This toadfish can be found in a similar habitat to the more common Tetractenos glaber, from rocky reefs to the sandy sea floor. It is off-white in colour, with a dark mid-lateral stripe and a pattern of small dark rings on its top half. This species gets its common name from the dark vertical stripes below its eyes, which are reminiscent of tears. Like all pufferfish from the family Tetraodontidae, it is extremely poisonous and should not be eaten.
