It is a medium-size esteemed food fish that has resemblance of a snake. Dorsal and anal fins are very long. Several band pass from the dorsum of the body downwards to the middle of the body. Grows to a length of around 3 feet. Air-breething and can live in poor quality water of low oxygen. The ideal  temperature and pH are 26-28 °C and 7.5-8.5 respectively.  Highly predatory fish, feeds on insects, micro crustaceans, shrimps, mollusc and small fish. The fish can be trained to accept pellet diet specially prepared for carnivorous fishes. Only few specimens of uniform size should be kept in aquarium. Attains maturity in the first year. Sexual differentiations is difficult excepting during maturity. A pond breeder and breeds from March to October with peak during monsoon months. Successfully bred under captive conditions by induced breeding. Eggs float in a jelly-like mass. The fish observe high rate of cannibalism and hence parents should be removed after breeding.