Dorsal armour is symmetrical, otherwise it is generally similar in appearance to C. acutus . Changes in colour have been observed in captivity over long periods. Juveniles eat small fish and invertebrates. Larger animals take many aquatic vertebrates, including fish, together with terrestrial vertebrates and birds approaching or entering the water's edge. There are occasional unsubstantiated reports of humans being taken, but such incidents must be rare, given the status of the species.
Females protect the young pod of juveniles for one to three years.
This species is classed as one of the most highly endangered of all crocodilian species, mainly due to the small size and limited distribution of the population present in the wild, together with continued threats from habitat destruction and hunting. However, over-hunting for the valuable skin reduced their numbers drastically. Crippling over-exploitation between the 1930s and 1960s was primarily responsible for the current critical status, particularly in Colombia. Population recovery has been slow. Survey data for Columbia are still lacking, although some surveys have been conducted recently indicating that a few remnant populations still exist.