biggest clam in captivity?

Julio

Active member
Hello,
does anyone know who or where the biggest clam in captiity is held? What color and species?
thanks,
Julio
 
The Waikiki Aquarium (in Kapiolani Park next to Queens Beach) has a huge display with some monster T. gigas clams. The complimentary audio guides will describe the size/weight/age of the clams but they are big.
 
GREAT PICTURES!! Do you know if that outdoor tank gets water directly from the ocean? or does it have a chiller runnign on it?
 
I'm not sure if there is a chiller on the outside tank but I would guess that there probably is because it has a large surge tank attached to it. I don't think it has constant NSW coming in like the 7000 gallon outdoor pond. I am pretty sure that there is no temperature control of any kind on the outdoor pond, just new NSW surges every few minutes. I know for a fact that they have chillers on the large 5500-gal indoor reeftank.

All of their water is NSW from saltwater wells. They are right there on Waikiki Beach only a hundred yards or so from the water.

It is a nice place to visit. Also, be sure to check out the zoo which is only about three blocks away. When I was there in September 2002 they were doing a lot of construction at the zoo. Hopefully it is all finished by now.

:)
 
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This past May I had the opportunity of being sent to Pearl Harbor on business and stayed at the Marriott on the end of Waikiki that is near the aquarium. Even better, Bruce Carlson, ex-director of the aquarium, spoke at our reef club meeting this past summer and I had the opportunity to speak with him for a while at a barbeque held at one of the member's houses.

Regarding the gigas clams, Bruce was there in I believe 1982 when he said that he received the two gigas clams. One was already 5 years old (the one that now was weighed in at I think over 170 pounds), and the other gigas was aquacultured and a baby. Bruce said that from what he can discern the one is the oldest in captivity and the other is the oldest living aquacultured clam. Interestingly he also says they have the oldest living coral in captivity which is believe it or not a goniopora that they got in the seventies.

Here is a pic of me in front of the tank with these two gigas...
 
Here is a close up showing both gigas... can you imagine having a ~170 lb. clam in any home tank? The funny thing that this thing was born in 1977 (as was I), and weighs 170 pounds (as do I)...:spin1:
 
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