TGA Vampire crab "Fire" - Geosesarma hagen

The Red Devil or Fire vampire crab  is native to Central Java/Indonesia. Geosesarma hagen "Fire" is a small land crab that was scientifically described as a species in 2015. The Fire devil crab has a particularly striking intense red coloration on its dorsal carapace and has glowing red claws. The base color of Geosesarma hagen "Fire" is dark brown-reddish, and the eyes glow sulfur yellow. The dorsal carapace of the fire land crab grows to only about 2 inches wide. The males of Geosesarma hagen "Fire" show an arrow-shaped narrow form of their abdominal apron, the females can be recognized by the fact that this flap is much wider and rounded at the upper edge.

Geosesarma hagen "Fire" belongs to the specialized type, from the large but few eggs of the Red Devil Fire vampire crab hatch fully developed young crabs. The adults do chase after their offspring, but in a large, varied and well-structured terrarium with plenty of hiding places for the young crabs, offspring can certainly get through.  A special rearing terrarium increases the survival chances of the young animals considerably, however, they also predate among themselves, so here, too, many hiding places are mandatory.

The Fire Vampire Crab is a socially oriented land cra b that should not be kept alone. A group of at least three animals is recommended, more is of course always possible. There should always be more females than males in such a group of vampire crabs. The terrestrial Geosearma hagen "Fire" is not suitable for socialization with other invertebrates or fish.

A small group of 5-6 Red Devil Fire crabs with excess females fits perfectly in a wetland terrarium of 60 cm edge length or more. Geosesarma hagen "Fire" is perfectly adapted to land life and drowns in deep water. For molting, however, especially the young crabs like to go into shallow water, so it does not work completely without a water source. The Red Devil Crab only needs a small, shallow section of water or a shallow bowl of fresh water. Make sure the substrate in the terrarium is permanently moist, but without waterlogging. The terrarium can be planted well, because Red Devil Fire Vampire Crab does not eat plants, but likes to climb in them very much. Geosesarma hagen uses unplanted areas to dig their living burrows, so there should definitely be room for that as well.

The air temperature in the aquaterrarium or humid terrarium for land crabs should be between 20 and 26 °C, the humidity is kept high by the permanently moist substrate. Terrarium humus and coco humus have proven to be suitable as substrate. The substrate should be piled up so high that the small crabs can create their short living burrows in it. Plates of xaxim on the wall expand the area that Geosesarma hagen can use in the aquarium. Fire vampire crabs are also extremely good climbers, so the terrarium must be completely enclosed. Some brown autumn foliage should also be present as a hiding place. An approach of white isopods and / or springtails keeps the aquaterrarium clean.

The Red Devil or Fire Vampire Crab is a carnivorous small crab that usually does not accept any vegetables at all - although individual specimens do taste them once in a while, so you can always offer them, but then they should not remain in the terrarium until they rot. Also the above recommended foliage is not eaten, but white isopods and springtails like to feed on it, which the crabs like to accept as live food. The little flaming red jewels also like to eat special food for Geosesarma and other carnivorous crabs, and they like frozen food or freeze-dried insects, larvae and worms.