Fresher water may bring along large aquatic predators that may threaten the resident
fishes and even newly reestablished fish after the floods. Fortunately, as of the early months of 2012, the fish is still
found in some of the earlier catch sites. Because of large-scale housing and industrial developments around
suburban Bangkok and landfill of salt marshes, its favoured habitats are in a very precarious position, e.g., one
catch site in 2011 was partially filled three months after our previous visit. High volume orders for wild-caught B.
mahachaiensis may diminish the population yet further. Conserving this threatened species may have to involve at
least a dedicated local government agency (e.g., Department of Fisheries) tasked with rearing populations of the
fish that breed true, for eventual release if and when warranted