Both sexes have a limited amount of small, brilliant blue iridescent spots on the head, body, and fins and these may be more obvious in breeding adults.

It has a dark black spot situated above the lateral line on the flanks and smaller blotches on gill covers and base of the tail.

They were originally confined to the Miami Canal but have begun to spread northwards and westwards, their wide habitat tolerance aiding their dispersal.

[2][4] The fish of the genus Hemichromis are monogamous, biparental, substrate spawners that demonstrate advanced parental care of their offspring.

Congeners of H. letourneuxi, H. bimaculatus and H. lifalili have had their breeding behaviour studied in aquaria and it is thought to typical of the genus.

[2] Studies on the diet of H. letourneuxi have shown that it is an omnivore but that it mainly eats larger invertebrates and small fish, including smaller specimens of its own species and other cichlids.