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"red" Vampire Crabs invade America
#1
Hello folks,

I am from the USA so please excuse my use of English but there are no really experienced Geosesarma crab websites in English so I have found this group forum. I read this site translated by Google and sometimes things don't make lots of sense from bad translations so I thought I would make my own post here since it is known that you Europeans have been keeping these crabs much longer than Americans maybe can help me to get started right keeping and breeding them.

Firstly I will introduce my setup and a few crab pictures then ask some questions:

I have 4 male and 6 female Geosesarma sp. "Red Vampire Crab" which I received by mail on last Wednesday June 23rd. I had 5 male but one died after 12 hours of arrival.

Vivarium is 36"L x 18" W x 18" H with T5 High Output lighting. Between 70-85*F all times. Setup like a lowland SE Asian peat swamp with peat & spahgnum moss soil, living sphagnum moss and other moss types. 3 forms of Nepenthes ampullaria pitcher plants and other plants. I add new plants whenever I find interesting small species.

[Bild: crabitat2.jpg]

[Bild: crabitat1.jpg]

I read that these crabs are communal and enjoy others of their kind but they grapple sometimes. Not so much now they all have their own burrow to hide.
[Bild: redvampire3.jpg]

This crab died almost right after I took this picture, is camera in face too much stress?
[Bild: redvampire4.jpg]

Some have all red backs some have red with yellow border on bottom of red pattern, are they the same species?
[Bild: redvampire1.jpg]

Now some first questions:

1) I use R/O water which rate between Ph 7.0 & 8.0 depending where I buy it. Is this OK? Should I use natural spring water from a creek instead? Maybe higher Ph but more minerals?

2) Is it OK to use distilled/RO water to mist the vivarium several times a day?

3) I add 1 drop per 5 gallons of Kent Marine Iodine in soaking pool water for better molting, is there something I need to add for calcium? My crabs rarely spend time underwater, mostly in burrows I've dug or under moss. How else to supplement their calcium? Cuttlefish bone for birds?

4) I feed with live fruit flies, small crickets, Isopods (Porcellio scaber) and Giant Springtails. Isopods eat cuttlefish bone and fresh vegetables so are already full of calcium. I dust the fruit flies and crickets with reptocal calcium + D3. My Anole lizard only gets calcium supplements every other day to avoid toxic buildup. Can crabs eat too much calcium? Should I feed the crabs live food and calcium dust every day? I also sprinkle flake fish food here and there for them to find. Are these good foods I am giving them or should I feed something else?

4) Does anyone have pictures of Geosesarma crabs mating or having mating displays they can post? How long for egg development, gestation? What do baby crabs eat Isopods and Springtails soil organisms maybe?

Thank you for any help you can give this poor American who wants to keep his amazing (and very expensive) crabs alive as best I can! Icon_mrgreen
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#2
Hello Swords

wellcome in this group forum

the vivarium lokks great - but i`m not shure if the nephentes will not kill the small crabs

to some of the questions-
1) nearly evry water is ok when there is no copper or things like that in it-
perhabs you also can take rainwater

2) its easier for the glas - but not very good to trink - perhabs rainwater is better

3) cuddlefish oder Eggs will help fot Ca
Liebe Grüße Knut

"Wenn ein Mensch nichts gefunden hat, wofür er sterben würde, eignet er sich nicht zum Leben."
Martin Luther King
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#3
hallo zusammen,
Den Text verstehe ich eigentlich gar nicht aber die Bilder sind genial.
"Knut wenn das Fussballspiel heute langweilig sein sollte kannst Du ja mal anfangen den Text zu übersetzen..hi hi."
Ich wünsch Euch einen schönen Sonntag
Es Gruessli us de Schwiiz LG Patrick


Wer nicht mit der Zeit geht, geht mit der Zeit.
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#4
Thanks for the replies so far.

I am not too concerned about the Nepenthes eating the crabs, several species of Geosesarma are documented to visit Nepenthes ampullaria pitchers to steal the insects inside and absorb water. N. ampullaria grows in many places across SE Asia lowlands and these little crabs occur in many of the same warm & moist forests. For now the plants are young and the crabs do not fit inside the immature pitchers. N. ampullaria pitcher traps lack the waxy scales inside the short fat pitchers and the covering lid to trap much prey. With the lid pulled back the traps are full of water so most insects swim and climb out. Mostly this species of "carnivorous" plant (N. ampullaria) is now known to botanists to feed mostly on falling leaves and flowers from the forest canopy as well as a few insects. I have grown many Nepenthes for almost 10 years (selling off the largest species as they get huge and I run out of space) so I'm very happy to have the crabs to go with them, at least for an experiment.

I am still looking looking for the crab spider Misumenops nepenthicola to live in a vivarium with my Nepenthes rafflesiana where the crab spider makes it's home and hunting grounds. Also Camponotus schmitzi ants who live and hunt in the traps of Nepenthes bicalcarata but I do not suppose they are possible to ship to USA even if someone in Europe has them?

I will try to collect some rainwater. I live in an apartment so they may complain about some water pails outside. They complain about everything! LOL
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#5
Hi Swords, welcome to our "shell worlds" Icon_wink

(Sunday, 27. June 2010, 6:27)Swords schrieb: I am from the USA so please excuse my use of English
No problemo – we have an "international section" either but don't worry, there are enough members speaking english as well. Icon_wink

I have to work now but will answer detailed later to all Your questions!
Maat et joot, 'ne schöne Jrooß un bess demnähx, Ollie (vorher BEASTIE bzw. BEASTIEPENDENT)

[Bild: pw-mangroven7_312px.jpg] 
Krabben und andere Crustaceen (Krebstiere),
Muscheln, Schnecken und Zwergkrallenfrösche, Minidrachen (Zwergbartagamen + Hausgeckos) und Schlangen in rund 30 Becken
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#6
So that's me again Icon_wink I have some minutes now before I have to get to the next appointment.

(Sunday, 27. June 2010, 6:27)Swords schrieb: I read this site translated by Google and sometimes things don't make lots of sense from bad translations so I thought I would make my own post here since it is known that you Europeans have been keeping these crabs much longer than Americans maybe can help me to get started right keeping and breeding them.
That's okay – Google Translate is sometimes (!) useful, many things are not translated in a way that one could really understand something. Icon_mrgreen

Zitat:Vivarium is 36"L x 18" W x 18" H
That's 36 inches? About 90 centimetres? That's plenty of space for Geosesarma species.

Zitat: with T5 High Output lighting.
Good light is only for You (that You can see the crabs *g*) or plants. the crabs don't need much light – but it is not harmful for them either.

Zitat:Between 70-85*F all times.
I would not go that high, better would be a max. of about 82 degrees.

Zitat:Setup like a lowland SE Asian peat swamp with peat & spahgnum moss soil, living sphagnum moss and other moss types. 3 forms of Nepenthes ampullaria pitcher plants and other plants.
That's good.

Zitat:I read that these crabs are communal and enjoy others of their kind but they grapple sometimes. Not so much now they all have their own burrow to hide.
Yes, Sesarmidae mostly are, if not communally, but socially active crabs. So they don't live in colonies like fiddler crabs, but in groups and they should be kept in little groups – as You do! Icon_wink

Zitat:This crab died almost right after I took this picture, is camera in face too much stress?
Sorry for that, no. Of course they are stressed by import and many changes from shop to a keeper in the end but they are not that frightened by us or a camera. Icon_wink

Zitat:Some have all red backs some have red with yellow border on bottom of red pattern, are they the same species?
Most probably yes. Many crab species are highly variable in coloration, especially the members of the family Sesarmidae, where genus Geosesarma belongs to.

Zitat:1) I use R/O water which rate between Ph 7.0 & 8.0 depending where I buy it. Is this OK? Should I use natural spring water from a creek instead? Maybe higher Ph but more minerals?
The pH is not important for crabs. It just should not change dramatically from one moment to another, but the pH as such is not important. Just regard: Above a pH of more than about 7.5 You have to watch out for ammonia!

Since this species does not go often into the water the mineralization surely is not very important. We use normal tap water – but I don't know of the quality of Your tap water there. Natural spring water, if you can get it, is surely great IF You can be sure that it is really clean and not polluted by any industries in the near.

Zitat:Is it OK to use distilled/RO water to mist the vivarium several times a day?
Probably yes, but we would again advise normal tap water. If You do it because of the plants then do it. Icon_wink

Zitat:3) I add 1 drop per 5 gallons of Kent Marine Iodine in soaking pool water for better molting
We don't think this is really necessary but on the other hand it won't bother.

Zitat:is there something I need to add for calcium? My crabs rarely spend time underwater, mostly in burrows I've dug or under moss. How else to supplement their calcium? Cuttlefish bone for birds?
Cuttlefish bone is good, other possibilities include crushed egg shells or calcium powder – but since You are feeding many live food etcc. … see later

Zitat:4) I feed with live fruit flies, small crickets, Isopods (Porcellio scaber) and Giant Springtails. Isopods eat cuttlefish bone and fresh vegetables so are already full of calcium. I dust the fruit flies and crickets with reptocal calcium + D3.
That's why I think they get enough calcium.

Do they really catch fruit flies and iopods? Ours seem to be to lazy, maybe we should try more of this. If they DO feed on these live foods it's probably the best food they can get.

Zitat:Can crabs eat too much calcium?
We don't know – but I think they would just excrete superfluous calcium.

Zitat:Should I feed the crabs live food and calcium dust every day?
Absolutely not necessary. They are no special lizards or something like that. Icon_wink

Zitat:I also sprinkle flake fish food here and there for them to find. Are these good foods I am giving them or should I feed something else?
No, this seems to be a very good choice. Most Geosesarma species tend to be more carnivorous than "plant eaters".

Zitat:4) Does anyone have pictures of Geosesarma crabs mating or having mating displays they can post?
I have to seek out… (follows)

Zitat:How long for egg development, gestation?
At the very very least six weeks but more probably some three months.

Zitat: What do baby crabs eat Isopods and Springtails soil organisms maybe?
Yes, fine flake food either.

(Sunday, 27. June 2010, 10:10)Swords schrieb: I am not too concerned about the Nepenthes eating the crabs, several species of Geosesarma are documented to visit Nepenthes ampullaria pitchers to steal the insects inside and absorb water.
G. malayanum and G. perracae are reported of climbing inside the pitchers and "steal" insects, yes. On the other hand their are also findings that even grown ups sticked there and were digested.

But normally the Nepenthes should not eat the crabs, that is correct. but the offspring, the little baby crabs could well be eaten.

Zitat:I have grown many Nepenthes for almost 10 years (selling off the largest species as they get huge and I run out of space) so I'm very happy to have the crabs to go with them, at least for an experiment.
Try it! Someone has to find out such things anyway. Icon_wink

Have to go again now…
Zitat:Thank you for any help you can give this poor American who wants to keep his amazing (and very expensive) crabs alive as best I can! Icon_mrgreen
You're welcome! That's what this board is made for. Icon_wink
Maat et joot, 'ne schöne Jrooß un bess demnähx, Ollie (vorher BEASTIE bzw. BEASTIEPENDENT)

[Bild: pw-mangroven7_312px.jpg] 
Krabben und andere Crustaceen (Krebstiere),
Muscheln, Schnecken und Zwergkrallenfrösche, Minidrachen (Zwergbartagamen + Hausgeckos) und Schlangen in rund 30 Becken
Zitieren
#7
Zitat:Between 70-85*F all times.

I would not go that high, better would be a max. of about 82 degrees.
i think Olli means at this F not °C Icon_wink
Liebe Grüße Knut

"Wenn ein Mensch nichts gefunden hat, wofür er sterben würde, eignet er sich nicht zum Leben."
Martin Luther King
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#8
环境好棒
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