Ultra, Electric or lesser Grade Clam??

[PauChi]

Hi folks,
I'm wondering with all the different prices on Clams nowadays how does one justfy the said price either from On-line or local LFS??
Some are way over $300 to 500 bux a pop for some very nice Clam...does it have anything to do with the colors, species or simply it's patterns on the mantle(s).
Can any expert Clam keepers please explain this variation in prices and species quality??

Thanks in advance.

 

[jafoca]

IMHO I wouldn't pay more than 300 for any clam UNLESS it was my absolute favorite clam I had ever seen (IN PERSON! photos are decieving!)

anyway... the clams that are really expensive are:
COLORED teardrop maxima
black maxima
blue squamosa

as for croceas... there doesn't seem to be any specific coloration pattern/color that fetches more $$$ than others. It seems to be mostly dependant on the intensity of color more than anything else. If you go to liveaquaria.com their "ultra crocea" they have pictured has the most intense color I've seen, but they only charge 50-60 for them and I doubt that is what they actually look like!

Another note: according to what I have seen, the prices for some of these clams don't really equate to their scarcity in the wild.

 

[PauChi]

Thanks for the input my friend,

Frankly a lot of pictures of Clams or Corals are color enhanced as seen posted from most Web retailer(s) or LFS sites..no pun intended. Not unless if it was professionally done by a seasoned photographer along with a good camera that is...but then what if.....it's color manipulated TOO!
One have to actually view it with our own naked eyes...just to see if it's the "True" coloration really IMHO. Unfortunately this doesn't happen everyday...not if you're hundred of miles away from the retailer(s)!