The Black Fat-tailed Scorpion is one of the 25 species of truly dangerous scorpions, and is not recommended for anyone aside from highly experienced scientists and hobbyists.

This species is in the top three of scorpions with extremely virulent venom. They are currently listed as number 1 on the LD-50 chart. Some authorities report a sting from a Black Fat-tailed Scorpion can kill an adult human in seven hours. Reactions vary considerably, but children are especially vulnerable and this is not a species to be considered for any household where children are present. Also consult your local authorities regarding whether permission is required to keep venomous animals.

Despite its common name, the Black Fat-tailed Scorpion varies considerably in color, from olive brown to reddish brown to slate gray to black. A small, isolated population in Egypt is abnormally pale (hence the name Egyptian Gold Fat-tailed Scorpion). Accurate identification can only be made by experienced professionals who recognize the characteristic sculpturing on the scorpion's terminal "tail" segments. Mature specimens can attain 150 mm (4 inches) in length. As with many other members of the family Buthidae, the pincers of the Black Fat-tailed are relatively small and weak, while the tail and sting are abnormally stout and muscular.

The Black Fat-tailed Scorpion is especially abundant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where it is considered a significant health threat, often occurring near human habitations. Desert, and desert scrub, is the preferred habitat. They are nocturnal, venturing out from burrows, or beneath rocks, boards, and other debris to hunt insects and small vertebrates at night. This may be the species referred to in a Persian legend that has scorpions sent by the devil to sting the testicles of the sacred bull, preventing the fertilization of the universe. More recently, soldiers in the Gulf War suffered from the stings of the Black Fat-tailed Scorpion, especially when they staged "scorpion fights" as entertainment. Ironically, the study of scorpion venoms has yielded a drug that is helpful to stroke victims!

Maintain a dry, loose (sandy) substrate and offer cover in the form of a rock or piece of cork bark. Water need not be provided continually, and regular feeding is not always necessary, either. Overfeeding is more of a hazard than underfeeding, as these are opportunistic hunters capable of fasting for weeks, if not months, at a time. Do not feed immediately after a specimen has molted.

The humidity and temperature requirements for A. crassicauda are 55% humidity 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

This Fat-tailed Scorpion is one of the most venomous Scorpions in the world, and for this reason it is only recommended for experienced hobbyists. Their venom is reported to be able kill a human within seven hours.

Breeding is initiated by a courtship dance, where the male holds the female by her claws and leads her around, much like a dance. The Fat-tailed Scorpion, like other scorpions, gives birth to live young. The young are carried then on the mother's back until after they undergo their first molt. No information on breeding in captivity was found.