VAMPIRE CRAB TANK MATES - FISH
Keeping vampire crabs with fish
First and foremost, let’s address the elephant in the room — or should I say, the fish in the tank? The most significant challenge you’ll face when keeping fish and vampire crabs together is predation. Unfortunately, fish have a penchant for dining on baby vampire crabs. How? Well, it’s simple really baby vampire crabs spend 99% of their time near the water’s edge, and when they are born they are so tiny they will easily fit inside a fish's mouth. Even nano fish species. Which means any fish that spots them will happily eat them. To make things worse it takes a very long time for baby vampire crabs to grow so your fish will have all the time in the world to eat the babies. Months in most cases.
Can you Keep Fish with Vampire crabs?
Tank Size and Water Volume
If you’re not worried about the babies being eaten by the fish. The next most important thing is the size of your tank and the water volume it provides. Remember that your paludarium setup should consist of 80% land and 20% water to accommodate Vampire Crabs properly
However, to accommodate both fish and vampire crabs, you’ll need quite a big tank that meets the minimum requirements for your chosen fish species as well. Generally, you should aim for at least 5 to 10 gallons (22-45 Liters) of water as a minimum. But that’s not all, the shape and depth of the water matter as well.
If your water volume is spread thinly across a large area, creating a shallow environment, you’re practically serving your vampire crabs a buffet of fish. You see, while vampire crabs can’t swim, they can lunge very effectively in the water. If the water isn’t deep enough, they’ll have no trouble catching even the fastest fish. So, ensure the water depth aligns with your fish’s speed and behaviour.
Less than a day old baby vampire crabs
Choose your Fish Species Wisely!
Now, let’s talk fish. Not all fish are created equal when it comes to cohabitating with vampire crabs. Smaller, fast-moving fish are your best bet as they have a greater chance of escaping the clutches of your crabby companions. Steer clear of slow-moving fish like betta fish, which are not only sluggish but also have those tempting long fins that make them easy prey for vampire crabs.
Finally, select fish with similar water requirements as vampire crabs. Mixing cold-water fish with tropical crabs is a recipe for disaster. So, ensure the fish you choose thrive in the same aquatic conditions as your vampire crabs to maintain the well-being of all your aquatic inhabitants. If you don’t get this right, either your fish will die or your crabs will.
Keeping fish with vampire crabs
The Slow Moving Exception: Live bearers
There’s an interesting exception to the rule of slow-moving fish: live bearers. A lot of people successfully house Guppies, Endless, Rice Fish, and other live bearers with vampire crabs. While this increases the chances of your fish becoming crab cuisine, it also presents the opportunity for fish to easily breed within the tank. The crabs might eat some of the fish, but the offspring can offset this loss.
However! The success of this depends on various factors, including your tank’s design and dimensions. Be prepared for some trial and error, as there’s no surefire guarantee that all your fish will evade the crab’s clutches.
Poecilia Wingei "Endler’s Livebearer"
Safer Choices: Ember Tetras & Chili Rasboras.
If you prefer fish with a higher likelihood of survival that won’t necessarily breed, consider Ember Tetras, Chili Rasboras, Celestial Pearl Danios, and other small fast-moving species. These species share similar water requirements with vampire crabs and possess the speed necessary to evade their grasp. However, even with these choices, your tank setup plays a vital role in ensuring a harmonious coexistence.
Hyphessobrycon amandae "Ember Tetra"
My Personally Opinion
Personally, I would only add fish to a vampire crab tank under two conditions.
If I don’t mind a large portion of the babies being eaten as they grow up.
If I had 30 litres of pure swimming space for the fish with a depth of at least 15-20cms (6-8”)
My fish species of choice would be ember tetras, celestial pearl danios, kubotai rasbora or chilli rasboras.