Hagen Vampire Crab

Geosesarma hagen is a vampire crab species displaying deep mahogany-red to burgundy carapace colouration paired with the genus's trademark bright yellow compound eyes, creating one of the most visually dramatic small crabs available in the hobby. It is a semi-terrestrial species from Southeast Asia's tropical forest floor environments near streams.

In the paludarium, G. hagen is most active in the twilight and nighttime hours, emerging from leaf litter and cork bark hides to forage for food. It is a social species and does well in groups of mixed sexes, making it possible to observe complex intraspecific interactions including feeding competitions and courtship.

Breeding is straightforward by the standards of ornamental crabs: females brood eggs terrestrially and juveniles hatch as fully formed miniature crabs requiring no aquatic larval stage. This trait makes G. hagen one of the most hobby-accessible freshwater crabs for captive propagation.

Water: 22–28°C; shallow fresh pool; pH 7.0–8.0; terrarium humidity 75–90%. Tank: minimum 30 L paludarium, loose humid soil, leaf litter, bark hides, small freshwater pool. Feeding: omnivore — fruit flies, dried shrimp, blanched greens, leaf litter, micro pellets. Breeding: direct-developing; female broods 10–30 eggs; juveniles independent miniature crabs. Compatibility: social with conspecifics; peaceful — can be mixed with small frogs in spacious setups.