Upper flanks and back dar k to golden-brownwith large spots on upper flanks. A dark bar at caudal finbase. Belly and lower head white to milky. Bases ofsome dorsal fin branched rays with small dark spots. Peritoneumblack. A pair of small maxillary barbells. Anteriorpair of barbels usually absent, sometimes minute orwell-developed. Absence of a free anterior margin to aweakly developed adhesive disc on lower head surface.Dorsal fin origin in middle or closer to caudal fin base.Scales vertical ovoid. A pelvic axillary scale present insome. Gill rakers almost reaching adjacent raker whenappressed. Teeth conical to flattened with oblique, butflattened crown and slightly concave. Gut very elongateand coiled. Males in spawning season with small tubercleson operculum and head. In pools and slow-flowingditches and reeds. Maximum total length 155 mm. Maturityat 2-3 years at 60 mm total length. Spawning insummer. Females grow faster than males. Absolute fecundityup to 1000 eggs with a diameter of up to 1.3mm. Food include green filamentous algae and plants.