Rohu Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Elongated, moderately compressed body with a small, pointed head relative to body size
• Silvery-grey flanks with a subtle bluish tinge along the back, becoming paler on the belly
• Reddish tinge on the caudal and pectoral fins, more pronounced in larger adults
• Thick, slightly protrusible lips and a terminal to sub-terminal mouth without barbels
• Moderately forked tail and a relatively long dorsal fin base

Common look-alikes

• Catla: has a much deeper body, a broader head, and a distinctly upturned mouth, unlike the rohu's slender build and terminal mouth
• Mrigal: paler and more uniformly silvery overall, with a more pointed snout and less red coloration in the fins
• Common carp: readily separated by its two pairs of barbels, which rohu entirely lacks

Where you'll see one

Rohu is native to the major river systems of the Indian subcontinent, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins, where it inhabits flowing rivers, floodplain lakes, and reservoirs, typically feeding in the middle water column over silty or sandy substrates.