Over all color gr ey or golden-brown. Sides ofhead, body and medial fins covered with white spots orblotches. Pectoral fin with dark rays but lacks spots. Pelvicfin black in males, yellow in females. Dominantspawning males black with brilliant blotches on bodyand fins. Female with up to 9 faint to moderate flankbars. Fins yellowish. Dorsal fin with a black mark onposterior dorsal fin. Peritoneum black. Teeth uniform.Cheek, operculum, belly, isthmus and area between pectoraland pelvic fin bases naked or poorly scaled. Onenostril on each side of head. Gut elongate and tightlycoiled spiral. Gill rakers short and round, reaching adjacentraker when appressed. Males with shorter head andlonger pelvic, dorsal and anal fins and wider interorbital.In fresh to saline rivers with a bottom consisting of pebbles,sand or mud. Tolerate temperatures of 15-40°C andconductivity of up to 80 mS. Maximum total length 13cm. Reproduction from March to end of June with a peakin May, at 26-33°C. Sex ratio biased towards males inreproduction season. Absolute fecundity 153 yellow eggswith a diameter of 3.8 mm. Male territorial, defending anest made on fine sand. A mouth brooder. Food includealgae and diatoms.