ORA Aquacultured Gigas Clams - Now Available!

hart24601

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Keep in mind this is just 1hr so it will open more, but it does have the blue eyes on it like the Ora pic. Deep body (high sides, from mantle to she'll edge) not much extension which matches the Ora pic and which I read was common in young gigas.

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hart24601

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A bit hard to see but in person you can see the clam has already attached a thread to the rock. Can't get much better for arriving 6 hours ago!

EDIT: looks like it might have attached in the other photo, although I didn't notice in person. Wow that is fast.

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Quick iPhone picture. 2 1/2 inches. Arrived around 11:00 AM and in tank at 1:00pm CT, about 6 hours before picture.
 

BradB

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How much light do they need? How hardy are they? I want one.
 

hart24601

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How much light do they need? How hardy are they? I want one.

It's been a long time since gigas this small were around, however they are suppose to be the toughest of the clams, however I do think they need a good deal more light than a derasa. I can't draw too many conclusions from one day, however he didn't move last night and is still attached and the light peaked 300-350 PAR, and I have had some derasas move or fall over if in a lot of light so I suspect these guys like pretty intense light.
 

ca1ore

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It’s amazing these are aquacultured! If only they came with coloration as nice as maximas

Yeah, not electric blue certainly. Though my all time favorite clam was a gigas I bought in 2001/2002. By the time I had re-homed it in 2009, it was 12” and yellow with green margins. I’ve always regretted selling it, even though it’d be 24” by now.
 

ca1ore

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How much light do they need? How hardy are they? I want one.

I’ve had the opportunity to see these clams in the wild (Palau in 2001). They are all on reef flats at about 50-60 feet. Similar location to deresa and Squamosa. I see no reason to think their light requirements are any different. Cannot speak to hardiness since my experience is a sample size of one.
 

hart24601

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I’ve had the opportunity to see these clams in the wild (Palau in 2001). They are all on reef flats at about 50-60 feet. Similar location to deresa and Squamosa. I see no reason to think their light requirements are any different.

I have seen pictures of gigas exposed at low tide, I don't think squammys or derasas ever are?

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ca1ore

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I have not (though fisherman pull them up onto the beach for their meat). I suppose it’s possible, but all the ones I saw were at depth. Some were pushing 4’!!
 

ca1ore

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Picture hadn’t loaded for me before. That’s interesting. Requires context though. Many of them are dead so hard to say whether they grew there or were put there (by fishermen or storms).
 

ca1ore

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Definitely gigas, looks like some kind of commercial clamfield (maybe to repopulate; maybe food). I wonder where that is? Phillipines perhaps? As I noted, whenever I’ve seen them in the wild they’ve been singly on reef flats at depth. I’d imagine they can adapt to higher light levels like most SPS. Don’t think they ‘need’ it though.
 
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hart24601

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Curious, I wonder where that is? As I noted, whenever I’ve seen them in the wild they’ve been singly on reef flats at depth. I wonder if this is some kind of culturing site.


Yea no clue, I just have remembered them shooting water up for years! FWIW Fathertree's book says they are intertidal down to derasa and deeper depths so there might be a great deal of individuality. Dana posted before that some research showed 4 of 5 T. gigas contained Clade ‘A’ zoox which are very tolerant of extreme light intensity so it just seemed wise to start with higher light and see how they respond.
 

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On the LA ORA description they do say to gradually acclimate these to higher light. I plan go put mine into my frag tank (no nippers).
 

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