How difficult is it to keep Spotted porcelain crab?

Beginner. This is a beginner-friendly species. No special equipment or experience is required, and it can be kept successfully with basic care setup.

What is the ideal temperature for Spotted porcelain crab?

The ideal temperature for Spotted porcelain crab is 22〜26℃. Avoid sudden temperature changes and maintain a stable environment.

What should I feed Spotted porcelain crab?

Spotted porcelain crab feeds on: Filter feeder (plankton, host mucus). Aim for a balanced diet with appropriate feeding frequency.

What is the typical price for Spotted porcelain crab?

The price of Spotted porcelain crab varies significantly depending on morph, size, and lineage. Check our market price page for the latest pricing information.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Spotted porcelain crab

Beginner

Neopetrolisthes maculatus

A small crab with a porcelain-like white shell dotted with red spots. It lives among the tentacles of large sea anemones and filters plankton from the water with feathery mouthparts.

Difficulty

Beginner

Temperature

22〜26℃

Lifespan

Little data available

Size

Little data (a small crab a few centimetres across)

Diet

Filter feeder (plankton, host mucus)

About

The anemone porcelain crab (Neopetrolisthes maculatus) is an Indo-Pacific porcelain crab found in shallow water at 1-10 m (SeaLifeBase). Despite the name it is not a true crab but a porcellanid, closer to the hermit crabs. Its round, smooth shell looks like porcelain - white with small red spots. It usually lives among the tentacles of large sea anemones, one pair per anemone, and defends its host. The large claws are for defence rather than feeding: it sweeps plankton and small organisms from the water with long bristles on its mouthparts, and also feeds on the host's mucus, though it does not depend on the anemone. N. ohshimai is a synonym and still appears in trade listings. In the aquarium, keeping it with a large host anemone such as a carpet anemone shows its natural behaviour. As a filter feeder, it should be target-fed fine frozen plankton with a pipette. It leaves corals alone but fights with its own kind and with larger crabs. It is a staple anemone-dwelling crab in the Japanese trade.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Temperature & humidity for the Spotted porcelain crab

The ideal temperature for the Spotted porcelain crab is 22〜26℃.

Basic Info

Origin

Indo-Pacific

Lifespan

Little data available

Size

Little data (a small crab a few centimetres across)

Temperature

22〜26℃

Diet

Care Specifications

Water Temp.: 22–26℃
Specific Gravity: 1.023–1.025

PeacefulWith caution

Sources: SeaLifeBase (Neopetrolisthes maculatus) / LiveAquaria

References & Sources

Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team

The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.

Primary sources

Taxonomy & Authority

Accepted name: Neopetrolisthes maculatus (H. Milne Edwards, 1837)

Synonyms: Neopetrolisthes ohshimai Miyake, 1937, Petrolisthes ohshimai (Miyake, 1937), Porcellana maculata H. Milne Edwards, 1837

Authority databases: WoRMS · GBIF · GBIF · WoRMS · SeaLifeBase

Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.

Regulations & Conservation Status

Not CITES-listed

Not listed in the CITES Appendices (checked on Species+). Not designated as an Invasive Alien Species under Japanese law. Never release aquarium animals into the sea.

Sources: Species+ (CITES) / Ministry of the Environment: List of Designated Invasive Alien Species / SeaLifeBase

Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.