TankBud

Red apple crab

Metasesarma aubryi

Also known as Chameleon crab, Red apple vampire crab

FreshwaterCrab

Red apple crab (Metasesarma aubryi)
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Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.5–8.2
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Sesarmidae
Origin
Coastal forests of Indonesia and the Philippines

Overview

The red apple crab is a small, color-changing crab for a humid paludarium. It is best kept by someone with some experience.

Did you know

The same red apple crab can look bright scarlet in the morning and slate gray by evening. That is why it is also sold as the chameleon crab. The color tracks its mood and molt cycle, not its species or its health.

Caring for the red apple crab

The red apple crab is semi-terrestrial, so it needs a paludarium with both land and shallow water rather than a full aquarium. A setup of at least 11 gal (40 L) houses a small group. Keep the land area planted and damp, with easy exits from the water so the crabs can climb out to bask. Cover the tank, since these crabs climb and will find any gap.

Keep the land section humid and the water hard and alkaline. Hold it at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C), with a pH of 7.5 to 8.2. Feed an omnivore mix of blanched vegetables, dried foods and occasional protein such as bloodworm.

A group lives together peacefully when there is enough room, humidity and hiding space. Provide plenty of cork bark, wood and leaf litter for cover. Cover matters most at molting time, when a soft-shelled crab is vulnerable.

Breeding is hard in captivity, because the larvae need brackish or salt water to develop. Raising young from a home paludarium is rarely achieved.

Good to know

Metasesarma aubryi is a small crab in the family Sesarmidae. It is known for changing color, shifting from deep apple red through orange to near black.

In the wild

The red apple crab comes from damp coastal forests in Indonesia and the Philippines. It lives on the moist forest floor at the edge of fresh water, rather than submerged in it.

Common questions

What size tank does a red apple crab need?

A red apple crab needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a red apple crab need?

A red apple crab is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.2.

What does a red apple crab eat?

A red apple crab is an omnivore. Feed it a mix of blanched vegetables, dried foods and occasional protein such as bloodworm.

How big does a red apple crab get?

An adult red apple crab reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

How does a red apple crab breed?

A red apple crab's larvae need brackish or salt water to develop. That makes breeding hard in captivity, and raising young in a home paludarium is rarely achieved.

Related species