Clams problem

[bsagea]

Until the maricultured Tahitian Maximas start showing a better track record I would not purchase one.

Luca has had this maxima in his tank for 5 yrs - not a recent acquisition. It was huge!

 

[Luca Gallizio]

Luca has had this maxima in his tank for 5 yrs - not a recent acquisition. It was huge!

Yeah right.... its 5 years old in my tank...

Its really sad.... [emoji52][emoji22][emoji24]

I just hope for my derasa... its more huge then the maxima.... and its the same years with me....

but it seem to be a little better every day..... let's see...

 

[Tahoe61]

Yeah right.... its 5 years old in my tank...

Its really sad....

I just hope for my derasa... its more huge then the maxima.... and its the same years with me....

but it seem to be a little better every day..... let's see...

Awww missed that or over looked post.

Had you introduced any corals, fish or other inverts?

@bsagea judging from your avatar it appears you have an inclination towards Tridacna? What do you feel are the possible causes and treatments?

:-)

 

[Luca Gallizio]

Awww missed that or over looked post.

Had you introduced any corals, fish or other inverts?

@bsagea judging from your avatar it appears you have an inclination towards Tridacna? What do you feel are the possible causes and treatments?

:-)

Yeah its started from a little squamosa clam that i bought one Week ago.

just my fault, i just didn't know that kind of infection could be possible.

Lesson learned [emoji58][emoji52][emoji21]

 

[bsagea]

@bsagea judging from your avatar it appears you have an inclination towards Tridacna? What do you feel are the possible causes and treatments?

:)[/QUOTE]

Truly am at a loss here. Years ago, I had over 30 clams between 2 tanks. I had them anywhere from about 3 months - 4+ yrs. One day I lost one. The next day the same thing...on and on losing one a day. I called it the "clam plague" as there no reason my tankmaster or I could come up with for this to happen. My lonely survivor was a blue squamosa who went through all of it between the 2 tanks. About a month or so after all the others were gone, I accidentally hit him and knocked him off the shell he was on when I was cleaning the glass and tore his bysal. He was gone 2 days later.

At this time, I have just lost a few maximas as well. One died from stress being knocked over by my Molly Miller. I had no idea why this poor clam kept turning up upside down or sideways on the substrate. I thought he was unhappy with his location until I saw the Molly laying on top of his shell twice. I immediately moved the Molly Miller to the other tank but it was too late. Not sure what happened with the others. These were cultured clams that came from PEA, but no real rhyme or reason for their loss. I only had them maybe 2 weeks when 3 of the 4 stopped expanding fully. I gave 2 the glucose bath and then a FW bath when I did not see any improvement after the glucose. One died a day after the glucose and my black and gold died the next day after the FW bath. He had been gaping but I felt I had nothing to lose by trying that. In the past, I have done that with a couple from the 30 I had with great success. Not so this time. If these 4 were maricultured and not aquacultured, that might explain it possibly but my system is well established with plenty of light. I have no answers. One thing I did notice with someone who had bought a Tahitian wild caught years ago, is that he kept his tank at a somewhat high temp, 80-82 degrees and was not as clean in the sense the way our tanks are. He's the only one I ever knew who kept a Tahitian until he sold it about 8 months later. The person who bought lost if after about 6 weeks. Another one of the greatest mysteries in this hobby!

 

[Tahoe61]

@bsagea judging from your avatar it appears you have an inclination towards Tridacna? What do you feel are the possible causes and treatments?

:)

Truly am at a loss here. Years ago, I had over 30 clams between 2 tanks. I had them anywhere from about 3 months - 4+ yrs. One day I lost one. The next day the same thing...on and on losing one a day. I called it the "clam plague" as there no reason my tankmaster or I could come up with for this to happen. My lonely survivor was a blue squamosa who went through all of it between the 2 tanks. About a month or so after all the others were gone, I accidentally hit him and knocked him off the shell he was on when I was cleaning the glass and tore his bysal. He was gone 2 days later.

At this time, I have just lost a few maximas as well. One died from stress being knocked over by my Molly Miller. I had no idea why this poor clam kept turning up upside down or sideways on the substrate. I thought he was unhappy with his location until I saw the Molly laying on top of his shell twice. I immediately moved the Molly Miller to the other tank but it was too late. Not sure what happened with the others. These were cultured clams that came from PEA, but no real rhyme or reason for their loss. I only had them maybe 2 weeks when 3 of the 4 stopped expanding fully. I gave 2 the glucose bath and then a FW bath when I did not see any improvement after the glucose. One died a day after the glucose and my black and gold died the next day after the FW bath. He had been gaping but I felt I had nothing to lose by trying that. In the past, I have done that with a couple from the 30 I had with great success. Not so this time. If these 4 were maricultured and not aquacultured, that might explain it possibly but my system is well established with plenty of light. I have no answers. One thing I did notice with someone who had bought a Tahitian wild caught years ago, is that he kept his tank at a somewhat high temp, 80-82 degrees and was not as clean in the sense the way our tanks are. He's the only one I ever knew who kept a Tahitian until he sold it about 8 months later. The person who bought lost if after about 6 weeks. Another one of the greatest mysteries in this hobby![/QUOTE]

Would you mind adding more detail to the glucose treatment such as concentration and bath?

About 3 years ago I added a Squamosa to a tank with an established Derasa, and Crocea. About 3 days after introduction of the Squamosa both established clams showed decreased expansion, next gaping and around day 6 death. None of clams showed the typical signs PMD, nor physical injury. So logically the Squamosa introduction was the catalyst, we know so little about Tridacna pathogens and disease process. Quarantine of new clams prior to introduction is something I really need to start practicing.

 

[hart24601]

Just fyi from what I know there is only one guy that is able to aquaculture clams (live aquaria aquaculture definition), Acro Al but I don't think we can get them in the USA as he is in Australia. I think the vast majority of our clams are maricultured with very few wilds from time to time.

 

[bsagea]

ORA's are aquacultured as well. They have some huge vats for them. The maricultured though have some striking colors that you usually don't see on the aquacultured ones.

 

[bsagea]

Would you mind adding more detail to the glucose treatment such as concentration and bath?

I looked up the article that Luca wrote for the glucose info. I never heard of this treatment, but when my clams are not looking good, I will try to do whatever to save them.

The doses are: 1 coffee spoon of glucose every 2 litres of water.

I attached the link - read down to the Curative Baths.
http://www.danireef.com/2017/05/09/pyramidellidae-snails-tridacna-killers/

 

[hart24601]

ORA's are aquacultured as well. They have some huge vats for them. The maricultured though have some striking colors that you usually don't see on the aquacultured ones.

Interesting, I was under the impression that once they had the small clams they moved them out of the breeding and seeding area and put them in the ocean to grow out to marketable size.

Are they kept in artificial seawater with artificial lighting?


EDIT from their website:

The clam farm operates with open flow grow-out systems in which fresh seawater is continuously pumped through. The clams are kept under shaded sunlight and are supplied supplemental nutrients for growth, color and health. Some of the most spectacular color variations of T. maxima come from the Marshall Islands. We often have turquoise, electric green and purple patterned T. maximas in stock. Occasionally we also get a few of the rare Black and White “Zebra” clams in.


I would consider that maricultured as its using open flow ocean water and sunlight.

 

[bsagea]

Actually I believe they are kept outdoors under the sunlight in Florida. Whether they use seawater or not, I am not sure. You never see a large or huge ORA Maxima for sale online unless it's from a private owner. Most of them are 1" - 2 1/2" I think.

 

[hart24601]

I edited my post above from the website but here is a bit more, they are a long ways from Florida!

ORA owns and operates a Giant Clam Hatchery in the Marshall Islands. The Marshall Islands Mariculture Farm (MIMF) is located on the island of Majuro. In addition to several species of Giant Clams, MIMF also produces a variety of hard and soft corals. The Marshall Islands are a long way from our Florida facility but the availability of broodstock and a site able to accommodate large aquaculture systems make this location ideal for clam production. ORA acquired the farm in late 2003, and has continuously been improving and upgrading the facility’s systems.

 

[bsagea]

Interesting - LiveAquaria refers to them as aquacultured.

"The Marshall Islands are a long way from our Florida facility but the availability of broodstock and a site able to accommodate large aquaculture systems make this location ideal for clam production." This must be the place that I saw pics of years ago in the Marshall Islands and couldn't remember who farmed them.

I imagine then, that they bring shipments into the Florida facility and ship from there but they do refer to mariculture and aquaculture. Shaded sunlight tells me they are in some type of aquaculture facility yet utilizing fresh seawater. I have heard of clam farms that are in the shallow waters of the oceans in various places as well.

 

[Minireef30]

http://dustindorton.com/dive/marshalls-july-2004/mimf-clam-farm/
Some pictures I found of ORA Marshall Islands clam system. These seem to be older pictures but I was amazed that they grew them right on the beach.

 

[reefwiser]

Gerald Helsinga will talk at MACNA this year. [emoji3]




It takes a long time to get a clam to sell able size. [emoji3][emoji106]

 

[bsagea]

Awesome addition to this thread though sorry Luca, we have kind of strayed a bit. The vats are huge that they grow them in!

 

[hart24601]

So what is the take on mariculture vs aquaculture? While there is no set definition I have always considered to be aquaculture is using synthetic seawater and artificial lighting the same as 99.9% of hobbiest?

 

[DSC reef]

The aquaculture and mariculture is a great debate for clams. Lost just as many aquacultured clams as well as mariculture, so I'm curious if there's a real difference as far as mortality rate in our tanks. The longest living clam we have is a 10-12" squamosa that was maricultured in Indonesia. 5 years now and growing strong, only 3-4" when purchased. We know so little about pathogens so it's interesting what we'll find out about these mysterious clam deaths in years to come.

 

[Luca Gallizio]

Would you mind adding more detail to the glucose treatment such as concentration and bath?

I looked up the article that Luca wrote for the glucose info. I never heard of this treatment, but when my clams are not looking good, I will try to do whatever to save them.

The doses are: 1 coffee spoon of glucose every 2 litres of water.

I attached the link - read down to the Curative Baths.
http://www.danireef.com/2017/05/09/pyramidellidae-snails-tridacna-killers/

I Think that's explained on a better way that i can do it in english.. [emoji23]

The article was translate from Italian and not by me.
and its really difficult to me explain it o a different language...

Anyway its the best and the fast way to feed them but just when their a stressed or weak... its definitly not suggested to use the glucose bath to make them grow faster... or something to do often..

The glucose its the element they usually transorm from the water, so they dont need to trasform it and its ready to use for them....


The derasa its following the sister... and im definitly sad... it still has a good response from the light and that's the only Thing thst make me hope to see it better....

 

[bsagea]

I hope your Deresa survives for you Luca and starts to expand better than ever!

I lost my last (2) maximas from PEA today. Both were gaping and no reaction to light at all. I have (1) maxima left that I purchased from LA Divers Den and a blue squamosa. Hopefully whatever happened with the ones from PEA will not have any effect on my last (2) survivors.