Alto. calvus is a predator, and specializes in snatching young cichlids and invertebrates from between rock crevices and rock piles. Their laterally compressed body not only helps them in avoiding detection, but permits them to go into narrow crevices, turning their bodies at odd angles if needed. Small fishes, such as juveniles and shell-dwellers, should not be kept in the same tank with this fish as the calvus may dine on them.
In the aquarium, they can be given any type of live or frozen food (except beef heart or any other food containing mammalian products). Live food is always greedily consumed. Flake food is accepted, but is usually insufficient alone to bring a female into breeding condition.
Calvus make a great addition to most any Tanganyikan community setup, barring a setup with shell dwellers. They can also be kept with many of the fishes from Lakes Malawi and Victoria, provided the latter also require a high protein diet. Mbuna are not ideal tankmates for this reason.
They make a great addition to many setups because they tend to mind their own business, but can certainly hold their own. The thick scales of "Altolamps" give them an efficient protection against attacks by fry-guarding cichlids. I have read that when attacked, they will bend their bodies so as to expose their scales to an enemy, which will easily fray the lips of an enemy when bitten.
Calvus looks particularly menacing, but is rather mild. They are not territorial and not aggressive towards other cichlids of similar size. In fact, this male will often poke his head into part of the holey rock in my tank, pretending that no one can see him because he can't see them! When introducing an "Altolamp" to your aquarium, don't be alarmed if it hides for several weeks before it becomes comfortable with its surroundings. Just be patient and ensure good water quality. Don't overfeed in your anxiety that it eat; this will only degrade water conditions and cause other cichlids in the tank to become more susceptible to Bloat.