The body is elongated, cylindrical up to 45 cm long (usually up to 25 cm), weight 200-300 g. There are two dorsal fins, at least 13 rays in the first. The upper jaw is longer than the lower. The body is covered with small ctenoid scales ; the chest part is without scales. A well-defined lateral line runs along the sides of the body, which enters the caudal fin. Gill covers have a large spike. The swim bladder is absent. Coloring yellowish-gray with dark spots and more or less pronounced stripes.
The species range covers the Dniester basin (upper and middle reaches), the lower Danube , the Prut , and the Transcarpathian river. Endemic to these rivers. Reofil . It occurs in deep sections of rivers with a medium, less often fast flow and sandy, clay or rocky soil. Sometimes found in shallow water.
Ordinary chop is most active at dusk and at night. Adult individuals are usually kept alone, but when fed can be collected in small flocks of 5-10 individuals. Keeps at the bottom. It feeds mainly at night, the food is insect larvae, worms, crustaceans, mollusks, caviar and small fish (ruffs, gudgeons). Life expectancy is up to 12 years.
It reaches puberty in 2–4 years, with sizes of 14–16 cm. Spawning in April – May, at a water temperature of 13–16 ° C. Fertility - 10-18 thousand eggs. Caviar lays to the bottom. Caviar is small, sticks to the substrate . Larvae appear after two weeks.
