The Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips has fleshy lips which become greatly swollen as the fish ages.

[2] The adults of this species have a basic light greyish colour of which fades to white on the abdomen.

[1] It forages at night feeding on small invertebrates such crustaceans, gastropods or annelids, as well as smaller fishes.

[2] The Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips was first formally described as Perca vittata in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of the Systema Naturae with no type locality given.

[6] The specific name, vittatus means "banded", a reference to the bold striped pattern of adults.