Chinese panther crabs - Heterochelamon tessellatum

The Chinese Panther Crab Heterochelamon tessellatum is a recently described species from southern China. This rarely imported crab lives almost exclusively in the water, yet it also needs some perching opportunities protruding from the water, such as root wood or stone structures, so it can perch when it wants to. It is important to have more perching opportunities than crabs in the tank. The Chinese panther crab has a beige to gray base color and many dark speckles. Very typical is an orange thin rim around their face. With about 5 cm carapace diameter Hetrochelamon tessellatum grows quite large. Males, as with all crabs, have a V-shaped ventral shield, while that of females is shaped like a U.

Female Chinese panther crabs lay eggs after mating, which they carry under their abdominal flap until the young hatch after several weeks. As true freshwater crabs, they carry large eggs that hatch into fully developed baby crabs that grow large in freshwater after a gestation period of several weeks. The small crabs have a very strong cannibalistic disposition. Many hiding places such as a layer of brown autumn leaves, ceramic or sintered glass rolls (e.g. Sera Siporax), caves made of clay, half coconuts etc. increase the chances of survival for the small Chinese panther crabs enormously.

For the Chinese Panther Crab, calculate with 50 l aquarium volume per animal. If you want to keep them in a group, you have to pay attention to a good structure of wood and stones, so that the animals can easily avoid each other e.g. after a moult. Please make sure that the aquarium is absolutely escape-proof, crabs also climb up silicone seams and can pry open amazingly heavy lids. Plants usually leave the Chinese Panther Crab undamaged.

The Chinese Panther Crab eats mainly food of animal origin: snails (live, well reproducing snails like the Paradise Sn ail are very suitable for keeping in a crab aquarium, they are a very good permanent source of live food), raw unseasoned fish, but also special food for carnivorous crabs and food for crayfish. Heterochelamon tesselatum also likes to eat frozen food or protein food.

Small, slow swimming or bottom dwelling fish are sometimes preyed upon, but the Chinese Panther Crab can be socialized well with medium sized, fast, peaceful fish, for example. However, if you want to breed them, we recommend a species tank. Heterochelamon tesselatum can also be kept with dwarf shrimps, if their demands on the water values are about the same. It is nevertheless possible that one or the other shrimp will be eaten. From its home country the Chinese Panther Shrimp is used to high water temperatures of 26 to 30 °C.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planaria and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.