Pom Pom Crab
Ptychognathus barbatus
The Pom Pom Crab (Ptychognathus barbatus) is a peaceful invertebrate that's easy to keep. Give it a tank of at least 20 litres (5 US gallons), water held at 72-82°F, and a pH of 6.5-8.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
Various
We don't shade a region on this simplified map - your text may be Europe-only, worldwide, listed as "Various," captive-only, or outside the five areas used in the stocking calculator. That tool still scores whether your fish come from similar parts of the world.
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Pom Pom Crab Tank Setup
A tank of 20 litres (5 US gallons) or more with rock-steady water suits them best - keep it at 72-82°F with a pH around 6.5-8. Stable conditions matter most, as shrimp struggle to moult and breed when parameters bounce around.
What Do Pom Pom Crabs Eat?
They're bottom feeders, so give them sinking wafers, tablets, or frozen treats like bloodworm once the lights go down. Flakes that never reach the bottom leave them hungry even when the tank looks well-fed.
Pom Pom Crab Tank Mates
Sensitive to copper and some medications. The Pom Pom Crab is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. Good matches come down to the whole stocking list working together - temperature, tank size, and temperament - not any single label. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Pom Pom Crabs Good for Beginners?
Reasonable early choice after cycling. Buy after the tank has stable ammonia and nitrite readings, not the same weekend you fill it.
Pom Pom Crab - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Pom Pom Crabs need?
Pom Pom Crabs need a tank of at least 20 litres (5 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
What water parameters do Pom Pom Crabs need?
Keep them at 72-82°F with a pH of 6.5-8, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Pom Pom Crabs eat?
Pom Pom Crabs are bottom feeders. Give them sinking wafers, tablets, and frozen foods that settle on the substrate, ideally after the lights go off. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Pom Pom Crabs good for beginners?
Yes - Pom Pom Crabs are a reasonable beginner fish once the tank is cycled and parameters are stable. Add them after ammonia and nitrite read 0 ppm, not the same day you fill the tank.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Fish to avoid mixing with Pom Pom Crabs
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- OscarPredator - Oscar will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Pea PufferPredator - Pea Puffer will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Betta (Male)Predator - Betta (Male) will eat or injure smaller tank mates
