Alternative name Laimosemion geayi.

This beautiful species was described as early as 1899 by M. Léon Vaillant.
It was found in the river area of the Mahuri during 2 trips made by M. Geay in 1897 and 1898 and Vaillant named the species after its discoverer M. Geay, a French explorer.

The description is in French and very short, and includes only 56 lines, but meets the requirements in those bygone days.
In the description the place of origen is described as; <The results were made in the Mahuri river located at 5 or 6 minutes of longitude in the East of the Cayenne river, with which it communicates by a lateral arm, and in some rivers of the French-Brasilieu disputed territory> Translated from French to English with DEEPL.com.

The description of the locality by Vaillant, is not in line with the description of the type locality as mentioned in Killi Data Online where it states the following. <Beyond the sources of Rivière Carnot (today rio Carnot Grande), upstream the water limits of Carsevenne (today rio Calçoene) and Cachipour (today rio Caciporé), near the latter's origin, contesté Franco-Brésilien (today Brasil), 450 m altitude.>

The location mentionned is more to the east and lies in Brazil indeed. Let us find out what is the correct location.

Keeping and breeding is easy but a good cover of the aquarium is necessary because there ability to jump, even true the smallest opening, is unbelievable.

This species can, if there is enough space for them, housed in a tank with more males than one only and several females. If separated before and brought together again however, they can be very agressive to each other and fight to become dominant to others. The best way to have much offspring is to put a pair or an trio in a small tank from 10 liters with a small filter in it or with some airation. On the bottom some peat moss or dark gravel and a floating "mop" to give space for laying there eggs. The fish will, if they become a rich varity of life food, spawn during there whole adult life and produce daily between 5 to 15 eggs.

The eggs should be collected by hand and stored for about 14 days in a small container. Eggs are 1.6 mm and amber colored. It is wise, to add to the water you store the eggs in, some acryflavine to provent fungus coming up.

After hatching the young fry can eat fresh artemia nauplii without any problem. It takes 4 to 5 months to raise them to maturity. Often the number of males is far above the number of females. For some species this can become a major problem for the breeder as he has to raise many young fishes and so become able to distribute a few pairs to other hobbyists. Recent personal tests laerned that lower pH levels during the time of hatching gave a higher percentage of females. To achieve this I use some peat moss that I add to the container with the egss just before they are ready to hatch. This peat moss also is a good way to prevent eggs to become attact by fungusses.

There lifespan can be up to 3 years in captivity.

Remarks :

Max. size 4.0 cm.
Dorsal 8.0,
Anal 11.0,
D/A 7.0
LL scale count (average)33.0
Pre- dorsal length to % SL– 71.0 %
Depth to % SL – 17.0 %

Vaillant, L. 1899. Note preliminaire sur les Collections ichthyologiques recueillies par M. Gaey en 1897 et 1898 dans la Guyane francaise et le Conteste Franco- Bresilien. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, 5: 156.