It differs from Creagrutus amoenus and Creagrutus kunturus in its lack of the series of dark midlateral spots on the body that progressively coalesce ontogenetically to sometimes form a midlateral stripe in adults of the latter two species and in the distance from the snout to the anal fin origin (27.2-30.7 vs 33.8-38.8 and 30.8-34.0, respectively), distance from the snout to the pelvic fin insertion (22.2-25.6 vs 29.0-35.6 and 27.9-31.6, respectively), and the caudal peduncle depth (8.9-9.8 vs. 12.2-13.8 and 11.1-12.1, respectively). It further differs from Creagrutus amoenus in the number of vertebrae (39-41 with 39 in four specimens and 40 or 41 in 10 specimens vs 35-39 with 36-38 in 34 specimens and 39 in only one of 36 radiographed specimens, respectively, and from Creagrutus kunturus in the number of median predorsal scales (9 or 10 vs 12, respectively).