The upper jaw lacks protrusibility and the lower jaw is slightly shorter than the upper jaw. Palatine teeth are present and there are 23–29 scales before the dorsal fin. Pelvic fins are inserted closer to the hind margin of the head than to the origin of the lower caudal fin lobe. Juveniles do not have barbels on their chin. Head is shorter than the distance between the origin of the dorsal fin and the origin of the upper caudal fin lobe. Dorsal fin is greyish. Pectoral fins are brownish-grey with numerous dark spots arranged in nearly regular transverse bands. The pelvic fins are greyish-brown, sometimes with numerous small dark spots.