Boreno Panda Crab

Common Name: Borneo Panda Crab / Panda Crab
Scientific Name: Lepidothelphusa padawan

Adult Size: Carapace 1–1.5cm; leg span 3–4cm
Native Range: Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo)

Enclosure: ~60 × 45 × 45 cm commonly recommended for 5 crabs
Heating: 24 °C

Humidity: 75%+ with good airflow; keep land damp with leaf litter and hides

Diet: Prepared crab foods/pellets plus veg/leaf litter, with insect/fish/shrimp-style proteins in rotation

Water: Dechlorinated freshwater with easy entry/exit; keep very clean—flow/movement is commonly recommended

ABOUT THIS SPECIES

Lepidothelphusa padawan is the “panda crab” most people mean when they’re after that sharp black-and-white look. It’s a small, semi-terrestrial freshwater crab from forest springs in Sarawak, spending time on damp rocks and deep leaf litter close to clean running water.

In captivity they’re at their best in a planted, cluttered paludarium where they can disappear into cover, then reappear to forage especially later in the day. They’re surprisingly agile for their size, using roots, cork and hardscape as climbing routes, and they’ll make full use of tight crevices and shaded pockets.

If the set-up feels open, they tend to stay hidden; give them leaf litter, multiple hides, and textured “bank” areas and you’ll see far more natural behaviour.