Teardrops Ever Again?

[Overboard]

When was the last time you saw a real Teardrop clam offered for sale, online or locally? Especially the colorful Teardrops. A while back, there was a thread on clams from Tonga and it contained a nice Teardrop, but it seems like a long time, at least for me.

In the old days (2001) I would see the really, really nice Teardrops occasionally, but they were never plentiful. I recall hearing they were imported from Tonga or Vietnam.

Gold Teardrops were around for a while, but I have not seen even them for a while.

With the success of the aquaculturing of clams, it would be great if some broodstock was still out there for one of the farms to work with. Sure hope so! We see cultured blue Squamies now, so maybe we will be surprised one day!

 

[jda]

Just a few a year. Local store had a blue teardrop in stock for nearly $1000.

I gave up on blue squammys a while back too and they seem to be quite abundant anymore. There is always hope.

 

[OrionN]

Apparently the god tear drops from the South East Asia area do not interbreed with other Maxima. Likely these will be ID s a separate species in the future.

 

[Charley Diesing]

https://************.com/2014/11/17/tridacna-noae-teardrop-maxima-clam/

 

[Overboard]

https://************.com/2014/11/17/tridacna-noae-teardrop-maxima-clam/

Cannot seem to open the link.

Thanks,
Mark

 

[OrionN]

I imported several dozen of these teardrop clams back in the early 2000. See that they are differences between these clams and T. maxima. Also I have read several years back that they do not cross breed with Maxima.
Now they have been accepted as a distinct species, Tridacna noae, by scientists.

 

[Overboard]

I believe you are right. I saw Jim Fatherree's talk at MACNA last year and he discussed the classifications of Maximas, Teardrops, and the Ningaloo clams from West Australia. Very interesting. I think the Ningaloos and Teardrops may be considered the same species now, if I recall correctly.

Regardless, I would love to get and honest to goodness colored teardrop, and even a Ningaloo. Maybe they will show back up one of these days.

Thanks,
Mark