What’s the difference, where to get? Oysters.

[Shichi]

Hello! I want to start this off by saying I have done about 4 hours of research, and still nothing. So, naturally, I have a few questions. But first I’m going to start off with statements

I want to buy some oysters! I’m going to make a full tank and put it on either my desk or my vanity. I’ve found that a few types of oysters need different kinds of space/accommodation, which I am more than willing to give. I want to adopt some oysters as a pet, and give a few to my friend that’s studying to be a marine biologist. I am by NO means going to harvest and start a business with these oysters! Please read that twice and trust me! I’ve seen threads on this website of people asking similar questions, but for them to start a business. I by no means want to miss-characterized as such! All I want is a few oysters to have as pets, and a few to witness how pearls are formed, as pearls are my favorite “gem”, even since I was a child.

(TLDR for statements/intentions)
I do NOT want to start a business with these oysters!
I want to have pet oysters to raise and a few to witness how pearls are formed.
I want to give a few oysters to a close friend of mine who wants to be a marine biologist.
I am more than willing to accommodate to raising oysters.

So here’s a few questions!
What kind of oysters are best for pearl raising? I’ve heard Ayoka is desirable, but I can’t find any live ones anywhere.
What kind of oysters are best for raising in general? This is only if the answer isn’t the same as the last!
depending on the previous 2 questions, what kind of tank would be best for that type? I’ve heard there can be varying tank sizes.
How many oysters should I get? I was planning on getting my friend atleast 4, myself maybe 14+ for raising and pearl hatching. (Please feel free to call me out if this is too much, this is my first time raising an oyster so I don’t know where the line is!)
Is 18+ oysters total going to be expensive?
Would an oyster tank be safe to have near a PC? I already have a terrarium and an interior flower garden near this PC as well. This PC is also EXTREMELY cooled with both (multiple) fans and a liquid cooler. So I don’t believe it would exert enough heat to even touch where I would put the tank. Especially since the computer not heating was a priority when I built my PC.
What kind of materials do I need to grow the pearls inside the oysters? (And would the oysters be able to live after the pearls are exerted?)
Is it easy for the oysters you raise to reproduce? This is mainly so I don’t go broke if one of them dies from one reason or the other, especially if they die from a pearl.
Lastly, how do I make the oysters feel comfortable in their new home?

(Please feel free to raise any other questions!)

Sincerely,
Shichi :3

 

[CortezPearls]

Hi there!
It won't be easy. You will need to feed them adequately or they will end up stunted, weaken and die. You will have to start your own microalgae culture or find a supplier of dry & powdered algae to make your own "pearl oyster mix".
Then, you need to find someone that sells pearl oysters. Depending on your country this might be easy or difficult.
And it is best if you choose a local species over an introduced one, for many reasons.
So, first think about the problems you will face...count the costs...then decide on Goldfish.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Exporting live molluscs is illegal in most countries due to strict regulatory laws, namely public health and safety.

Likewise importing it is prohibited under invasive species categories.

I investigated this decades ago and the scientific permitting process was intensive and costly, which included two full life cycles of quarantine and oversight by management biologists and disease control agencies.

Simply put, it's not practical nor sensible.

 

[pearlescence]

Oysters of all species are a bit like sheep, they just hang around until they find a way to die

 

[CortezPearls]

Oysters of all species are a bit like sheep, they just hang around until they find a way to die

So True!

 

[pattye]

Shichi, clearly you have given this much thought ~ there is information available online about "pet" freshwater aquarium clams or mussels. Sadly, there will be no pearls involved.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Shichi, clearly you have given this much thought ~ there is information available online about "pet" freshwater aquarium clams or mussels. Sadly, there will be no pearls involved.

Domestic aquariums as we know them are not suitable for rearing shellfish. Technically they are "down wells" where feces, bacteria and detritus are drawn through the substrate, then the filter and discharged at the surface.

Shellfish rearing and feeding require up welling systems, thus aquarium style tanks are inadequate. Instead more elaborate and infinitely more expensive equipment is required with through hull fittings, non-return valves and external pumps.

Water quality control is impossible in the absence of salinity titration, pH regulation, diatom filtering and routine microscopic analysis (among other things). Mass proliferation of detrimental species (namely annelids) are commonplace, even in the healthiest hatcheries. Maintaining these requires routine drainage, disinfection and water changes.

Contrary to common belief, adult molluscs are fussy eaters. In reality they only ingest specific food types at different times of the year. Large cells in warm weather, smaller cells in cooler times. The remnant cells are gathered in mucous and sloughed as pseudo feces into the surroundings with basically no place to go, nor scavenger to clean it up. Sometimes, especially during quiescence they do not eat at all. Introducing food into the water column during these times will only cause further issues, by force feeding bacteria and needlessly increasing ammonia content.

 

[CortezPearls]

Domestic aquariums as we know them are not suitable for rearing shellfish. Technically they are "down wells" where feces, bacteria and detritus are drawn through the substrate, then the filter and discharged at the surface.

Shellfish rearing and feeding require up welling systems, thus aquarium style tanks are inadequate. Instead more elaborate and infinitely more expensive equipment is required with through hull fittings, non-return valves and external pumps.

Water quality control is impossible in the absence of salinity titration, pH regulation, diatom filtering and routine microscopic analysis (among other things). Mass proliferation of detrimental species (namely annelids) are commonplace, even in the healthiest hatcheries. Maintaining these requires routine drainage, disinfection and water changes.

Contrary to common belief, adult molluscs are fussy eaters. In reality they only ingest specific food types at different times of the year. Large cells in warm weather, smaller cells in cooler times. The remnant cells are gathered in mucous and sloughed as pseudo feces into the surroundings with basically no place to go, nor scavenger to clean it up. Sometimes, especially during quiescence they do not eat at all. Introducing food into the water column during these times will only cause further issues, by force feeding bacteria and needlessly increasing ammonia content.

Amen!

 

[pattye]

Thank you, Dave, Lagoon Island Pearls and Douglas, Cortez Pearls for sharing your indepth knowledge, I retract my previous suggestion. Clearly Google doesn't always have good suggestions and I should have know better.

 

[Lagoon Island Pearls]

Clearly Google doesn't always have good suggestions.

Most closed shellfish rearing operations are ephemeral. Spat fall tanks two weeks... if that. Conditioning adults to spawning... less than a week and after spawning less than a month until they reach the pediveliger state. Then the juveniles are relayed out and the systems are drained, disinfected and air dried, often for an entire year.

Leaving wet systems for extended periods without diligent maintenance gets unruly fast.