The snout is either rounded or acute. There are three pairs of barbels. The head shield is smooth at the front but has a series of granules and rugae toward the rear. The palatine teeth are peg-like or molariform and typically parallel to each other. There are 14–17 gill rakers in total on the first gill arch. The lateral line bifurcates at the base of the tail. The body is bluish-brown above and white below. The fins are yellow with dark margins on the dorsal and caudal fins and the adipose fin has a large black spot.