How are Maxima clams graded?

[Miami Reef]

Does anyone have a tier system for how maxima clams are graded?

Ultra maxima
Red Sea maxima
1st grade


What’s the difference? Which is considered most “high-end?”

Are there other grades of maxima that I didn’t include?

 

[Slocke]

At the end of every year they are give an exam. Those who pass are promoted to the next grade.


Jk
But isn’t this just typical mumbo jumbo from vendors like they do with all corals?


My AI overlords tell me this is a system invented by ORA to basically price their clams.

 

[Goaway]

They used to name clams like coral as well. That didn't work out well. So, they adapted the grade system. No clue what one is better than the next.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I actually saw a picture of clownfish grading of a type I was interested in, and I thought the grade B looked best. lol

 

[dansyr]

Edit: Realized didn't hit your main question - ORA grades I believe are Ultra / First / Gold [brown] with colors added sometimes e.g. Green First or Green Ultra. "Red sea" is a not a grade but a locality (patterns are geographically distinct, Red Sea maximas have different patterns than Micronesian than Polynesian).

My limited but detectable knowledge is that it's more on the grower side, and so by parent company/wholesaler, but sometimes gets passed through.

For instance, a farm settles X many larvae, lets them attach and grow a bit, and then once mantle colors have started to develop they sort them into different raceways for growout. It's not like the workers there just grab the first 1000 baby clams they see, I believe they have targets (i.e. they expect to ship a certain number of high-priced solid blues, medium priced patterns, etc) so this is how they know who gets grown out. And sometimes this grading designation get passed along and AlgaeBarn will sell you ORA's 1st grade, which is going to be a different parameter than one farmed by PacEast.

Fun fact, not sure if it's still true, but the exceptional ones didn't even get shipped to US, at least when i was aware of things, they went straight to Germany & Japan. I suspect the high-end market has gotten good enough in the US since then that they might come here now, but just an anecdote from years past.

 

[Science/G]

Mantle color and patterns

 

[rhitee93]

I follow this grading system;

Top - I must have that one
2nd - Me likey
Mid- Nice clam
4th - Meh
Bottom - Not a fan

So far I've never seen one in the bottom grade ;)

 

[areefer01]

Does anyone have a tier system for how maxima clams are graded?

Ultra maxima
Red Sea maxima
1st grade


What’s the difference? Which is considered most “high-end?”

Are there other grades of maxima that I didn’t include?

As you are probably already aware there are no standards in this hobby so grading scales do not apply. Doesn't matter if it is a coral, clown fish, or clam it typically falls on the source or seller. Some base it on the coloration or pattern(s) of the mantle. It is difficult to say. The dance is similar to the thread asking if this is this the real ORA Pearlberry...

I understand there is a draw to collect "high end" or "named" things in our hobby but in my opinion, it seems like trying to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The leprechaun is always one step ahead to make it unreachable. Or in this case to charge the buyer more.

You could reach out to ORA and maybe Pacific East Aquaculture and ask them what distinction they use.

 

[BryanM]

I find most of these grades just to be marketing.

I agree with the above, I just want things or I don't.

I want almost all the things :)

 

[rhitee93]

One more thing - I would prefer nice pasture raised select beef over normal prime any day.

 

[dansyr]

As you are probably already aware there are no standards in this hobby so grading scales do not apply. Doesn't matter if it is a coral, clown fish, or clam it typically falls on the source or seller. Some base it on the coloration or pattern(s) of the mantle. It is difficult to say. The dance is similar to the thread asking if this is this the real ORA Pearlberry...

I understand there is a draw to collect "high end" or "named" things in our hobby but in my opinion, it seems like trying to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The leprechaun is always one step ahead to make it unreachable. Or in this case to charge the buyer more.

You could reach out to ORA and maybe Pacific East Aquaculture and ask them what distinction they use.

100%, you said this much more succinctly than I did. The only grading scale is the one in the farm manager's head when they put them in different trays and it's just as consistent (or not) as they are or that company is.

Or there are sellers that don't bother with grades, although their supplier may have, and just price whatever they feel the pattern is worth (the WYSIWYG/in person stores)