Genicanthus caudovittatus shows sexual dichromatism, the males and females have differing colouration.

The males are whitish-blue marked with vertical dark brown barring and a black band running along the middle of the dorsal fin base.

[2] Genicanthus caudovittatus is distributed in western Indian Ocean where it occurs along the eastern coast of Africa from the Red Sea in the north to KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, east to Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, and Réunion.

[1] Genicanthus caudovittatus is found at depths between 15 and 70 metres (49 and 230 ft).

[2] It can be found on steep outer reef slopes where it lives in small groups made up of a male and a few females.