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News: Scientists from Kumaun University launched a captive-breeding programme to revive the snow trout (Schizothorax richardsonii) in Naini Lake, Uttarakhand, in April 2026. However, the death of more than half of the released fingerlings has raised concerns about water pollution, rising temperatures and habitat degradation.
About Snow Trout (Schizothorax richardsonii)
- The Snow Trout is a native cold-water Himalayan fish
- It is native to the Himalayan and sub-Himalayan regions. It is also known as “Asala”, or “Asela” by the locals.
- It is a species belong to the class of ray-finned fishes.
- Scientific name: Its scieintific name is Schizothorax richardsonii.
Habitat and Distribution
- Habitat: It can thrive in a wide range of temperatures (8-22°C) and is distributed well in the shallow pools, deep pools, rapids, and riffles of rivers and stagnant waters of lakes and reservoirs.
- It needs cold, pristine, well-oxygenated water to survive.
- Distribution: It is widely distributed in the Himalayan waters of Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
- It is found across the Himalayan belt, from Jammu and Kashmir to Assam and Sikkim.
Characteristics
- Appearance:
- It has streamlined body with smooth and soft skin covered in small scales to assist cutaneous respiration.
- It has short blunt head with broad and flat interorbital space.
- The upper jaw is longer than the lower part (inferior mouth) with a strip of hard papillated structure at chin called the adhesive organ; two pairs of barbels which are smaller than eye diameter.
- The keratinized lips help this species scraping off algae from the substrate as well as providing sturdy grip on the rocks in fast-flowing waters of Himalaya.
- The dorsal fin originates near the snout tip.
- The dorsal spine is bony, strong and serrated at the hind part; originate at the anterior part of pelvic fins.
- The pectoral fins are shorter than head; and pelvic fins do not reach vent.
- There is tiled row of scales forming a sheath on either side of vent and anal fin, with lateral line complete and is arched.
- Length and weight: It can grow up to 60.0 cm in length and 4.0 kg in weight in the Himalayan rivers.
- Behaviour: It prefers to live in Himalayan streams and rivers especially rivers with moderate flow speed.
- It has territoriality behavior and also chase intruders to defend the limited food resource and available shelter.
- It takes more than three years to reach full maturity and reproduce.
- Diet: It is herbivorous and feeds on algae and detritus from the rocky substrate.
Threats
- Habitat fragmentation
- Slow growth
- Poor disease resistance
- Low survival rates
Conservation status
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
