Over all color dar k yellow, flanks goldenyellowwith dark shading, and back relatively black. Bellyand fins light yellow and caudal fin reddish. Iris silverywith grey above and below. Two pairs of barbels.Last unbranched ray spine-like and serrated. Anal finshort with last unbranched ray spine-like and serrated.Gut moderately long. Gill rakers touch second raker belowwhen appressed. Peritoneum grey to silvery. Posteriormajor row teeth large with flattened crowns. Breedingmales with fine tubercles on head. Favors still shallowwaters with abundant soft vegetation necessary for reproduction,also, found in lower courses of lowland riverswith moderately flowing water. Two forms, wild andcultured, and both freshwater resident and diadromouspopulations. Salinity tolerance up to 13‰ and low dissolvedoxygen concentrations of 3 mg/l. Maximum age 9years, total length 1.2 m and weight 30 kg. Maturity in 1-4 years at about 30 cm total length. Females larger andmature a year later than males. Spawning in March-Juneat 17-23ºC. Absolute fecundity up to 543,000 eggs of upto 1.7 mm in diameter. Eggs relatively poisonous. Foodinclude aquatic insects, crustaceans, worms, molluscs,small fish and plants.