Scriptaphyosemion geryi

 SCRIPTAPHYOSEMION GERYI (Lambert)

Originally published as: B.K.A. Information pamphlet No.40 November 1968

Habitat: Sierra Leone, found in shallow well shaded waters.

Size: Male’s around 2.5″, Female a shade smaller.

Colour and Description: Male: The shape is very much the same as our old friend Scriptaphosemion liberiense. Ground colour greenish blue, the sides are arrayed with numerous red scales forming what has been termed a zig – zag pattern which is very variable from fish to fish. Fins are greenish overlaid with numerous red streaks and blotches, once again forming no set pattern. There is a strain of Scriptaphosemion Geryi which carries a yellow edged caudal fin.

            Female: The female has a ground colour of light brown overlayed with darker scales forming this zig – zag pattern, as with Scriptaphosemion Liberiense females, a small caudal spot is present.

Care and Breeding: Not a touchy species, but water should be aged with a pH of 6.8 – 7.4 DH around 7 – 10, water temperature around 73F-75F. As regards to feeding Daphnia, Tubifex, White worm, Gnat larva, these will all be taken.

This species is what one terms a switch spawner taking to mops and bottom peat. One thing I have noted is that young pairs spawn at higher levels in their tanks than adult pairs who tend to settle for the bottom peat. This peat can be drawn of with a volume of water and placed in a container to hatch on, eggs take around fourteen days to hatch.

On hatching the fry will take brine shrimp as a first food, combined with micro worm. Fry grow quite quickly and at twelve weeks will start to spawn.

Summary: Scriptaphosemion Geryi is one of the more timid species and because of this tends to be over looked in favour of more robust, less skittish species. But given a tank with plenty of bottom cover this species will settle down and show its very beautiful colour.