Bifurcate or even multifurcate lateral-line tubes; 4 barbels; 16-20 gill rakers on first arch (Ref. 12693); very long dorsal spine (Ref. 43281).
Occurs at midwater to bottom levels of rivers (Ref. 12693). Feeds mainly on bivalves, roots of plants, zooplankton and green algae (Ref. 6459). Young are known to feed on zooplankton while adults prey also on insect larvae, crustaceans and fish (12693). Lives in rivers and spawns during the rainy season, probably on the floodplains or inundated riparian forests. Returns to the rivers from October to December. Does not occur in impoundments (Ref. 12693). A strongly migratory species that lives in the mainstream and larger tributaries of the Mekong (Ref. 9497). Found in the basin-wide mainstream of the lower Mekong (Ref. 36667). In the Mekong, it undertakes an upstream migration from Phnom Penh to Khone Falls from November to February, and a downstream migration from May to August. This migration continues down to the Mekong delta area in Viet Nam, where it continues until the peak of floods in October-November. These two migrations mainly constitute juveniles and sub-adults, although adults of 90 cm are reported very near the Khone Falls. Above the Khone Falls, upstream migrations occur from April to September which are dominated by adult fishes and probably these are spawning migrations because of the presence of mature fishes bearing eggs (Ref. 37770). These upstream migrations above the Khone Falls are reported to be triggered by the first rainfall at the end of the dry season, rising of water levels and higher turbidity (Ref. 37770). A desirable food fish, marketed fresh (Ref. 12693).
