Over all color silver y-grey or silvery-white.Back greenish to blackish. Fins pale yellow. Peritoneumblack to brown. Head long and tapers anteriorly.Mouth oblique and elongate, reaching the anterior halfof the eye. Lower jaw projected and has a symphysisknob fitting into an upper jaw notch. A hump behindthe head. Gill opening large and extends forward toposterior eye margin level. Fins margin falcate whendepressed. In rivers, lakes and marshes, open and vegetatedareas. Maximum age 8 years, total length 65 cmand weight 6 kg. Most rapid growth in summer whenwater temperatures above 25°C. Maturity of males inthe third year at 44 cm and females in the fourth year at47 cm total length. Spawning in January at 10°C. Absolutefecundity up to 74,500 eggs with a diameter ofabout 1.1 mm. In deep parts of rivers in December-January, entering marshes and lakes in February tospawn in late February and early March. Spawning ongravel beds and plants. Food include aquatic insects andcrustaceans in young and fish.in adults.