[2] The barber perch is a laterally compressed, deep-bodied fish growing to a maximum length of 26 cm (10 in).

Females and larger juveniles are a pinkish colour with a large black vertical bar on the flank towards the posterior end and a blue streak just under the eye.

Males are similarly marked but their overall hue is silvery or yellowish.

[2] It differs from the closely related Butterfly perch by having a more slender body and males are more blue with a darker bar, rather than blotch, on the side.

[3] The barber perch is a schooling species of fish which forms dense shoals at depths down to about 180 m (591 ft).