Its habitat ranges from the river drainages of Thailand through the Malayan peninsula to the islands of Sumatra and Borneo in Indonesia.

Furthermore, the breeding migration pattern of this fish is especially vulnerable to damming, which has also decreased the wild population significantly.

The Tapah possesses a noticeable hump, atop sits its dorsal fin, which is small and almost elliptical.

The head of this fish is long, and remarkably wide with a huge lower jaw that extends beyond its maxilla.

The mouth of the catfish is inlaid with several rows of sharp teeth that enable it to grip prey.