Red Apple Crab
Metasesarma aubryi
The Red Apple Crab (Metasesarma aubryi) is a semi-aggressive invertebrate that's a good step up once you have a little experience. Give it a tank of at least 100 litres (26 US gallons), water held at 72-82°F, and a pH of 7-8.5.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
Southeast Asia
- East & Southeast Asia
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Red Apple Crab Tank Setup
A tank of 100 litres (26 US gallons) or more with rock-steady water suits them best - keep it at 72-82°F with a pH around 7-8.5. Stable conditions matter most, as shrimp struggle to moult and breed when parameters bounce around.
What Do Red Apple Crabs Eat?
They're not fussy eaters - feed a varied diet, rotating good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods rather than the same thing every day, and match the food size to their mouths.
Red Apple Crab Tank Mates
Requires land area; escape artist; may attack slow fish The Red Apple Crab is semi-aggressive, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's predatory, so anything small enough to fit in its mouth will be treated as food rather than a companion. 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 Red Apple Crabs Good for Beginners?
Doable once you test water regularly and catch problems before fish look sick. If this is your first tank, pick something more forgiving and come back later.
Red Apple Crab - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Red Apple Crabs need?
Red Apple Crabs need a tank of at least 100 litres (26 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 Red Apple Crabs need?
Keep them at 72-82°F with a pH of 7-8.5, 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 Red Apple Crabs eat?
Red Apple Crabs are omnivores and aren't fussy eaters. Feed a varied mix of good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods, and match the food size to their mouths. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Red Apple Crabs good for beginners?
Red Apple Crabs are best for keepers with a little experience. They are manageable once you test water regularly and catch problems early; a complete beginner may prefer something more forgiving first.
Common mistakes with Red Apple Crabs
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 100 litres (26 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
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 Red Apple 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
