Head, back and flanks above later al linedark brown. Lower flanks paler with silvery tinges orlight yellow. Mid-flank with a row of 6-13 dark spots.Dorsal and caudal fins with 3-5 rows of spots. Peritoneumsilvery. Body and caudal peduncle compressed.Scales on breast. Anterior teeth blunt with small hooks,conical and short. Gill rakers may touch the adjacent rakerwhen appressed. Gut elongate and S-shaped with aslight anterior loop. Snout length, eye diameter, predorsaldistance, pectoral-pelvic fin distance, and barbellength greater in females. Males darker in spawning seasonand bear fine tubercles on heads, flank and back andouter rays of pectoral fin. Mouth horseshoe like. A pairof barbels present. Lower jaw with a median groove.Fins without spine. Pelvic maxillary scale present. Anusat a distance from anal fin. Prefers stagnant waters, also,in rivers and backwaters, on sand or fine gravel bottomwith weed beds. Resistant to pollution and varying environmentalconditions. Maximum age 4 years and totallength 20 cm. Maturity at first year and 43 mm totallength. Spawning in May-August and intermittent. Absolutefecundity up to 12,900 translucent eggs of 0.5 mm indiameter, laid on a clay-sand bottom at 18-20°C. Foodmainly include insect larvae, also plants, algae and detritus.