Red Devil Crab
Geosesarma hagen
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 2–3 cm
- Minimum tank
- 45 litres
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C
Species profile
Vampire Crab
Geosesarma dennerle
Common names: Vampire Crab, Purple Vampire Crab, Dennerle Vampire Crab
Recognized speciesVampire Crabs
Adult size
Up to 3 cm
Typical adult length 2–3 cm.
Up to 3 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- Mature planted aquarium setups
- Intermediate shrimp keepers
- Peaceful nano aquariums
- Breeding colonies
Think carefully if
- The aquarium contains shrimp-eating fish
- The tank is newly cycled
- Water conditions change frequently
A purple semi-terrestrial crab from Java known for bright yellow eyes and best kept in a humid, heavily structured paludarium.
Appearance and Identification
Purple to violet carapace and limbs with cream to yellow dorsal markings, bright yellow eyes, and contrasting purple claws.
Geosesarma dennerle is a recognized species from Java. Aquarium-trade vampire crabs are frequently mislabeled, so compare the complete colour pattern and provenance rather than relying on eye colour alone.
Males have a narrow pointed abdominal flap; females have a broad rounded flap adapted for brooding.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 90–140 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 50–75 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 45 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 45 cm
- Minimum group size
- 3
- Recommended group size
- 5
- Activity level
- Moderate
- Flow preference
- Low
- Planting preference
- Heavily planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- High
Use an escape-proof paludarium with about 70–80% humid land, shallow freshwater, leaf litter, cork, roots, moss, and many separate shelters.
Behaviour and Tankmates
Semi-terrestrial, crepuscular crab that hides among leaf litter and roots and forages on both damp land and shallow water margins.
May be maintained in a small group when females outnumber males and the enclosure contains abundant hiding places.
Males may compete for shelters and territory.
Best kept as a species-focused paludarium colony. Do not assume small shrimp, snails, fish, or other crab species are safe.
Water Parameters
This semi-terrestrial crab needs a humid paludarium with more land than water. Keep the freshwater section warm, clean, and moderately mineralized.
Parameter caveat
This species is semi-terrestrial and must not be housed as a fully aquatic crab.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Insectivore, Omnivore, Scavenger
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Complete crab or crustacean foodUse as the nutritional base.
- Small insect or frozen invertebrate foodOffer in portions the crabs can consume promptly.
- Leaf litter and vegetable matterProvides grazing and dietary variety.
Omnivorous scavenger and small predator. Offer a varied land-based diet with complete crustacean food, invertebrate foods, and some plant material.
Feed in several locations so subordinate animals can eat, and remove leftovers before they spoil.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Direct Developer, Land-Breeding Crab
- Breeding difficulty
- Moderate
- Breeding temperature
- 24 °C
- Breeding pH
- 7
- Brood or egg count
- Small brood of large eggs
- Incubation
- 35 days
- Parental care
- Maternal care
- Baby foods
- Fine complete crab food and tiny invertebrate foodsProvide dense leaf litter and many miniature shelters.
Females brood large eggs and release fully formed miniature crabs, allowing reproduction entirely within a suitable freshwater paludarium.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Indonesia, Java
- Natural habitat
- Freshwater Edge, Stream Bank, Tropical Forest Floor
- Aquarium contexts
- Paludarium, Species-Only Enclosure
- Audience level
- Intermediate
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Geosesarma
- Family
- Sesarmidae
- Species group
- Vampire Crabs
Have you kept this species?
You can write a note about what worked for you, or send a photograph. We check everything before it appears here.
Share a note or photo