Males are readily recognised by their bold blackish scale rims, and anal and caudal fins which have a black margin with a lighter band below; such a colour pattern is not found in other Nothobranchius.

This killifish's native range are the drainage basins of Lake Kyoga and Victoria, and the Aswa, Bubu and Malagarasi River.

[2] Its natural habitats are rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes and marshes, temporary pools, floodplains and inland deltas.

The pH in its habitat has been measured at 8.2 (somewhat alkaline) and the water hardness at 6° dH (rather soft), but this may not be indicative of its preferences and tolerance as very little data exists.

The eggs are adapted to surviving the drying-up in diapause, and can even be entirely outside the water for a time, as long as the substrate is still moist.