Although Mystus malabaricus is distributed over a wide range in the Western Ghats, the species is under threat in Kerala and Tamil Nadu from overfishing, while information on population trends are not available from Karnataka and Maharashtra. Since the decline is about 40% in the last six years in Kerala, the global status of this species is presumed to be in decline to similar factor even if it is not at the same rate as in Kerala. Hence the species is assessed as Near Threatened.

Mystus malabaricus is endemic to India's Western Ghats, found in the west flowing rivers of Kerala (Wyanad and the Hills of Travancore; Jayaram 1981) (Kabani, Chaliyar, Chalakkudy, Karuvannurpuzha, Cheenkannipuzha, Achankoil, Periyar rivers; Kurup et al. 2005), Karnataka (Mysore; Hora 1942) and Maharashtra (Mula-Mutha, Pavana rivers; Kharat et al. 2003, Wagh and Ghate 2003, Chandanshive et al. 2007) (Jayaram 1981, 2010; Shaji and Easa 2003).

This species is more common than other Mystus species. There has been a decline in catch by 40% over the last six years in Kerala (Kurup and Kumar 2009). In southern Tamil Nadu, catfishes are becoming rare in the last five years (M. Arunachalam pers. comm.). No information in trends is available for Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Mystus malabaricus is primarily a nocturnal, omnivorous and benthic catfish. It occurs in streams and mid reaches of big rivers (M. Arunachalam pers. comm.).

Threats include habitat loss due to sand mining, pollution and indirect mortality due to dynamite fishing in many parts of it's range. These combined with subsistence fishing and overfishing could lead to depletion of subpopulations of the species, but this species seems to be relatively stable compared to other Mystus spp. in the same areas (R. Abraham pers. obs. January 2010, B.M. Kurup pers. comm.).

The species is consumed in many parts of its range.

The species is present in a few protected areas, but a large proportion of the population is in unprotected lowland rivers. More research is needed to understand the population dynamics of the species in order to assign suitable conservation measures.