It is commonly known as the conchfish because it typically conceals itself in the mantle cavity of a living queen conch (Aliger gigas) by day.

[6] A. stellatus is native to the tropical western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

Its range extends from Florida, Bermuda and the Bahamas to the Greater and Lesser Antilles, and Brazil, as far south as Rio de Janeiro.

[6] A. stellatus has a commensal relationship with the queen conch (Aliger gigas), living by day within the mollusc's mantle cavity, and emerging at night to forage.

The queen conch is becoming increasingly rare because of over-fishing, and the conchfish has been reported using the rigid pen shell (Atrina rigida) as an alternative refuge.