TankBud

Tanganyika crab

Platythelphusa sp.

FreshwaterCrab

Tanganyika crab (Platythelphusa sp.)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.0–8.5
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
16 gal
60 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Own kind
One male per tank
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg carrier · Hard
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Potamonautidae
Origin
Africa

Overview

The Tanganyika crab is a predatory freshwater crab for a hard, alkaline species tank. It is a crab for keepers with some experience.

Did you know

Lake Tanganyika has its own flock of crabs found nowhere else, and unlike most freshwater crabs, they never leave the water. Several evolved heavy claws to crack the lake's many snails, much as the cichlids famous for the same trick do.

Caring for the Tanganyika crab

Tanganyika crabs need no land area at all. Give one at least 16 gal (60 L), with plenty of rock caves, crevices and piled stones for shelter and territory. Fit a secure lid.

Copy the lake's hard, alkaline, mineral-rich water, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.5. Strong filtration keeps the water clean and rich in oxygen. Keep copper out of the tank, since it poisons crustaceans.

Feed sinking pellets, mussel and other meaty foods, along with some greens. Tanganyika crabs molt to grow, and the caves and crevices give them a place to do it.

They are predatory foragers that will eat shrimp, snails, small fish and weaker crabs. Keep one on its own or in a species tank rather than a community, with no more than one male.

They breed by direct development, and the females carry eggs that hatch into fully formed crabs. Captive breeding is seldom managed, so it is rated hard.

Good to know

Tanganyika crabs belong to Platythelphusa, a group now placed in the family Potamonautidae after being shuffled between several families over the years. Their span is measured across the legs and depends on the species.

In the wild

Tanganyika crabs live in Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, a vast, deep rift lake with hard, alkaline and very stable water. Adults live down among rocks and shells, well below the surface.

Common questions

What size tank does a Tanganyika crab need?

A Tanganyika crab needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Tanganyika crab need?

A Tanganyika crab is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.5.

What does a Tanganyika crab eat?

A Tanganyika crab eats sinking pellets, mussel and other meaty foods, along with some greens. It will also eat shrimp, snails, small fish and weaker crabs.

How big does a Tanganyika crab get?

An adult Tanganyika crab reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How does a Tanganyika crab breed?

Tanganyika crabs breed by direct development, and the females carry eggs that hatch into fully formed crabs. Captive breeding is seldom managed, so it is rated hard.

Related species