The humpback mahseer is a large cyprinid that has a laterally compressed body which is just over a quarter as deep as it is long (standard length).

[1] The humpback mahseer shows a preference for the deeper stretches of clear, fast flowing large jungle streams and rivers in upland areas.

[1] It has an omnivorous diet and feeds on fish, crustaceans, molluscs, frogs, fruits and algae.

The humpback mahseer is a sought after fish for anglers from the British colonial times to the present although the actual species involved was not determined as the original description of Barbus mussulah was not considered definitive.

When this species was classified under Tor mussulah, it was considered synonymous with the orange-finned mahseer (Tor remadevii), a highly endangered species endemic to the Kaveri basin, unlike the humpback which is endemic to the Krishna basin.