Its typical habitat is sandy plains near coral reefs and it is able to change its colouring to make it well-camouflaged in this environment.

The fish can vary its background colour to make it closely resemble that of its surroundings and thus camouflage itself as it lies on the seabed.

It is more visible when it swims, which it does in a series of short glides, remaining close to the rippled sand contours of the ocean floor.

[5] In the West Indies, Bothus lunatus largely feeds on fishes, which make up 85.7% of its diet by volume, and particularly on herrings in the genus Jenkinsia and the bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus).

Bothus lunatus is believed to be an ambush predator, lying concealed on the seabed before darting out to catch any unwary prey that moves too close.