Over all color silver y, back bluish or r eddishbrown. A dark, lead-colored stripe along and above themid-flank, with a width about the same as the eye diameter,more evident posteriorly. Dorsal and caudal fins withblack margins. There may be a black spot at the caudal finbase. First pectoral fin ray may be black dorsally. Pectoral,pelvic and anal fin bases yellowish. Peritoneum brown butmay be thickly speckled with black-brown spots. Mouthoblique and superior. A short, naked ventral keel present.Pharyngeal teeth with hooked tips and serrated edges to thecrowns. In streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and marshes.Tolerates temperatures of 1-36°C. Maximum age 7 yearsand total length 22 cm. First maturity at 1-2 years andabout 10 cm total length. Spawning from April to Augustat temperatures above 15ºC. Sex ratio 1Male:1female. Absolutefecundity up to 11,800 eggs of 1 mm in diameter.Food include phytoplankton, detritus, insects, plants, crustaceansand smaller fish.