The fish has an elongated and compressed body with an oblique mouth cleft. It has two pairs of minute barbels. The lateral line is concave, running along the lower edge of the body and comprises 32-34 scales, with 2.5 rows between the lateral line and the base of the pelvic fins, and 13 rows before the dorsal fin. The body color is a bright metallic blue, greenish dorsally, featuring 2-3 parallel lateral lines of yellow that break into spots anteriorly. The fins vary in color from yellow to deep orange-red, and there is a dark shoulder patch present.