Thai Micro Crabs (Limnopilos naiyanetri)

Thai Micro Crabs (Limnopilos naiyanetri)

$ 29.99

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* For the safety of our animals, we now ship live fish exclusively via UPS 1Day Service. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS 1Day as a shipping option during checkout *

Due to their small size, these crabs pose little or no threat to most fish or other aquarium inhabitants; however, aggressive fish or animals may come after the micro crabs.

Thai Micro Crabs are also known as "false spider crabs," and their scientific name is Limnopilos naiyanetr. These are tiny, fully aquatic crabs that so far have only been found in one specific river in Thailand. They are a very new and rare addition to the aquarium hobby, making them extremely difficult to find in pet stores or even online. This is one of the very few types of crab that can live fully immersed in water at all times, so they are able to be kept in any freshwater aquarium.

These crabs resemble spiders in their appearance because of their unusually long legs relative to their bodies. They are usually a silvery color with light brown or beige legs.

NOTE: These crabs are EXTREMELY small (hence the "micro" adjective in their name), so we recommend them for experienced nano-aquarists and shrimp hobbyists ONLY.

Thai Micro Crabs don't grow any larger than 1/2 inch in diameter (including their leg-span), making them great for small tanks and nano tanks. They often act shy when first introduced to a new tank, but eventually will be found clinging to plants and decor and perching atop driftwood. They prefer to have plenty of hiding places, such as caves and plant cover. The way they eat is similar to Singapore Flower Shrimp or Bamboo Shrimp - they filter particles out of the water using tiny hairs on their claws. They can also scavenge and on rare occasion hunt prey like most crab species. They have been very safe to keep with small invertebrates in our experience but we have had very few reports of them getting a hold of a dwarf shrimp on rare occasion. Like with any crab or crayfish, the golden rule is that if they can catch it they may try to eat it. Crabs and crayfish alike are omnivorous opportunity scavengers and hunters. Thai Micro Crabs will rarely hunt as they mostly filter feed, but because they are a crab some caution is always advised. Again, from our experience they have showed little to no interest in shrimp or other small inverts and fish, but due to the nature of all crabs some caution is advised.

What We Like About This Crab:

Beautiful spotted pattern
More peaceful alternative to crayfish
Lively personality
One of the few fully aquatic crabs available

RECOMMENDED TANK PARAMETERS:

Temperature: 72° - 82° F (22° - 28° C)
pH: 6.5 - 8.0
KH: 6 - 15 dKH
Minimum tank size: 2 gallons

CARE GUIDELINES:

Diet: Scavengers. Requires very little feeding in a well-established aquarium containing algae, biofilm, or decaying plant matter. In less mature aquariums, high quality dry foods with high plant content can be fed daily
Social behavior: Completely peaceful
Origin: Thailand
Average adult size: 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) in diameter
Average purchase size: 1/4 - 1/2 inch (.64 - 1.3 cm) in diameter

All Aquatic Arts brand plants and animals come with a 100% live arrival guarantee, plus free email support!

How small are Thai Micro Crabs really?

Very small. Their body is about the size of a pea, and even with legs included, they’re still tiny. Most people are surprised by just how delicate and miniature they are in person.

Are Thai Micro Crabs fully aquatic?

Yes. Thai Micro Crabs are fully aquatic and do not need land access. They spend their entire lives underwater and should never be kept in paludariums or semi-aquatic setups.

Do Thai Micro Crabs hide a lot?

Yes, and that’s completely normal. They’re naturally shy and spend much of their time tucked into plants, moss, or hardscape. Seeing one out in the open is a treat, not a guarantee.

Can Thai Micro Crabs live with fish?

Only very small, peaceful fish—and even then, caution is needed. Because of their size, they’re best kept in species-only tanks or with tiny, non-aggressive tank mates.

Are Thai Micro Crabs shrimp safe?

Yes. They’re considered shrimp safe and are commonly kept with Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp. They don’t hunt or chase shrimp.

What do Thai Micro Crabs eat?

They feed on biofilm, micro-organisms, and fine foods. Powdered foods, crushed pellets, and naturally occurring biofilm are essential for their long-term success.

Do Thai Micro Crabs clean algae?

Not in a noticeable way. They may graze lightly on biofilm, but they’re not an algae control species. Their value is in behavior and uniqueness, not utility.

Are Thai Micro Crabs easy to keep?

They’re considered delicate. Stable water conditions, mature tanks, and plenty of biofilm are key. They’re not recommended for brand-new aquariums.

Do Thai Micro Crabs reproduce in aquariums?

Breeding is rare and unpredictable. While it has happened in captivity, it’s not something most hobbyists should expect.

Who are Thai Micro Crabs best suited for?

They’re best for experienced hobbyists who enjoy subtle, observational animals. If you’re patient and appreciate tiny details rather than constant activity, this species can be incredibly rewarding.

For the safety of our animals, we only ship live fish, crabs, and select other inverts exclusively via UPS 1 Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS 1 Day Air as a shipping option during checkout. If other items are in your cart that can ship with 2 day or standard shipping options the only shipping method you can still select is UPS 1 Day Air.

UPS 1 Day is a description of the duration of time a shipment will spend in transit once it has been shipped. This does not guarantee the package will be shipped the same or next day from which the order was placed.

Shipping Schedule for this service

UPS 1 Day: Monday through Thursday

Current Handling Time:

1-9 business days

Here at Aquatic Arts, we consider the welfare of the live animals we are shipping to be of the foremost importance. This process is much more involved than simply creating a shipping label and affixing it to a box. Depending on the order, it takes from 4 to 7 people to complete this process properly. We check the weather conditions here where they fly out of the Indianapolis UPS facility and the destination for each shipment. We start early each morning and go through a multi-step process to have the day's shipments prepared in time for the UPS pickup. The volume of orders in our system also affects the processing time. Therefore our stated handling time is 1-9 business days.

Shipping Rate

Pricing is by size of package needed to fill entire order and distance it must travel. It will be calculated at checkout.

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