Captive Breeding of Clams

[reef-man_d-man]

I am looking for any information regarding captive propigation of maxima and crocea clams, also has anyone tried it. I know it is very hard but wanted to know where the hobby is on this one.



TIA Reef-man

 

[oama]

Here is a PDF page about that.
http://www.ctsa.org/upload/publication/CTSA_143631672855187292852.pdf

 

[reef-man_d-man]

thanks any more?

 

[oama]

Dustin just got back from visiting that farm. Let me see if he has any more input.

 

[Dustin]

I am not really sure what your question is. If your asking if its possible for a hobbyist to raise clams, I would say no. It takes a couple of years before the clams are a sellable size (4 to 5cm). The time and space required is amazing.

There are farms on a LOT of islands in the pacific. Only a couple of them are actually shipping clams though. The farm with the highest production is in the Marshall Islands. Marshall Islands Mariculture Farm.

 

[reef-man_d-man]

Ok, if I wanted to attempt this in a low scale level, say 400 gallons would it be at all possible?

 

[Dustin]

What species of clam are you interested in trying?
Your looking at 100s of thousands, perhaps millions of eggs. You need quite a bit of space for them to settle out, even if you only took part of a successful spwan. You are also going to need a lot of water since the system needs to run on flow through.

 

[oama]

I agree with Dustin. Unless you wish to spend a couple of thousand dollars per clam you raise.

 

[reef-man_d-man]

Well I am working on a 400 gallon tank with about 500 gallons in sump space maybe more (sump space if cheap). So I thought I would atleast look into it, I would rather do it for fun instead on making money, I am looking at doing Croceas and Maximas.

 

[Dustin]

Croceas are supposed to be one of the most difficult. With any clam your going to need a good amount of broodstock. Maybe a dozen or two fully grown animals. The more you have the more likely you are to get a successful spawn. A reasonably small clam is capable of producing sperm, which is what most people see in their aquariums. Only _fully_ mature and healthy clams will produce eggs.

 

[reef-man_d-man]

alrighty, thats a start, I need to get reading, also they are asexual right?

 

[oama]

Not asexual. That would mean that they split to form new clams. They are hermaphrodites in that they are male when small and as they grow larger, they become females and produce eggs.

 

[Vili_Shark]

Dustin,
Which clam farm have you visit from the PDF file?

Woow, it seems many people are eating clams!