It’s often difficult for someone who wants an aquarium but doesn’t have the time to think about it. For those people, freshwater crabs for the aquarium will be a great choice. Because they comes with a variety of colorful and interesting crab species and not much to think about in saltwater aquariums like corals and saltwater.
Note – Here I listed some crabs that need brackish water. Click here if you want to know only about fully aquatic freshwater crabs.
1. Matano crab
Matano crab is also a fully freshwater crab scientifically known as Syntripsa matannensis. Their natural habitat is the rocky floors of Matano Lake; the adult crabs can reach up to 5 inches so you will need a bigger tank if you are keeping 2 or 3.
2. Thai micro crab
The Thai micro crab is one of the cutest and smallest crab you can find. This crab can only be found in the Chin River which makes it rare. This crab is a fully freshwater crab; they depend on floating plant particles and microorganisms. Their whole body is covered with small hairs which help them catch food particles.
3. Rainbow crab
Cardisoma armatum commonly known as the Rainbow crab is a semi-terrestrial crab and also needs brackish and fresh water. They have a blue or purple body with bright red legs and the males are comparatively more colorful.
4. Red apple crab
Red claw crab scientifically known as Metasesarma aubryi is a freshwater crab species; they belong to the land of Sulawesi, Indonesia. They are semi terrestrial and love to live in heavily wooded areas close to the water. They can live up to 6 years but there is no guarantee that they will live that long in captivity.
5. Orange arm Borneo crab
For its yellowish-orange claw, this crab is known as the orange arm Borneo crab (Lepidothelphusa sp.); they spend most of their time on land but often submerge themselves in freshwater. They are native to Java, Indonesia. 2 other Borneo crabs are – White arm blue Borneo crab and Purple Volcano Borneo Crab.
6. Clibanarius fonticola
Many people misunderstand terrestrial hermit crabs thinking they are freshwater crabs but they are not. Land crabs like strawberry or purple pinchers need saltwater to do everything and freshwater to drink they can’t thrive in only freshwater.
The marine crabs are saltwater except for one; Clibanarius fonticola or freshwater hermit crab. This crab is the only freshwater hermit crab and it is so rare you can barely find one in the local store.
7. Palawan purple crab
Insulamon palawanense mainly known as Palawan purple crab is a freshwater species that belongs to the Philippines and can reach up to 2 inches. They have somewhat red claws and purple to dark purple bodies.
8. Panda crab
The panda crab aka The Sarawak land crab (Lepidothelphusa Cognetti) will be the most attractive crab on this list because of its panda-like appearance and it is considered a true freshwater crab. They are relatively small crabs that can reach up to 1.6 inches and native to Malaysia.
9. Fiddler crab
Fiddler crab is a widely popular pet crab species that needs a mix of salt and freshwater. This crab is the most common type of crab in the Bay region. An interesting fact is they can change their color; Pale at night and dark at daytime.
10. Towuti crab
Towuti crab is a freshwater crab that is sometimes referred to as the Sulawesi crab the scientific name being Syntripsa flavichela. This is an easy-keeping curious crab (can grow up to 2 inches and can live up to 3 years) that can be a great addition to your freshwater aquarium.
11. Thai devil crab
Thai devil crab is a terrestrial crab species that is considered a freshwater crab; though they need both fresh and brackish water (place two bowls of water; freshwater and saltwater). So they are not fully freshwater crabs as some blogs claim.
12. Red devil crab
The red devil crab comes from the Geosesarma sp.; known for its bright red colored body with yellow eyes. They are freshwater land crabs meaning you will need a paludarium with half land and half freshwater setup to keep them.
13. Vampire crab
Geosesarma dennerle commonly known as vampire crab for its glowing eyes; vampire crab is a semi-terrestrial crab that will require a freshwater paludarium setup. There are many (67) types of vampire crabs like orchid vampire crab, rainbow vampire crab and tomato vampire crab; all have different colorful appearances.
14. Tanganyika crab
Tanganyika crab is a freshwater crab that can live up to 5 years; scientifically known as Potamonautes platynotus. This is a fully aquatic crab (sometimes seen out of the water) belonging to Lake Tanganyika, Africa.
15. Red claw crab
Perisesarma bidens commonly goes by as red claw crab is not a fully freshwater crab but rather needs brackish water and freshwater. They belong to the mangrove where they get both fresh and saltwater. They are small semi-terrestrial crabs that will do well in paludarium.
16. Marble crab
Marble crab also known as batik crab scientific name being Metasesarma obesum. They belong to Christmas Island, Mergui archipelago and Madagascar along with the areas with no freshwater source. So they also need freshwater and saltwater.
17. Panther crab
The panther crab is a fascinating full freshwater crab sometimes referred as a house leopard crab. They are semi-aggressive crabs. So be careful when choosing tankmates.
18. Pom pom crab
Boxer crab or pom pom crab has one of the unique appearances in freshwater aquariums. This crab carries anemones in its claws like boxing gloves. This symbiotic relationship can be seen in many saltwater crab species but carrying anemones being a freshwater crab makes it unique.
19. Spider crab
Spider crab (not the one with long legs) scientifically known as Neosarmatium meinerti is a mangrove crab that can reach up to 3 to 4 inches. This crab also needs two bowls of water saltwater and freshwater as it is semi-terrestrial.
