Adults occur in seagrass beds, coral or rocky reefs and sandy areas. Also found around mangrove shores and sponge beds; less common on flourishing coral reefs (Ref. 26938). They remain within 50 cm from the substrate. Adults feed on algae, polychaetes, amphipods, foraminiferans and gastropods while juveniles feed on harpacticoid copepods, nemerteans and polychaetes (Ref. 9626). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205). Males guard and aerate the eggs (Ref. 205). Caught incidentally in traps and small-meshed beach nets (Ref. 5217).