The freshwater butterflyfish is the last surviving member of a family that was diverse during the Late Cretaceous period, with many pantodontid genera known from the Cenomanian-aged Sannine Formation of Lebanon.

[2][3] Populations of freshwater butterflyfish in the Niger vs. the Congo basins appear virtually identical in morphology, but mtDNA divergence estimates suggest an extreme level of genetic divergence between them, dating to the Late Paleocene (57 million years ago) or earlier.

If enough speed is built up in the water, a butterflyfish can jump and glide a small distance above the surface to avoid predation.

Freshwater butterflyfish are found in the slightly acidic, standing bodies of water in West Africa.

They are commonly seen in Lake Chad, the Congo Basin, throughout lower Niger, Cameroon, Ogooue, and upper Zambezi.

Freshwater butterflyfish are kept in large aquaria, although a single specimen should be kept as the only top-level fish, as they can be aggressive to their own kind and others, (such as hatchetfish), at surface level.

They do better in a tank with live plants, especially ones that float near the surface, providing hiding places to reduce stress.