The overall body colour is silvery grey however this varies with water conditions and location and may be olive green to slate grey on the upper back and flanks. The sides are silvery and the belly area is whitish. Silver Perch have a small head and large body in comparison. The scales are small with a dark border giving the Silver Perch a patterned appearance. Silver perch are a native Australian fish that are omnivorous and grow well in lots of conditions. Their diet can also contain green scraps and grow within a wide temperature range. They can take up to 18 months to grow a fingerling to a eating size.

Silver Perch can withstand a wide range of water temperatures (from 12 to 32 degrees Celsius). For use in Aquaponics systems it is best to buy fingerlings about 3 cm long and are already on fish food pellet. They grow to market size (500 g) in 10 to 12 months or sometimes less.