A tiny purple-eyed crab from land-and-stream setups that escapes through any gap.
Vampire Crabs (Geosesarma species such as G. dennerle and G. hagen) are small, 2 inch crabs with striking purple eyes and legs, kept in planted paludariums. They live about 2-3 years and are fully freshwater/terrestrial, not brackish like fiddlers.
They are bold and active but are expert escapees that climb glass, plants, and filter tubes, so a tightly sealed lid is non-negotiable. They are also territorial and will fight if crowded without enough cover.
They live roughly 2-3 years in a stable paludarium with both land and clean fresh water available at all times.
What do Vampire Crabs eat?
Feed sinking pellets, algae wafers, blanched veggies, and tiny insects or frozen foods 3-4 times weekly. They are omnivores and scavenge across the land and water edges.
Enclosure setup
A 10 gallon paludarium with a planted land shelf and a shallow fresh-water pool, 72-82°F and 70-80% humidity, works well. Provide many hides and a fully sealed lid with no climbing gaps.
Common mistakes with Vampire Crabs
Key errors are an unsealed lid (they vanish overnight), too little land or cover causing fights, stale water from poor filtration, and keeping them in brackish water they do not need.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
Any gap in the lid - they climb and escape within a day.
Too little land and cover, so crabs fight and lose limbs.
Letting the water go stale without filtration.
Adding salt for brackish conditions they do not require.
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