Pom Pom Crab Care Guide: The Complete Setup and Care Breakdown

Pom Pom Crabs carry small anemones on their claws. They are tiny, fascinating, and almost impossible to find in stock.

If you find pom pom crabs in stock, buy them. They will not be there next week.

What It Is Actually Like Living With Pom Pom Crab

The Pom Pom Crab is more active and aware of its surroundings than most people expect. In a properly set up tank, it shows behaviors that generic care guides never mention.

Feeding becomes a routine both you and the fish look forward to. The Pom Pom Crab learns your schedule and responds to your presence near the tank within the first few weeks.

Maintenance is consistent, not difficult. Regular water changes and parameter monitoring become second nature. The fish rewards consistent care with better color, more activity, and visible health.

Over time, you notice personality traits unique to your individual fish. Some are bold explorers. Others are cautious observers. That individual personality is what turns casual fishkeeping into a genuine hobby.

Table of Contents

• Species Overview
• Classification
• Understanding Them
• Caring For Your Pom Pom Crab
• Feeding Your Pom Pom Crab
• Understanding Their Behavior
• Choosing Tank Mates
• Common Health Issues
• Breeding Challenges
• Other Species To Check Out
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Closing Thoughts
• What Most Care Guides Get Wrong
• Is the Pom Pom Crab Right for You?
• Species Comparison
• The Reality of Keeping Pom Pom Crab
• What It Is Actually Like Living With Pom Pom Crab

The Pom Pom Crab is not a fully aquatic animal, and that is the first thing most buyers get wrong. I have seen these crabs drown in fully submerged setups at fish stores. After keeping crabs for years, I know the real setup they need to survive.

If your crab has no way to climb out of the water, your setup is wrong.

The Pom Pom Crab is tiny, peaceful, and will escape any tank without a tight-fitting lid. If there is a gap, this crab will find it.

The Pom Pom Crab needs a paludarium-style setup with both land and water access. That is a different kind of maintenance commitment than a standard aquarium.

Crabs are escape artists with opinions. If your lid has a gap, they will find it.

Species Overview

Scientific Name	Ptychognathus barbatus
Common Names	Pom Pom Crab, Cheerleading Crab, Boxing Crab, Freshwater Pom Pom Crab
Family	Pilumnidae
Origin	Asia, Africa, Australia
Diet	Omnivore
Care Level	Moderate
Activity	Mostly active during the night (nocturnal)
Life Span	1 year
Temperament	Peaceful
Tank Level	Bottom and on plants and decor
Minimum Tank Size	10 gallons (38 liters)
Temperature Range	72-82°F (22-27°C)
Water Hardness	6-12 dKH
pH Range	6.8 – 7.2
Filtration/Water Flow	Slow to Moderate
Water Type	Freshwater Tanks
Breeding	Egg layer
Difficulty to Breed	Difficult
Compatibility	Community Tanks
OK, for Planted Tanks?	Yes (Better with tough texture plants)

Classification

Phylum	Arthropoda
Class	Malacostraca
Order	Decapoda
Family	Xanthidae
Genus	Lybia
Species	L. Tesselata (Latreille in Milbert, 1812)

Understanding Them

Origins And Habitat

Pom Pom crabs, are commonly found in freshwater springs and narrow streams across Africa, Asia and Australia near rocks and pebbles foraging around their environment. They are newer to the aquarium industry and are not the same as the saltwater pom pom crab ((lybia sp. Also known as hawaiian boxer crab). These freshwater crabs are highly valued due to their more mellow nature. In the wild they live in sandy substrates and around roots of trees. A replicable natural habitat is key for them to be content at home!

Appearance

Pom Pom crabs (from our YouTube Channel) stand out from other crab species due to their uniquely fluffy pom-poms adorning their claws. Males have bigger and more noticeable hair tufts, while females will only exhibit barely visible bristles. This makes it rather simple to tell them apart by sight. They are dull in color but are less reclusive than other aquatic crabs.

Average Size

Pom Pom crabs, a species of freshwater animal ranging from 0.6 to 1 inch in size, make great tank mates for nano tanks or community aquariums due to their small stature and adaptation level found when living near freshwater rivers. Due to their small size, they are better suited to smaller tanks so you can actually enjoy seeing them interact. They will get lost in the background in larger tanks.

Lifespan

Pom Pom crabs, when given adequate care and maintenance, have the potential to live up to one year. This is a short lived species compared to their saltwater counterpart which an live up to 3 years. To extend their lifespan, their habitat needs to be suitable for them as well providing a balanced diet and keeping water conditions appropriate at all times. While they can live longer than a year, most will live in your tank under a year.

Caring For Your Pom Pom Crab

Pom Pom crabs must have a freshwater aquarium to match their natural habitat for them to flourish. It is essential that the size of the tank, water parameters and decorations meet proper requirements in order for this fully aquatic crab species to thrive. All these points are pertinent when looking after your pom crab correctly as they are not able to survive outside an environment like what is found naturally with other fully-aquatic creatures.

Tank Size And Setup

For a Pom Crab tank, it is advised to get one that holds at least 5 gallons of water and 10 if housing more or adding peaceful mates. A fine sand substrate must be added so the small crabs can burrow as they do in their habitat. Making sure the lid on top fits tightly with no gaps around outlets or wires will prevent any unexpected escapes since these creatures are known for being very creative when looking for an escape route. If you want to add an additional safety measure, you can lower the water level so there’s 4 inches of distance between the surface of the water and its lid.

Water Parameters And Maintenance

Maintaining the right water parameters for your Pom Pom crab is essential to their health and well-being. The desired temperature range should be between 22-28°C (72 – 82°F), with pH levels of 6.8-7.2, total dissolved solids at 150. 200, a hardness from GH of 6. 8, and KH reading 2. 6. It’s important that you also avoid brackish waters as they can harm them over time by creating unfavorable conditions (brackish only comes into play if you are breeding them).

Using an appropriate testing kit will help ensure these key factors are maintained in the aquatic environment ensuring it remains clean free from pollutants which might compromise good living standards for your pet crabs. Always need Ammonia and nitrites at 0PPM. Keep your nitrates below 40 PPM as inverts in general are sensitive to higher nitrates.

It’s recommended to perform water changes on a regular basis since stability in this area would provide ideal circumstances. Do water changes whenever your parameters are off.

Decorations And Hiding Spots

The natural environment of Pom Crab must be reproduced for them to thrive. This can achieved by adding driftwood, rocks, and aquatic plants into the tank, They will provide an interesting appearance while also offering spots for your crabs to hide away in or explore through digging. Having live plants inside the aquarium helps keep the water clean whilst providing a supplementary source of food. For plants, consider a tough plant like Anubias as more delicate plants may get torn up by the crab’s weight and claws.

If you get plants, be aware that copper is toxic to them. Consider a fertilizer designed for shrimp as they will not have copper and will be safe for your crabs.

Feeding Your Pom Pom Crab

Pom Pom crabs are scavenging opportunistic omnivores who feed on a variety of microorganisms, algae, plant detritus, and commercial dry food. Contrary to belief, they are not filter feeders. While it looks like the pom poms will serve that function, and they do catch food within the water column with them, it its not their primary source of feeding in an aquarium environment.

To ensure they live a healthy life full of necessary nutrition it is important to provide them with a balanced diet supplemented by occasional protein-rich treats. Try to feed foods like the following:

• Brine Shrimp
• Bloodworms
• Sinking pellets designed for bottom feeders

Adding calcium supplements helps maintain the exoskeleton while also supporting the molting process. For this reason, providing these crustaceans with both regular meals that consist primarily of dried food and snacks like those mentioned before enables optimal health for all pom crab species.

Understanding Their Behavior

Pom Pom crabs (video source) are energetic and entertaining creatures that demonstrate a range of captivating behaviors. They is seen climbing, excavating, and feeding in the aquarium. Commonly docile, they have the ability to coexist with fish as well as other non-aggressive freshwater species without causing any issues.

During molting times, they might become more reclusive.

Molting Process

For Pom Pom crabs, molting is an essential part of their life cycle. This activity involves the shedding of old shells so they can form a new one and expand in size. To protect themselves during this process, these creatures often hide inside burrows beneath sand until their exoskeleton has hardened properly again.

It’s important to be mindful that for your crab’s health, the moulting phase should not be overlooked or underestimated as it plays such an integral role in its growth and development! Molting is also a time when they may be vulnerable to getting bullied or eaten by other tankmates.

Choosing Tank Mates

When selecting companions for your Pom Pom crab, their docile temperament and small size must be kept in mind. Selecting the right tank mates is key to a peaceful living situation. Enabling your crab’s success without having to battle with its peers over food or resources.

Good Tankmates

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Finding a suitable tank mate for your Pom Crab is essential. We are looking for peaceful freshwater fish that will not try to eat them and fast and active fish that won’t get eaten by the crab. While peaceful, these crabs are opportunistic eaters and will not hesitate to eat slow moving or sick fish. Knowing this, here are several good options:

• Fast schooling fish like Tetras
• Danio Fish
• Livebearers
• Freshwater shrimp like Cherry Shrimp)
• Snails (avoid very small snails)

It’s important to ensure that any species you choose will not cause stress or harm. Opt only for gentle and non-aggressive choices to keep everyone safe. Together with these beneficial buddies, your crab can live happily in their shared environment without worry!

Bad Tankmates

For a harmonious and serene aquatic space, your Pom Pom crab needs to be kept away from large or aggressive fish that may consider them prey. Look out for the following fish:

• Large aggressive cichlids
• Semi-aggressive fish that nip like Tiger Barbs
• Betta Fish (they will try to eat them)
• Goldfish

You should aim towards peaceful tank companions as opposed to potentially hazardous ones who are more likely to feed aggressively or be territorial. Also, if you keep bottom feeders – keep an eye on food competition as you crab is outcompeted for food.

Common Health Issues

Pom Pom crabs are mostly quite resilient when it comes to disease, yet can still be affected by issues like fungal infections, parasites and shell rot. To prevent any such occurrences from happening in an established aquarium environment, the water needs to remain of high quality.

Bacterial or fungal problems may occur where you’ll see discoloration. This occurs when a tank does not have the ideal tank parameters and calcium is low in their diets., however, you will not see visible signs of illness of these crabs, they may just pass away before any signs are shown. Given they are inverts, they do not get any of the common fish diseases you will see in aquariums, but can pass on diseases like Ich if the parasite attaches to their exoskeleton.

Is the Pom Pom Crab Right for You?

Before you add a Pom Pom Crab to your tank, here is an honest assessment of what you’re signing up for. I’d rather you know exactly what to expect now than find out the hard way after you’ve already bought one.

• Experience level: Pom Pom Crabs are best suited for intermediate to advanced keepers. They have specific requirements that can overwhelm beginners.
• Tank size commitment: You’ll need at least 10 gallons, though bigger is always better. Make sure you have room for the tank before buying.
• Tank mate planning: Pom Pom Crabs is territorial, so plan your community carefully. Not every fish will work as a tank mate.
• Maintenance demands: Expect regular water testing and consistent water changes. Pom Pom Crabs are sensitive to parameter fluctuations.
• Setup investment: Individual Pom Pom Crabs are affordable, but the right environment adds up. Factor in the full setup cost.
• Time investment: Beyond daily feeding and weekly maintenance, regular observation is the best way to catch health issues early.
• Long-term commitment: These are living animals that depend entirely on you. Make sure you’re ready for the ongoing responsibility.

Breeding Challenges

Successful breeding of Pom Pom crabs in a home aquarium has yet to be accomplished, as the larvae need brackish water for their development. The task is arduous due to its intricate and multi-stage larval cycle, making it difficult for hobbyists who aim to raise planktonic juveniles into adulthood because these require precise care along with ideal environmental conditions.

You can check out a documented case on the Planted Tank forum here. However, breeding is something left to experts to attempt.

Other Species To Check Out

Not sure if this crab is for you? Check out our other crab guides below:

• Vampire Crab
• Panther Crab
• Red Claw Crab
• Thai Micro Crab

Frequently Asked Questions

How the Pom Pom Crab Compares to Similar Species

If you’re considering a Pom Pom Crab, you’ve probably also looked at the Thai Micro Crab. Both fill similar roles, but the differences matter when planning your tank. The Pom Pom Crab has its own distinct personality and care needs. In my experience, the choice often comes down to the specific community you’re building and whether your water parameters favor one over the other.

The Panther Crab is worth considering as well. While the Pom Pom Crab and the Panther Crab share some overlap in care, they bring different energy to a tank. If you have the space, keeping both in separate setups gives you a great chance to compare their behavior firsthand.

Closing Thoughts

Want a fully aquatic invertebrate? Get shrimp. Want a semi-terrestrial paludarium project? Get crabs. The setup is completely different.

Caring for Pom Pom crabs in a freshwater aquarium can bring delightful rewards. It is important to provide them with the right habitat, quality water conditions, and suitable tank mates so that they thrive happily. Having knowledge about their origin, behavior, and needs will help create an environment where these interesting crustaceans flourish. With adequate preparation and attention to detail, you can witness this captivating world of pom crab life first-hand!