The colour of the body is pale yellow on the back, shading to light silvery grey on the flanks and underparts, marked with many small dark brown spots.

The head pale purplish grey with a host of small dark brown spots the membrane on the gill cover is black.

Juveniles from a standard length of 13.3 cm (5.2 in) have large spots, roughly the same size as the pupil, over the head, body, dorsal and caudal fins these multiply and shrink as the fish grows.

[4] The blackfin slatey is found on coastal reefs and in lagoons, encountered either solitarily or in small groups over sandy substrates.

It is a nocturnal predator, resting during the day in small groups, the dispersing over the reef to prey on benthic invertebrate after dark.