What are your thoughts on this?

[CaptiveReef]

I made a post in the advanced topics forum about the chance of one day introducing Tridacna clam species to the Gulf of Mexico waters as a way to increase clam numbers, which would benefit the aquarium/ food trade.
Lets just say it didn't go to well with some individuals, in the past some different species were released and caused havoc with the species that were originally from that area.
I can't see Giant clams posing any threat to the wild life from the Gulf.
Anybody want to nicely discuss this topic

CaptiveReef

 

[COreefer]

There is a reason that they are no there now, and chances are that whatever the reason is, they will never thrive in the gulf or Carribean.

 

[firechild]

There is a reason that they are no there now, and chances are that whatever the reason is, they will never thrive in the gulf or Carribean.

This really makes no sense. Clams are not found in the Atlantic because there has been no way for them to get there.
If clams were introduced into these waters there would be no reason that they should not survive and thrive as they do in Pacific waters.
However, saying this I do not agree that introducing a foreign species into this area would be a good idea. It could potentially change the whole dynamics of the natural environment and cause serious problems for native species. Introducing clams to Atlantic waters is not like introducing rice to farming land. The clams can spawn and release gametes for large areas potentially causing a population explosion especially if there are relatively few species that would feed in the clams.

 

[CaptiveReef]

Clams in the gulf

Clams in the gulf

So you feel that there is a good chance that the Tridacna would in time take over the Gulf area. God I would love to have Tridacna's in U.S. waters, but I would not want to upset the balanced ecosystem. Who knows maybe one day after a good amount of research we could introduce the Tridacna's.
So while I have you on this thread, let me ask an Australian native
"Dude how awesome is the Great Barrier Reef"?
I have seen many pics and video's, have you ever scuba the reef?


Thanks, CaptiveReef

 

[Scuba Dog]

Whyle I would love to see giant clams in out native wateres I just dont think it will ever happen. Any new introduction of a non native species is very taboo to our general theorys. The ecosystem is so complex and difficult to study that no one can truely measure there impact, its kinda hard to undue wrong in the curent way of thinking. besides the gulf is poluted, im not shure that the visibility would be consistant to sustan enough light penatration, and tempature varations....shoot the staghorns and elkhorns are dieing off....

 

[onegreenray]

i didn't think our waters where polluated. but what makes the water green is upwelling. raising the nutrients from the bottom of the ocean to the surface which in turn causes the water to become green.

it would be nice to have clams like we keep in our tanks in our waters. but man should not interfere with nature. who knows nature may decide in a few thousand years that clams of this nature will populate our waters.

just my two cents

 

[firechild]

Re: Clams in the gulf

Re: Clams in the gulf

So while I have you on this thread, let me ask an Australian native
"Dude how awesome is the Great Barrier Reef"?
I have seen many pics and video's, have you ever scuba the reef?

I have actually studied on the GBR and have spent a fair amount of time on the GBR over the last few years. While some parts are simply mindblowing, there are other parts that are showing signs of the damage created by global warming, pollution and other anthropogenic influences.

 

[Scuba Dog]

Depends on what part of the gulf I guess, where the Ole miss enteres the gulf would worry me, some of the stories about what has been dumped in to the river is a big big scare.....Have heard how crates and drums of organics have been toped over into the river because they were leaking...when I last dove an oil rig had to drop down to 70 feet to get decent visibility, above that was like 3 foot vis.....

 

[blade111]

Re: Re: Clams in the gulf

Re: Re: Clams in the gulf

I have actually studied on the GBR and have spent a fair amount of time on the GBR over the last few years. While some parts are simply mindblowing, there are other parts that are showing signs of the damage created by global warming, pollution and other anthropogenic influences.

iam going there in a couple of weeks ,what are some good areas to dive /snorkle on ???????

 

[CaptiveReef]

Please take pictures of the dive!!!!!!!!

Please take pictures of the dive!!!!!!!!

blade 111 if you could please take pics of the dive!!!!!!!!!
Also if you see any corals that are showing damage please get some close up's.
I will be waiting with my drool bucket:bigeyes: looking like this!!!



Thanks, CaptiveReef

 

[COreefer]

This really makes no sense. Clams are not found in the Atlantic because there has been no way for them to get there.

I see that you are a marine biologist. As a marine biologist you would know that the conditions have to be right for certain species to survive and thrive. Weather patterns and currents in the Gulf just simply did not allow for nature to expand Tridacna Clams to the Gulf or Carribean. I don't understand your logic that "there is no way to get them there". How did they get to the waters of the Pacific? How about the Red Sea? It's obvious that nature dictates that Tridacna's will not thrive. Currents such as the Gulf stream will not allow for it. I am sure some over ambicious individual has tried to dump Tridacna's into the gulf at some point. From my diving experience's the conditions in the Pacific where clams thrive is different than those in the Gulf region.

 

[CaptiveReef]

I wish I was this guy................

I wish I was this guy................

I wish I could get my clams like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



A man can dream.........................

CaptiveReef

 

[CaptiveReef]

Another sweet clam pic

Another sweet clam pic

It would be nice having this in a clean part of the Gulf, again one day after alot of research............................


CaptiveReef

 

[blade111]

Re: Please take pictures of the dive!!!!!!!!

Re: Please take pictures of the dive!!!!!!!!

blade 111 if you could please take pics of the dive!!!!!!!!!
Also if you see any corals that are showing damage please get some close up's.
I will be waiting with my drool bucket:bigeyes: looking like this!!!



Thanks, CaptiveReef

no problem captive reef ,i hope to take plenty of underwater pics ,one spot i will be going to is lizard island ,where there are plenty of clams ,as they are my favourite ,god i cant wait!!!!,ill give yu a pm when i get back with some nice pics....

 

[firechild]

I see that you are a marine biologist. As a marine biologist you would know that the conditions have to be right for certain species to survive and thrive. Weather patterns and currents in the Gulf just simply did not allow for nature to expand Tridacna Clams to the Gulf or Carribean. I don't understand your logic that "there is no way to get them there". How did they get to the waters of the Pacific? How about the Red Sea? It's obvious that nature dictates that Tridacna's will not thrive. Currents such as the Gulf stream will not allow for it. I am sure some over ambicious individual has tried to dump Tridacna's into the gulf at some point. From my diving experience's the conditions in the Pacific where clams thrive is different than those in the Gulf region.

Clams are found where they are because they evolved in the Pacific and had free tropical passage to the Indian Ocean and all areas they are found. There is no way for them to successfully travel naturally to the Atlantic. Many parts of the Pacific show ideal living conditoins for Acropora palmata and A. cervocornis but they are not found there for the same reason clams are not found in the Caribbean.

 

[CaptiveReef]

Re: Re: Please take pictures of the dive!!!!!!!!

Re: Re: Please take pictures of the dive!!!!!!!!

no problem captive reef ,i hope to take plenty of underwater pics ,one spot i will be going to is lizard island ,where there are plenty of clams ,as they are my favourite ,god i cant wait!!!!,ill give yu a pm when i get back with some nice pics....

Lizard Island, :celeb1: PLENTY OF CLAMS :celeb1:
The drooling has already started, I will be a rabid mess by the time I see the pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Enjoy the trip!!!!!!!


CaptiveReef

 

[firechild]

If you want to see lots of clams, you simply can't beat Orpheus Island. Around this tiny island there are some 30,000+ T. gigas as well as tens of thousands of other clams, the highest concentrations of clams in the world.
Lizard Island and Osprey Reef are apparantly some of the best reefs in the world but I have not had a chance to dive them, possibly mid-late next year though. Some of the reefs further south are very nice as well, Saxon, Arlington, Agincourt are great sites and Heron Island and the surrounding reefs (One Tree, Wistari etc) are amazing and despite being so far south they are some of the nicest reefs I have dived.

 

[wakesetter]

COreefer he is right. Lionfish aren't native to the carribean but they are showing up all over and threatening local wildlife. Thanks to careless aquarists. There are so many examples of why we should not do this.

 

[onegreenray]

COreefer he is right. Lionfish aren't native to the carribean but they are showing up all over and threatening local wildlife. Thanks to careless aquarists. There are so many examples of why we should not do this.

i just curious is ther any truth behind this. is it proven or are we blamming our selves. is it possible that they could have gotten through the panama canal?

just curious not starting anything.

 

[COreefer]

Clams are found where they are because they evolved in the Pacific and had free tropical passage to the Indian Ocean and all areas they are found. There is no way for them to successfully travel naturally to the Atlantic. Many parts of the Pacific show ideal living conditoins for Acropora palmata and A. cervocornis but they are not found there for the same reason clams are not found in the Caribbean.

This is theory...not fact. Correct me if I am wrong but to my knowledge there are no Tridacna Clams in the western hemisphere at all. That would disprove the "Free tropical passage" theory since the Continents of North and South America are bordered by the Pacific.

Yes Lionfish could have found their way into the Carribean for many other reasons than aquariast dumping them. As far as I know there are species indeginous to the Atlantic region.