Thai Micro Crabs (Limnopilos naiyanetri) tiny, fully aquatic crabs that so far have only been found in one specific river in Thailand
photo credit: Aquatic Arts
The Thai Micro Crab, also known as the "false spider crab," has the scientific name Limnopilos naiyanetr. These aquatic crabs are extremely rare and have only been spotted in a single river in Thailand. They're uncommon and novel to the aquarium hobby, making it tough to find them for sale anywhere. In contrast to most crab species, this one can be kept alive and well in a freshwater aquarium, where it can be kept at all times without ever having to be removed from the water. The micro crabs in your aquarium will likely go unnoticed by the fish and other inhabitants, but any aggressive species may try to eat them. To keep them company, get them some dwarf shrimp.
These crabs are frequently mistaken for spiders due to their long, spider-like legs. Legs that are typically a pale brown or beige instead look almost silvery in this creature.
Since they only get to be about half an inch in size, Thai Micro Crabs are great for nano and micro aquariums (including their leg-span). They may be wary at first, but they quickly get used to their new home and start clinging to the plants and perching on the driftwood. There should be plenty of places for them to hide, such as caves and thick vegetation. They use the tiny hairs on their claws to filter out food particles, just like Singapore Flower Shrimp and Bamboo Shrimp.
References
Panther Crab (Parathelphusa pantherina) are fully aquatic crabs that originates from IndonesiaPom Pom Crab (Ptychognathus barbatus) a true gem and consummate nano aquarium specimen!
Thai Micro Crabs (Limnopilos naiyanetri) tiny, fully aquatic crabs that so far have only been found in one specific river in Thailand