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Encyclopedia / Crayfish & Crabs / Vampire crab
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Vampire crab

Geosesarma spp. (e.g. G. dennerle, G. hagen) · Geosesarma

Climbs and escapes; needs a sealed paludarium.

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1 cmAdult size ✓
22–28 °CTemperature ✓
UnknownpH ?
19 LSmallest tank ✓
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This one is best kept on its own, or with its own kind.

Not recommended
  • Vampire crab should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Not recommended
  • Vampire crab should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Not recommended
  • Vampire crab should be kept without other species, and it needs a land area too.
Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ?Unknown
Group size ?3 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?Bottom
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ✓2–3 years
Size in shops 1.5–2 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Climbs and escapes; needs a sealed paludarium.

Good to know: Semi-terrestrial: needs a paludarium with mostly land and a small water area.

Food

Insects, fish food, fruit.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

MaleNarrow belly flap, brighter claws
FemaleWide belly flap
TipUnderside
How hard to tellModerate

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Direct developer · Hard

Breeds on land with no sea-going larval stage: larval stages are passed inside the egg and fully formed young hatch.

Pairing

Buy 6-10 crabs. Males have bigger claws.

Setup

A paludarium with water and land, moss, leaf litter, and high humidity. Keep at 22-26 C.

What starts it

Warm, humid conditions with a dry/wet cycle and good food.

Eggs

Females carry 20-80 eggs; the young are small crabs and hatch directly.

Raising the fry

Feed small foods and micro worms. Give hiding places.

Common mistakes
  • Keeping them in water without land
  • Keeping with large crabs
  • Low humidity
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSoutheast Asia (aquarium species mainly from Java, Indonesia)
Rivers and lakesForest streams of Java and nearby islands
HabitatHumid forest floors near small streams
Native rangeAbout 2,000 km across
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The story of the vampire crab

Small, colourful land-dwelling crabs named 'vampire crabs' in the pet trade for the bright yellow eyes of some species. Young hatch fully formed, with no sea larval stage. Two Javan species sold for years were only described in 2015, and they are threatened by over-collection for the trade.

The genus Geosesarma was named by Johannes Govertus de Man in 1892. The 'vampire crabs' sold in the hobby, with purple bodies and yellow eyes, appeared in the 2000s, and some were only scientifically described in 2015. They are semi-land crabs that need both water and dry ground.

First described by Johannes G. de Man in 1892.

  • Some vampire crab species were described only in 2015.
  • Females carry fully formed baby crabs instead of releasing larvae.
  • They need both land and water in their tank.

Sources

12 facts checked with sources