Distinguished from its congeners, except Hypsolebias flammeus (Costa, 1989), Hypsolebias multiradiatus (Costa &Brasil, 1994) and Hypsolebias brunoi (Costa, 2003), by the color pattern in male and by the presence of a metallic blue sheen surrounding the black spots in the female. It can be separated from Hypsolebias flammeus, Hypsolebias multiradiatus and Hypsolebias brunoi by the shape of the dorsal and anal fins (rounded vs. pointed) and by the orientation of the reddish brown bars in males (diagonal vs. vertical). Diagnosed from all other Hypsolebias by the presence of, in females, irregular light brown stains on the anal fins and by the pattern of the metallic blue sheen around the black spots (completely surrounding the black spots while in congeners this blue sheen is either absent or present in vertical bars) (Ref. 92140).