The Red Moki tends to like the warmer waters around New Zealand so they are more abundant in the northern areas of the coast. And start thinning out in the southern areas around the Bay of Plenty and the Wellington areas.

The Moki normally tend to live in the shallow reef areas amongst the rocks and weeds. I have noted that theise fish tend to swim around by thenselves but sometimes they are seen in pairs.

It's body and fins are marked with reddish-brown vertical lines over it's entire length, and being slightly darker on the back. They have a long dorsal fin comprising of around 40 or so spiny rays, the middle ones being slightly longer that the rest. It has a largeish head, small eyes and the mouth is slightly protractile.

The anal fin is short with three short spines and about 8 softer rays. The caudal fin or (tail fin) is broard andslightly forked.

They grow to about 40 cm in length but I have seen them slightly larger.

They eat small animals, and appear to suck up the sediment from the bottom perhaps filtering small parrasites and/or nutrients