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Clearwater stream, Brahmaputra tributary, Assam, India
India, Assam
This biotope represents an unidentified shallow, clear-water stream connected to the Brahmaputra River system in Assam, India. As the exact geographic coordinates and local name of the water body were not provided, the specific location remains unnamed.
Based on visual observations, the habitat consists of a shallow, slow-flowing aquatic environment with exceptionally clear water. The substrate is mainly composed of clay mixed with small, smooth gravel. The presence of large concrete culverts suggests that the site may be associated with a roadside stream, bridge crossing, or modified drainage channel.
Despite the absence of a precise location, this microhabitat, characterised by clear water, shallow depth, and a clay-rich bottom, represents a typical environment suitable for Dario dario (Scarlet Badis), a species naturally associated with small, slow-flowing freshwater habitats in the Brahmaputra basin.
- Submitted by
- Fordin Laskar
- Approved by
- Hans-Georg Evers & Friedrich Bitter
- Geographical region
- Southern Asia
- Drainage Basin
- Bay of Bengal
- River catchment
- Brahmaputra River
- Water body type
- Stream
- Water body name
- Unnamed
- Water body part
- Channel
- Water body course
- Lower course
- Water body: tributary of
- River
- Tributary name
- Brahmaputra
Videos above and below water
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Water Chemistry
Water information
- Water type
- Freshwater
- Water color
- Clear water
- Water transparency
- High
- Concentration of sediments
- Medium
- Water temperature
- 22-28 °C
- Water flow/curent
- None
Chemical parameters
- pH
- 6.8
- Conductivity
- GH
- dGH
- KH
- dKH
- Dissolved Oxygen
Substrate in nature
- Sand
- Beige
- Pebble/Gravel
- Beige
- Stone
- None
- Stone form
- Silt/Mud
- Grey
- Leaves
- None
- Driftwood
- None
- Submerged terrestrial vegetation
- None
Aquatic Biotope
- Date of collecting
- 5 January, 2026
- Collecting area
- Edge of reservoir
- Water depth
- 0,2m
- Air temperature
- 25 °C
- Sunlight
- Full sun
Environment
- Environment
- Affected by human activity
- Affected by human activity
- Agriculture
- Agriculture
- Advanced
- Surrounding area
The biotope is located within the Brahmaputra River basin in Assam, India. The immediate surroundings represent a roadside or infrastructure-adjacent environment, as indicated by the presence of large concrete drainage culverts that channel the stream flow. The banks directly bordering the water are relatively open, covered mainly by low-growing marginal grasses and terrestrial weeds rather than dense forest vegetation. This open, unshaded landscape exposes the shallow stream to direct sunlight throughout the day.
Fish:
- Dario dario (Badidae)
- Danio sp. (Danionidae)
- Underwater landscape
The underwater landscape is characterised by exceptional water clarity and shallow depth, typically ranging between 15 and 30 centimetres. The stream has a slow, gentle current flowing over a clean and relatively open substrate. The streambed is predominantly composed of fine clay mixed with scattered smooth grey, brown, white, and yellow gravel.
In this specific microhabitat, dense submerged aquatic vegetation and heavy leaf litter are largely absent. Instead, the main biological cover consists of natural biofilm and patches of green algae growing on the gravel and clay surfaces, providing important foraging areas for micro-predators such as the Scarlet Badis (Dario dario) and Zebra Danio (Danio sp.).
- Threats to ecology
Because this specific biotope is closely associated with human infrastructure, flowing through and around man-made concrete culverts, it is highly vulnerable to anthropogenic pressures. Its proximity to roads and human activity makes it susceptible to localised pollution, including runoff, chemical contamination, and the accumulation of solid waste.
Furthermore, because these clear-water streams are shallow and depend on specific flow conditions, future habitat modifications, road expansion, or changes to the drainage system could permanently alter or destroy the delicate microhabitat on which species such as Dario dario depend.
Bibliography
-
Ichthyological Exploration of Freshwaters, 13(4), 295-372. - Revision of the family Badidae (Teleostei: Perciformes), with description of a new genus and ten new species
by Kullander, S. O., & Britz, R.
-
→ International Journal of Zoological Investigations, 9(1), 1008-1020. - Ichthyofaunal Diversity of Brahmaputra River and its Adjoining Tributaries: A Review
by Dutta, B., & Sarma, K. J.
Comment by the expert
Hans-Georg Evers: Well researched!
Friedrich Bitter: Perhaps the location where it was found could have been described in a bit more detail, particularly regarding the water parameters. However, the specific section of the biotope – or ecological niche – presented here is quite unique, especially considering the typical aquarist’s perception of the Dario dario habitat.
