The Rock Greenling is maroon, with blue spot that fade to bright red. The color pattern helps it blend in with its natural environment. It grows to up to 24 inches (60 cm). Most adult have blue mouths, while the young have bright red eyes. The species is usually solitary, but not aggressive, which has led to easy husbandry in public aquariums. It is sometimes cryptic however and often elusive to divers and spear fishermen as they prefer living among the rock in the heavy surge.
The Rock Greenling is a generalized feeder, eating everything from invertebrates such as crabs and isopods to fish eggs and algae. When young the fish eats zooplankton. It is not commonly commercially fished like the related lingcod, although a popular gamefish. Most live among areas impossible to fish by commercial boats though it is commonly caught by sport fishers off exposed rocky shores.
