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Vampire Crab – Complete Care Guide

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Vampire Crab in Paludarium

Vampire Crab Summary

Vampire crabs, sometimes called Purple Vampire Crabs, are vibrant and beautiful invertebrates that are fantastic for a paludarium. They are normally found in varying shades of purple, yellow and black. This semi-terrestrial crab does best surrounded by mosses and plants. The vampire crab spices up and creates a sense of mystery in a paludarium because they may not always be seen. This guide will provide complete care for a vampire crab.

Crab Information

The Vampire Crab will grow to be roughly two inches in length and has a life span of about 2 years. It won’t grow to incredibly large sizes. This is good because less space is needed to keep this social crab happy! They are normally peaceful with their own species but males may spar and fight when it is time to mate. Alleviate aggression by adding one male for every two females. This omnivorous species of crab is an excellent scavenger and will forage throughout the paludarium. It will also hunt from time to time so be mindful when keeping it with fish and shrimp.

This crustacean primarily spends its time on land but will submerge itself in water from time to time. The vampire crab will usually molt while submerged and will often graze on algae while being underwater. Much of this activity may not be seen because the vampire crab is a nocturnal animal!

The vampire crab is a remarkable escape artist. It can climb wires, plants, silicone on aquariums, and much more to reach the top of the aquarium and escape. It is important to keep the paludarium covered to prevent this.

Aquarium Requirements

5 gallons is the minimum tank size for Vampire crabs. Normally, one male and two females can be kept in an enclosure this small. They are social animals so having a single vampire crab isn’t recommended. A half dozen (2 males & 4 females), can be kept in a 10 gallon aquarium. Keeping a ratio of at least 1 male to 2 females is very important to help prevent males from fighting over females.

The paludarium needs a well-fitted glass top to prevent your crabs from escaping. Having an enclosed habitat will also help keep humidity at a relatively high level which is something a vampire crab requires. They do best with humidity levels at 75% or higher.

Image by u/Young-One23

A Vampire Crab paludarium is best when filled with mosses, plants, and leaf litter. Moss, like this one from Amazon, retains water which will help increase humidity levels as well as provide a habitat for small insects your crab can consume. The plants will provide additional cover and help absorb excess nutrients in the soil. Your crab may also scavenge dead/dying foliage. Leaf litter provides cover for your crab to help keep it feeling safe. The enclosure should also have an 80/20 land to water ratio. The water should have temperatures ranging between 75 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit (24 – 28 degrees Celsius), pH levels between 7.5 and 8.0, and KH levels between 4 and 10 dKH. Consider getting a Freshwater Master Test Kit to test for nitrates, nitrites, pH, and ammonia.

Lighting that is sufficient for live plants will work with vampire crabs. They do not need anything in particular because they are nocturnal. Plants that you can keep with Dart Frogs should be great plants for Vampire Crabs. You should install a sponge filter or submersible filter in a crab tank.

Food & Diet

Vampire Crabs spend much of their time scavenging and foraging for food in the paludarium but, it’s important to provide them with a well-rounded diet. Because they are omnivorous giving them both vegetative and food high in protein is a must.

Besides algae and plant matter in the paludarium, vampire crabs can be fed algae pellets, algae flakes, and vegetables to help provide them with proper nutrition. To help supplement their protein requirements foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, live fruit flies, crickets, and protein rich pellets can be given. Be mindful that live fruit flies and crickets can escape and get around your home. Supplement food with reptile safe calcium powder, like Zoo Med Reptile Calcium or place small cuttlebone pieces in the paludarium to provide additional calcium for your crabs.

Tank Mates

Vampire crabs are great with other vampire crabs. They may become territorial and fight with other species of crab such as Red Devil Crabs & Fiddler Crabs. Do not keep them with reptiles and amphibians. The reptile/amphibian will get picked on or the vampire crabs may get eaten. Very small fish and shrimp may also become an appetizing snack for vampire crabs if you have enough water space to house fish.

Fish that are similar in size to the crab should do fine in the same enclosure. Shrimp should be fine overall but may disappear due to their size. A tough shell will keep snails protected from crabs. Vampire crabs will try eating snails if they flip over. Bare in mind that vampire crab are opportunistic hunters and if they get a chance to acquire a meal, they will take it!

Breeding Vampire Crabs

There is not enough information to know how to properly breed vampire crabs. They normally accomplish this on their own if conditions are right in the paludarium. Once a male and female breed the female will carry around between 20 & 80 eggs on her body for roughly a month. Once the eggs hatch the babies go straight to work foraging and independently living in the enclosure.

Take the young vampire crabs out of the enclosure to prevent their parents and other crabs from eating them. Some may survive by hiding within plant matter and between rocks but many may perish to cannibalistic tanks mates.

Vampire Crab Molting

Vampire Crabs will molt roughly once a month. Molting occurs when a crab outgrows its exoskeleton. The crab will essentially “pop” out of its old skeleton and develop a new one. A molting vampire crab is incredibly vulnerable because right after a molt, the skin is becomes incredibly soft and fleshy. It takes time for the skeleton to harden. During this time, you should take care to avoid disturbing your Vampire Crab because the molting process is very stressful. They will likely hide throughout their molt and may not be seen for a few days. Providing plenty of hiding spots will help prevent other crabs from disturbing the molting Vampire Crab.

Final Notes

Vampire Crabs are incredible animals that continue to grow in popularity. They are not incredibly hard to keep and are a great pet for someone who does not need to see them all the time. They will spend a majority of their time independently foraging for food and with proper supplementation and a beautiful paludarium, the vampire crab can thrive in your home! If you are looking for a terrestrial crab species, take a look at the Halloween Moon Crab. Check out more guides on fish, plants, and inverts on atparium.com!

Images by u/Young-One23

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