[1] This species of barracuda ranges from the Red Sea and East Africa to the Indo and Western Pacific and as far as French Polynesia and typically live in tropical and temperate waters.

[2][3] In Japan, they can be found in the waters around Ryuku, Amami Oshima, Yonaguni, Tanega, and Ishigaki Islands.

[2] Additionally, during the summer seasons, they have also been spotted near Okinoerabu Island waters from July to October.

[4][5][6][7] During the hours of late afternoon through dusk, S. qenie leaves the reefs to feed, going to relatively deep waters to find its prey.

[citation needed] One of the most distinct features of this species of barracuda is that they lack gill rakers.

S. qenie has 19 or 20 longitudinal scale rows that are level with the middle and ventral margins of the eye[2] while S. putnamae has 11-15.

[2] Additionally, the upper jaw of S. qenie is shorter, allowing for the distinct longer bottom jaw, the first dorsal and pelvis fins are towards the front of the body, and the anal fin and second dorsal have longer anterior rays.