Tanganyika Crab
Platythelphusa armata
The Tanganyika Crab (Platythelphusa armata) is a peaceful invertebrate that's easy to keep. Give it a tank of at least 60 litres (16 US gallons), water held at 75-82°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
- Africa
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Tanganyika Crab Tank Setup
A tank of 60 litres (16 US gallons) or more with rock-steady water suits them best - keep it at 75-82°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 Tanganyika 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.
Tanganyika Crab Tank Mates
Sensitive to copper and some medications. The Tanganyika 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 Tanganyika 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.
Tanganyika Crab - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Tanganyika Crabs need?
Tanganyika Crabs need a tank of at least 60 litres (16 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 Tanganyika Crabs need?
Keep them at 75-82°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 Tanganyika Crabs eat?
Tanganyika 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 Tanganyika Crabs good for beginners?
Yes - Tanganyika 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 Tanganyika 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
