The small fish store I worked for part time when I first entered the hobby had a breeding colony of T.D. I still think these are some of the most beautiful fish I have seen. Those prices though do keep a lot of hobbyists including me from keeping them.
That's one of the reasons most
Tropheus keepers get their fishes from other hobbyists. Of all the different
Tropheus I've kept over the years, most have come from other hobbyists. Not only does that make the fishes more affordable, but it also allows access to rarer forms that are largely absent from the commercial market. It's also advantageous for the breeders, because it ensures that their fishes will be properly cared for. When I was breeding
Tropheus seriously, I would not sell fishes to anyone who wasn't prepared to maintain them properly. These days, I raise them for myself, or for other hobbyists, by request.