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Fast
facts on Potamonautus orbitospinus (Malawi
crab)
Biotope:
Lake Malawi. This crab – the only one living in Lake Malawi as far
as I know - occurs everywhere in the Lake.
While diving, we found specimens along the Tanzanian shore (i.e.: Higga Reef and Hongi Island to name a few
spots), around the
Cape MacLear area (i.e.: both Thumbi islands and Mumbo island, again
to only name a few). Younger
specimens occur in very shallow water hiding between stones. My crab has been caught near Monkey Bay, on a rocky bottom,
with water as shallow as 10 cm/4 inches.
Larger ones can be found as deep as 10 meters and perhaps
even more.
Tank size:
Difficult to give suggestions. I kept mine in a 33 US gals, then in
a 100 US gals. Both
times it was kept with Utakas, M’bunas, and other Malawi
invertebrates with no detectable troubles.
Water chemistry:
Follow faithfully what is stated for cichlids and these buddies will
do great. This means,
at the least, alkaline water (pH >7.5) and a water temp of about
24/26° C.
Spawning:
No idea, and NO chance to investigate it, since I happen to have
only ONE single specimen.
Food:
Literally everything: sinking tablets, floating pellets, flakes (he
climbs the aquascaping to catch them at surface), and plant's leaves, which I am not that happy
about. Finally, it’s an excellent scavenger (see pic).
Tank Mates:
All Malawians are suitable. I’ll
suggest avoiding smaller fellows and/or juveniles.
Also "Plecos" have not caused problems up until now.
Odd facts:
While these crabs grow, their “bony-skin” will not do the same.
That’s why crabs (and many other marine animals such as
lobsters) change their carapax at given intervals (see pic).
Personal
remarks:
If You plan to keep this crab beware!
It’s a messy fellow, at the least.
It climbs everywhere, including onto floating nests, looking
for food (a sub-adult H. nyererei male over 2 inches in size
didn’t survived his “visit”), bites fishes (or at least tries
to), cuts/uproots plants, digs in the sand, and moves stones … DO
BE CAREFUL!
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