hazymranch Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 When I started my first tank around 18 months ago, I placed a relatively fresh Paua shell into it. I took it out 6 months later, and have since broken that tank down and reincarnated it as 2 separate tanks: a 40L that is the most direct descendent of the original as far as the inhabitants and rock goes, and the original tank itself that has been broken down and restarted twice since then for various reasons. Thus, the 40L is the most mature tank and it is by far the biggest joy for me as it is very stable. There is almost no algae (or at least wsn't until I went away on holiday and left it in the care of someone with no aquarium experience and very large fingers), plenty of coralline encrustation on everything, great and steady growth of the soft and LPS corals, and things are popping out of the rock almost daily with sporadic xenia growth the most current. About a month ago, I started seeing what appeared to be tiny snails crawling around. They were more pale than the cats eyes I have in there, but since some of the cats eyes are 18-months in the tank, I assumed they had bred. Well, now that these new mollusks are a bit bigger, the irridescent paua shell on them is unmistakable. Unknowingly I have bred paua in my tank. Now that my other tank is up and running full-stop, I think it is only a matter of time before they start appearing in there as well. SO, now that I am over the "whoa, that is so cool" stage, I am wondering if this will be a problem. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Don't let MAF(Or would it be DOC?) know about it. They'll fine you for posessing undersized paua. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 and too many as well. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Cool will be interesting to see how it goes. Pictures please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted November 16, 2006 Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 Well done! I saw a TV doco about a paua pearl farm, down your way but I can't remember just where. They fed them kelp. In fact the guy had to start growing kelp to get enough, and from that developed another business where he dried it, ground it, and put in jars to sprinkle on food as a seasoning. Very popular overseas. What will likely happen if you have heaps of them, is that there will not be enough food as they grow. only two possibilities, they stop growing, or they die. But hey, you know what those things are worth? HEAPS! Considered aquaculturing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazymranch Posted November 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2006 You would think that DOC would be pleased that I have started a breeding program. However, that assumes that they are reasonable... I may try to get a few of them out of the 40L and spread them to the other 2, larger tanks. I let the algae grow in my FOWL (not that I am all that effective in stopping algae growth in the other two) so it may be a better environment for them. They seem to be most active at dusk so I will try to get some photos soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazymranch Posted November 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 OK, I finally have pics. Sorry for the wait. Because their shells are covered in coralline they can be really hard to see sometimes, but those massive antennae give them away every time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 Wasp said Well done! I saw a TV doco about a paua pearl farm, down your way but I can't remember just where. They fed them kelp. In fact the guy had to start growing kelp to get enough, and from that developed another business where he dried it, ground it, and put in jars to sprinkle on food as a seasoning. Very popular overseas. The company is called "Iris Pearls" they are based in akaroa, the farm is over the other side close to wainui, the kelp is growing all thru the bays. Christchurch/Dunedin same thing a wasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TM Posted November 24, 2006 Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 OK, I finally have pics. Sorry for the wait. Because their shells are covered in coralline they can be really hard to see sometimes, but those massive antennae give them away every time. Thats cool, more pics how about a FTS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazymranch Posted November 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 I just realized that I posted the thumbnails rather than the full-sized pics. If anyone wants to see larger ones you can see them at the link in my signature. They are in the Springfield Heights gallery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazymranch Posted November 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2006 I'm updating my original thread about my tank build with FTS of all 3 tanks. Should be up in a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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