Plectorhinchus vittatus is a species of grunt. Closely related to the snappers, grunts have smaller mouths and teeth and thicker fleshy lips hence the name sweetlips.

They may also grind their teeth together when caught, emitting a grunting sound, hence the name grunt. 

Juvenile oriental sweetlips have an attractive brown-and-white and yellow mottled pattern. They have a curious wriggling style of swimming in which the whole body undulates, which does not completely disappear in the adults.

They school in medium to large schools. Divers often are able to approach slowly and get very close as they are not very skittish.