Known only from the Batéké plateau region and surrounding area in southeastern Gabon where it’s been recorded from the Léconi-Djouya and upper Mpassa rivers, these forming a portion of the much larger Ogooué basin. Type locality is ‘6 km west of Léconi’, the latter presumably referring to the settlement of that name.

This species is not an annual fish, being found in permanent bodies of water in nature. Over 20 different forms of it have been discovered at different localities and a handful have been given subspecific names. The most popular in the aquarium hobby include A. o. ottogartneri and A. o. pyrophore, both of which were initially described as separate species.