The fish is characterized by the lower margin of the eye being tangent to or above a line from the tip of the snout to the upper base of the pectoral fins. It has 2–3 pairs of small recurved canines anteriorly in the upper jaw, with pectoral fins reaching to or just short of the level of the anus, and pelvic fins also reaching to or just short of the level of the anus. The caudal fin is deeply forked and lacks a filament. In terms of coloration, the head and body are pale iridescent pink, shading to silvery white below, with 9 indistinct cross bars on the back. The dorsal fin is pale rosy, sometimes with a yellowish tinge, and the outer margin is darker pink. The anal fin is bluish white, with a row of transparent or faint yellowish spots near the base.