The editions available in print now have 291 chapters and 14,000 verses.
Several dharmasastra works have quoted from this purana profusely.
The purana begins with a dialogue between lord Visnu as the Matsya and Manu. Hence the name MatsyaPurana.
A brief account of the contents may be given as follows:
Creation of the world by Brahma and the Prajapatis; destruction of Tripurasura by Siva; Sati's immolation in Daksa's sacrifice; on Karttikeya; wars between the devas and asuras; geneologies of kings of the lunar and solar dynasties; names and accounts of future kings and races; avataras of Visnu (including the name of Buddha); funeral rites; vratas (religious vows and observances); dana (gifts); places of pilgrimage and bath in the holy rivers; varna-asrama-dharmas; duties of women; establishing wells, tanks and gardens for public good; descriptions of hells; stories about the Siva Lingas.