Body yellow to br own, occasionally with twoyellowish stripes. Four pairs of dark long barbels (onepair nasal, one pair maxillary and two pairs mandibular).A short and spineless dorsal fin. No adipose fin. Longanal fin separated by a notch from the caudal fin. Headsmall and flat. Mouth terminal, small, transverse withfleshy and papilose lips. Teeth on jaws and vomer. Twotubular air sacs extending from gill cavity to caudal peduncle,enabling air breathing. Gill rakers elongate,reaching adjacent raker 5-7 when appressed. Gut elongatewith several posterior coils. In rivers, marshes,ponds and canals with fresh or brackish waters, mostlypolluted and stagnant. Maximum age 4 years and totallength 344 mm. Tolerates up to 40°C and 25‰ salinity.Prefer temperatures of 22-25°C and pH=7.5-8.5. Maturityin 1 year at 85-120 mm. Spawning continuously fromJune to August with eggs deposited in batches on vegetation.Absolute fecundity 12,000 light green eggs. Parentsguard eggs and young for about a month. Food includeaquatic insect larvae, fish, and molluscs.