Red mangrove crab, Pseudosesarma moeshi

The red mangrove crab Pseudosesarma moeshi lives amphibious, so it needs both a land and a water part. Keeping it in an aquaterrarium is therefore a must. In the wild the Red Mangrove Crab Pseudosesarma moeshi is mainly found in the coastal mangrove forests of Southeast Asia. Here it lives in brackish water, but it can also be found in fresh water from time to time. The crab is especially common in Thailand, which is why it is often called the red Thai crab.

The red mangrove crab is mainly dark brown in color, only the claws are light or dark red with a lighter tip. The claws of the males are usually larger and also more intensely colored. Females have a larger, U-shaped abdominal flap, while that of males is V-shaped and much smaller. The male crabs grow up to 4 cm, the females usually reach a size of about 3-4 cm. The life expectancy of the red mangrove crab is about 3-4 years. Like many other mangrove crabs, the red mangrove crab communicates via knocking sounds. It is a very social and also peaceful species.

The Red Thai Crab can also be kept in an aquaterrarium in fresh water. However, an addition of salt is good for the animals. It is important that the crabs have both water and land areas available. They also need climbing aids to get from the water to the sitting areas. These mangrove crabs are very sociable and should always be kept with several conspecifics. They can easily be socialized with other similar sized mangrove crab species. It is also possible to socialize them with other animals such as robust dwarf shrimp or even fish in the aquatic section. Pseudosesarma moeshi are not very eager hunters, but it can happen from time to time that a fish is eaten. Snails are cracked very gladly.

For keeping a tank of at least 60 liters is recommended. There should be enough hiding places and retreats, which are very important especially during the moult. As substrate we recommend coco-based terrarium humus , which should be piled high enough for the animals to dig their short tunnels. Plants are eaten, but you can plant the aquaterrarium with hard Dracaena species, for example, or with Ficus species that grow quickly. However, you must expect that the crabs will not only eat the plants, but also dig them up. Beware of plants from the flower store, crabs are very sensitive to pesticides! So these plants should be kept outside the aquaterrarium for a long time, and before planting, the potting soil on the roots must be washed off completely. The air temperature in the aquaterrarium should be between 24 and 30°C, and the water temperature between 21 and 27°C. The pH and water hardness play only a minor role. The aquaterrarium must be absolutely tight, crabs are very good climbers, extremely curious and amazingly strong. Loose lids are pried open!

The Red Mangrove Crab is an omnivore, with a clear emphasis on vegetarian food. Varied food is very important. Everything from leaves, fruits and dead plant parts to insects and algae to stream fleas and granulated and tablet food is readily accepted. The crabs search for their food on land as well as in the water. Also brown leaves (a main food of the red Thai crab in nature), and roots, which can be gnawed off, should have a fixed place on the menu.

For reproduction, Pseudosesarma moeshi needs salt water. No later than 3-4 days after mating, the female carries the eggs to her abdominal valve, where she cleans and cares for them until the end of the gestation period. After about 3 weeks, the female then releases the larvae into the water. Depending on the age of the female, up to several hundred eggs are possible. The larvae need brackish to seawater to grow up. Breeding has already been successful, but it is very laborious.

Our food recommendation: Crabs in the wild tend to have a very varied diet. Most species are omnivores, and with the Natureholic Crab Feed Sticks we have taken this preference into account. They contain biologically balanced animal and vegetable components, which are also part of the natural food spectrum of omnivorous crabs in the field in such or such a similar way. The valuable ingredients of NatureHolic Crab Feed support the molting, digestion, growth and reproduction of your crabs in a completely natural way.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use marsh plants, which are plants that are rooted in soil that is very wet or even submerged, but whose flowers and leaves are usually all or partially in the airspace and can be seen above the water surface. For example, marsh plants are usually found on and in lakes and streams, but also on and in garden ponds or other bodies of water that provide them with a wet substrate, but still leave room for flowers and leaves to show to the outside.

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