The species is commonly seen in the tropical Indo-Pacific Ocean, including Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan and the Hawaiian Islands.

[3] C. amboinensis is overall a rather rotund fish, but it is known to be a fast swimmer that can be hard to approach.

[3][4] It can be identified by its dark brown base color, blue-green lines radiating from the eyes, dark blue spots and lines on the cheeks, and iridescent light blue to white spots on head and body, which are absent from the anus to its lower jaw.

[3] Pairs are usually found around boulders in shallow areas close to shore and on reef patches, with females usually occupying 25 m2 and males 100-175 m2.

[4] A research study of C. amboinensis off of Oahu, Hawaii found that they have a diverse diet.