TankBud

Tricolor Borneo crab

Lepidothelphusa menneri

Also known as Tricolor vampire crab, Tricolour Borneo crab, Three-colored crab, Tricolor panda Borneo crab

FreshwaterCrab

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
7.0–8.0
Adult size
0.6 in
1.5 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg carrier · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Gecarcinucidae
Origin
Gunung Kelam near Sintang, West Kalimantan, Borneo

Overview

The tricolor Borneo crab is a small, gentle crab for a species paludarium with moving water. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The tricolor Borneo crab was on sale for years before science caught up with it. When Ng and Wowor described it in 2024, they also examined crabs bought in the Singapore and Bekasi aquarium trade. They noted that its tiny clutches make heavy collecting a real worry, enough to say it should be regarded as vulnerable.

Caring for the tricolor Borneo crab

The tricolor Borneo crab spends most of its time in or right beside the water, so it needs a species paludarium. Build one of 11 gal (40 L) or more, with about 70 percent shallow, flowing water and 30 percent land. Give it a stone and gravel bed, with cover on both sides of the waterline. Scatter leaf litter, and cap the tank tightly, because it climbs.

Keep the water cool, clean and well oxygenated, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 7.0 to 8.0. Never add copper. Feed insects, bits of fish or shrimp, sinking crab pellets and a little blanched vegetable.

Tricolor Borneo crabs are gentle and social, and they do best in a group of five or more. They ignore snails and most adult shrimp but can catch shrimplets. They should not share a tank with fish.

One egg-carrying female held just 21 large eggs, about 1.3 mm across. The young hatch as fully formed crabs, and breeding is moderately hard. Tank-bred stock is now sold by some US shops, and it is a better start than wild imports.

Good to know

Lepidothelphusa menneri was the first member of its genus found outside Sarawak, and its 2024 description appeared in Zootaxa. Its type series was collected at Gunung Kelam. The holotype male measures 12.7 by 11.5 mm, and the largest known male is 14.1 mm across the carapace. That makes it a small crab, with a legspan of around 4 cm. In life the carapace is split into three color bands. The front is bright yellow to orange, the middle dark brown to purplish black, and the back pale to bright blue. The claws are pale yellow and the legs reddish brown. It is collected in large numbers for export to Singapore, China and Europe, and its conservation status has not been assessed.

In the wild

The tricolor Borneo crab lives on Gunung Kelam, a forested hill about 20 km east of Sintang in West Kalimantan. It sits at the edge of shallow creeks over gravel and stone, tucked among leaf litter and roots.

Common questions

What size tank does a tricolor Borneo crab need?

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

What temperature and pH does a tricolor Borneo crab need?

A tricolor Borneo crab is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.0.

What does a tricolor Borneo crab eat?

A tricolor Borneo crab eats insects, bits of fish or shrimp and sinking crab pellets. Add a little blanched vegetable.

How big does a tricolor Borneo crab get?

An adult tricolor Borneo crab reaches about 0.6 in (1.5 cm).

How does a tricolor Borneo crab breed?

The female tricolor Borneo crab carries her eggs, and the young hatch as fully formed crabs. One female held just 21 large eggs, and breeding is moderately hard.

Related species