛm. ðiːz ɹˈɑːki ʃˈoːɹz, wɪð nˈuːmɚɹəs ɹˈɑːki ˈaʊtkɹɑːpɪŋz ænd bˈoʊldɚ fɔːɹmˈeɪʃənz, fˈɔːɹm ɐ hˈæbɪtˌæt sˈɪmɪlɚ tə mˈɛnɪəv ðɪ ˈɛmbˈuːnə sˈɪtʃlɪdz ʌv lˈeɪk mɐlˈɑːwi.