[4] The Kyphosus cinerascens has a strict diet on phaeophytes, chlorophytes, and rhodophytes, making them herbivores.

[5] An adult topsail sea chub grows up to 45 cm long and has a blue/grey, brown or black coloring.

[6] The species of sea chub occurs around the Indo-central Pacific and Atlantic Ocean; along several locations near the Greater Caribbean; and some areas in Brazil.

[6] The sea chub is regularly found taking residence in areas of aggregations over hard algal coated bottoms of exposed, surf-swept outer reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs.

[9] However due to the species of Kyphosus choosing algae as their main source of food, the State of Hawai'i was advised to put this fish species under protective care to help restore the control of nearby algae.