Vampire crab "Panda" - Lepidothelphusa cognetti

The white-shear crab Lepidothelphusa cognetti is also called Sarawak land crab after its locality on Borneo. This very peaceful little crab only reaches a carapace diameter of 3-4 cm. To the name-giving yellowish-white claws and claw arms it has an equally colored carapace. The legs are dark purple to almost black, as are the conspicuous eyestalks. In the biotope it lives both on land and in water. It comes from rather karstic hilly areas with hard water, where it is mainly found in accumulations of foliage near streams. Females have a U-shaped abdominal valve, while that of males has a V-shape.

In the aquaterrarium, the terrestrial part and the aquatic part should be about half each. The water may be medium hard to hard (but fresh water), for the land part we recommend terrarium humus. Since the white-scissor crab does not like plants, the aquaterrarium can be planted well. The animals like to dig, this should be considered in the substrate height. Otherwise they need hiding places on the land as well as in the water part, where they can retreat for example after molting. In general, a crab terrarium should be well structured with wood and stones, so that the animals can avoid each other in case of fights. Although the white scissor crab is a very peaceful and social animal that should be kept in groups, squabbles can still occur, albeit rarely.

For the water part, make sure there is one more exit point than there are crabs in the tank. Lepidothelphusa cognetti needs tropical air temperatures of 23 to 28 °C, while in the water part 22 to 25 °C are sufficient. Especially the juveniles are more likely to be found in the water, while the adults also use the land part. The aquaterrarium must close absolutely tightly, since the small curious crawlers are climbing artists and find each still so small gap.

The White Scissor Dwarf Crab is a peaceful group animal that should not be kept individually. A group of 10 animals is fine in an 80 cm aquaterrarium, a group of 5 animals can also be kept in a 60 cm tank. In the water part of such an aquaterrarium can be kept very well, for example, freshwater shrimps, and also water snails. Especially the latter are a very popular permanent live food source for the crabs. On the terrestrial part, white isopods and springtails have proven to be a cleaning troop and also a source of live food.

In addition to animal protein, which should come primarily from aquatic animals, larvae, and insects, white-shear dwarf crabs will readily take plant foods. Brown autumn leaves are a very good permanent food that corresponds to the crabs' natural diet. Fruits and vegetables as well as food tablets of all kinds are also well accepted. The nocturnal animals go very actively in search of food and are then all over the terrarium.

The breeding of the Sarawak land crab has already been successful in the aquaterrarium. After mating, the females carry up to 30 eggs in their abdominal flap, from which fully developed young hatch after a few weeks of gestation. The mother takes care of her brood for a few more days, then the young are on their own. They need a lot of hiding places, especially in the early days.

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.