Yellow Eye Vampire Crab (Geosesarma sp. "Yellow Eye")
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- Backordered, shipping soon
State Restrictions
Vampire Crabs cannot be shipped to Maine due to state regulations. Questions? Contact info@aquaticarts.com before placing your order.
IMPORTANT: Vampire Crab Habitat Requirements
Vampire Crabs are semi-terrestrial animals and are NOT fully aquatic. They require a paludarium with both land and freshwater areas and should not be maintained in a traditional aquarium. We also recommend keeping only a single Vampire Crab species per enclosure.
B-Grade Notice
B-Grade Notice: These healthy specimens may display minor cosmetic imperfections, less developed coloration, or missing and regenerating limbs.
The Yellow Eye Vampire Crab (Geosesarma sp. "Yellow Eye") is a striking semi-terrestrial crab admired for its brilliant golden-yellow eyes, rich body coloration, and curious personality. While many Vampire Crab species are recognized for their vivid body colors, the Yellow Eye Vampire Crab immediately draws attention with its bright, contrasting eyes that seem to glow against its darker body. This unique feature has made it a favorite among collectors looking for an unusual centerpiece species for a tropical paludarium.
Like all members of the Geosesarma genus, the Yellow Eye Vampire Crab spends most of its life on land, venturing into shallow freshwater primarily to drink, hydrate, or assist with molting. These crabs are constantly climbing over cork bark, driftwood, mosses, botanicals, and rocks while searching for food. Their inquisitive nature and active daily routine make them one of the most enjoyable invertebrates to observe.
Our Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are carefully quarantined, observed, and conditioned before shipment to help ensure they arrive healthy and ready to thrive. Whether you are building your first bioactive paludarium or adding another spectacular species to your collection, the Yellow Eye Vampire Crab offers an outstanding combination of beauty, activity, and fascinating natural behaviors.
What We Love About This Crab
• Brilliant yellow eyes create a stunning contrast against the body coloration
• Active climber and constant explorer throughout the enclosure
• Excellent choice for tropical bioactive paludariums
• Entertaining natural behaviors including climbing, foraging, and burrowing
Quick Care Guide
• Care Level: Moderate
• Temperament: Generally Peaceful
• Diet: Omnivore (Invertebrates, Fruits, Vegetables, and Prepared Foods)
• Adult Size: Approximately 1–1.5 Inches (2.5–3.8 cm)
• Lifespan: Approximately 2–3 Years
• Activity Level: Moderate to Active
• Recommended Group Size: Small Colony
• Habitat Type: Semi-Terrestrial Paludarium
• Land-to-Water Ratio: Approximately 70% Land / 30% Water
Tank Parameters
Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 7.5–8.0
General Hardness (GH): 4–16 dGH (120–300 ppm)
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Humidity: 70–90%
Minimum Enclosure Size: 10 Gallons
Our Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are captive raised and carefully conditioned before shipment. Although Geosesarma species naturally inhabit tropical forest ecosystems throughout Indonesia, Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs spend the majority of their lives on land in warm, humid environments surrounding shallow streams, forest seeps, and seasonal pools.
These tropical forests contain dense vegetation, fallen logs, tangled roots, moss-covered rocks, and thick layers of decomposing leaf litter that provide shelter and abundant foraging opportunities. High humidity and stable temperatures allow Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs to remain active while searching for insects, worms, fruits, seeds, and other naturally occurring food sources.
The bright yellow eyes and alert nature of the Yellow Eye Vampire Crab make it particularly enjoyable to observe as it explores every level of the enclosure. Replicating these natural forest conditions in a paludarium encourages more confident behavior, healthier molts, and increased activity throughout the day.
Paludarium Design and Aquascaping
Habitat Preference
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs thrive in tropical paludariums that emphasize land area, high humidity, and environmental complexity. Most of the enclosure should consist of moist land with only a shallow freshwater section available for drinking and molting.
Recommended Substrate
We recommend using a moisture-retaining substrate composed of coconut fiber, coco husk, organic topsoil, ABG mix, or a sand-and-soil blend. These substrates help retain humidity while supporting burrowing behavior, beneficial microorganisms, and healthy plant growth.
Hardscape
Natural cork bark, driftwood, roots, stacked rocks, and caves provide excellent climbing opportunities while creating multiple secure hiding places. Visual barriers encourage more natural colony behavior and help reduce territorial disputes.
Plant Recommendations
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila), Java Moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri), Bucephalandra species, tropical ferns, Selaginella, and other moisture-loving terrarium plants all thrive alongside Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs while helping maintain humidity.
Ideal Setup Style
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are exceptionally well suited for bioactive tropical paludariums featuring springtails, isopods, botanicals, mosses, cork bark, driftwood, and deep leaf litter. These natural elements create a beautiful display while encouraging the crabs' instinctive climbing and foraging behaviors.
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are omnivorous scavengers that naturally consume insects, worms, small crustaceans, fruits, seeds, decaying plant material, and organic debris found throughout the tropical forest floor.
A varied diet is essential for healthy molts, vibrant coloration, successful breeding, and long-term health. Quality invertebrate foods, shrimp diets, crab foods, sinking pellets, and omnivore formulas should serve as staple foods.
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs also readily accept quality fish flakes, making them one of the easier Vampire Crab species to feed. Fish flakes work well when rotated with specialized invertebrate diets and fresh supplemental foods.
Bloodworms, black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, freeze-dried insects, fresh fruits, vegetables, and occasional protein-rich treats help recreate the diversity of foods Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs would encounter in nature. Offering multiple food types throughout the week encourages natural foraging behavior while supporting healthier molts, improved coloration, and stronger breeding success.
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are best maintained in species-only colonies. While generally peaceful toward members of their own species when provided adequate space and hiding places, Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs should not be housed with other Vampire Crab species.
Maintaining a single Geosesarma species per enclosure helps reduce territorial disputes and allows Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs to establish a natural colony hierarchy without unnecessary competition.
Springtails and isopods make excellent bioactive companions that help recycle waste and maintain a cleaner enclosure without disturbing the crabs.
Aquatic Arts Shrimp Safety Rating
Adult Shrimp: 1/10
Juvenile Shrimp: 1/10
Shrimplets: 1/10
Aquatic Arts Recommendation
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs should not be considered shrimp safe. Although occasional success may occur in very large and heavily planted paludariums, Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are opportunistic predators and may prey upon shrimp whenever the opportunity presents itself.
For the highest long-term success, we recommend maintaining Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs in a dedicated species-only paludarium where they can display their complete range of natural behaviors without competing with or preying upon other invertebrates.
Breeding Difficulty
Moderate
Reproduction Type
Direct Development
Unlike many freshwater crabs, Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs do not produce free-swimming larvae. Female Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs carry fertilized eggs beneath their abdomen until fully developed miniature crabs hatch.
Stable humidity, quality nutrition, abundant cover, and a species-only enclosure greatly improve the likelihood of successful breeding. Once released, juvenile Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs immediately begin exploring the enclosure and feeding independently without requiring a separate aquatic larval stage.
Are Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs fully aquatic?
No. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs (Geosesarma sp. "Yellow Eye") are semi-terrestrial animals that require both land and freshwater areas. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs should never be kept in a traditional aquarium without a land section.
Do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs need a paludarium?
Yes. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs thrive in tropical paludariums that provide approximately 70% land and 30% freshwater. A humid, well-planted enclosure allows Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs to display their natural behaviors.
What makes Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs different from other Vampire Crab species?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are admired for their brilliant golden-yellow eyes, active personalities, and striking appearance. While many Vampire Crab species are known for vivid reds, oranges, or purples, the Yellow Eye Vampire Crab stands out because of the dramatic contrast between its bright eyes and darker body coloration.
Does the Yellow Eye Vampire Crab have any other common names?
Yes. The Yellow Eye Vampire Crab (Geosesarma sp. "Yellow Eye") is also commonly known as the Golden Eye Vampire Crab and the White Glove Vampire Crab. These common names are frequently used by breeders, importers, and aquarium retailers to describe this beautiful species or very closely related forms. Regardless of the name used, Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are prized for their bright yellow eyes, active personalities, and suitability for tropical bioactive paludariums.
Are Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs beginner friendly?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are suitable for beginners who are willing to build and maintain a proper semi-terrestrial paludarium. Once their humidity and habitat requirements are met, Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are generally hardy and rewarding to keep.
How large do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs get?
Adult Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs typically reach approximately 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5–3.8 cm).
How long do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs live?
With proper care, Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs typically live 2 to 3 years.
Are Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs active?
Yes. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs spend much of the day climbing, exploring, foraging, and interacting with their environment, making them one of the most entertaining Vampire Crab species to observe.
Are Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs social?
Yes. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs generally do well in small colonies when provided with adequate space, numerous hiding places, and multiple feeding areas.
How many Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs can I keep together?
A small colony of Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs can often be maintained successfully in a properly designed paludarium. Providing visual barriers and abundant hiding places helps reduce territorial disputes.
Can Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs climb?
Yes. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are excellent climbers and frequently explore cork bark, driftwood, roots, rocks, tropical plants, and background structures throughout the enclosure.
Do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs burrow?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs may create shallow burrows beneath leaf litter, mosses, cork bark, and other natural cover while resting or preparing to molt.
What humidity do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs require?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs thrive when humidity is maintained between 70% and 90%.
What temperature is best for Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs thrive between 72°F and 82°F (22–28°C).
What pH is recommended for Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs prefer slightly alkaline water with a pH between 7.5 and 8.0.
What water hardness is best for Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs thrive in moderately hard water with a GH between 4 and 16 dGH (120–300 ppm), helping support healthy molting and shell development.
Do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs need deep water?
No. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs require only a shallow freshwater section with easy access in and out of the water.
Can Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs drown?
Yes. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs can drown if they cannot easily climb out of deep water. Every water area should include rocks, branches, cork bark, or gently sloping exits.
What do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs eat?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are omnivores that enjoy insects, worms, shrimp foods, crab diets, fish flakes, fruits, vegetables, and other prepared foods.
Can Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs eat fish flakes?
Yes. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs readily accept quality tropical fish flakes, making them one of the easier Vampire Crab species to feed in captivity.
What foods help Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs breed?
A varied diet rich in insects, quality proteins, prepared invertebrate foods, fresh fruits, and vegetables helps support healthy molts, breeding activity, and long-term health.
Are Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs shrimp safe?
No. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are opportunistic predators and may capture shrimp whenever the opportunity arises.
Can Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs live with fish?
Generally no. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs are best maintained in dedicated species-only paludariums.
Can Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs live with other Vampire Crab species?
No. Aquatic Arts recommends maintaining only one Vampire Crab species per enclosure to reduce territorial disputes and preserve natural colony behavior.
Can Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs live with springtails and isopods?
Yes. Springtails and isopods make excellent bioactive cleanup crews for Yellow Eye Vampire Crab paludariums.
Do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs need leaf litter?
Yes. Leaf litter provides natural shelter, supports beneficial microorganisms, and encourages natural foraging behavior.
What plants are best for Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs thrive with Pothos, Java Moss, Creeping Fig, Bucephalandra, tropical ferns, Selaginella, and other humidity-loving plants.
Can Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs breed in captivity?
Yes. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs can breed successfully in captivity when maintained in stable, humid, species-only colonies with abundant hiding places and a nutritious diet.
Do Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs have free-swimming larvae?
No. Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs exhibit direct development. Fully formed miniature crabs hatch directly from the eggs without a free-swimming larval stage.
How can I tell male and female Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs apart?
Male Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs typically have a narrower abdominal plate, while female Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs have a broader abdomen for carrying eggs.
Should I buy a male or female Yellow Eye Vampire Crab?
Both male and female Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs make excellent display animals. Purchasing both sexes provides the opportunity to establish a breeding colony.
Would Aquatic Arts recommend Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs for my paludarium?
Absolutely. Aquatic Arts recommends Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs for hobbyists looking for an active, colorful, and highly interactive semi-terrestrial species for tropical bioactive paludariums.
How are Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs shipped?
Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs ship via UPS Next Day Air in our Aquatic Arts Live Arrival Guarantee Box to help ensure they arrive healthy and ready to thrive.
Are Yellow Eye Vampire Crabs covered by the Live Arrival Guarantee?
Yes. Every Yellow Eye Vampire Crab is backed by our 100% Live Arrival Guarantee and supported by the experienced Aquatic Arts team.
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
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.
We stand behind the health and quality of every animal we ship. Each Yellow Eye Vampire Crab (Geosesarma sp. "Yellow Eye") is carefully quarantined, observed, and conditioned before leaving our facility to ensure it arrives healthy and ready to thrive in its new home.
Every order is backed by our 100% Live Arrival Guarantee. If an issue occurs during transit, please email photos of the animal and packaging within the timeframe outlined in our policy to info@aquaticarts.com so our team can assist you.
Every Vampire Crab order ships in our specially designed Aquatic Arts Live Arrival Guarantee Box at no additional charge. This insulated shipping system helps protect your animals from temperature fluctuations during transit and is included free with every qualifying order.
For complete guarantee details, reporting requirements, and claim deadlines, please review our Live Arrival Guarantee Policy:
https://aquaticarts.com/policies/refund-policy
In addition to our Live Arrival Guarantee, every purchase includes access to our experienced support team. Whether you have questions about acclimation, enclosure design, humidity, feeding, breeding, compatibility, or long-term care, we are here to help you succeed.
Best Fishes,
The Aquatic Arts Team
