Biota sent wrong clam?

[CloudReefer]

Hi all, I ordered a wysiwyg clam from Biota and am pretty sure that I did not get the specimen I ordered. I waited a week until the clam fully acclimated and attached before concluding I got the wrong one. I know color can vary based on lighting etc., but the markings and patterns aren't even similar. The one I got is kinda drab imo.

@Biota_Marine I've already put in a support ticket. Just here trying to get some second thoughts from others in case I'm going crazy and I do indeed have the clam I chose.

What do y'all think? Color aside, the markings aren't even close to matching up.

 

[twentyleagues]

Clams are never going to look the same top down to side view. You need a top down shot like theirs for anyone to assess. But overall I would say chances are high its the same clam just from what I can see.

 

[CloudReefer]

Clams are never going to look the same top down to side view. You need a top down shot like theirs for anyone to assess. But overall I would say chances are high its the same clam just from what I can see.

Yeah I tried but don't have a way to get a clear picture from a top view. The color is the primary thing that changes based on angle so that's why I tried not to use that as the main determinant.

So you think the markings match up then? The one I have has all sorts of markings, especially around the edges of the mantle, that the one in the picture doesn't have and this should not be affected by angle.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all, I ordered a wysiwyg clam from Biota and am pretty sure that I did not get the specimen I ordered. I waited a week until the clam fully acclimated and attached before concluding I got the wrong one. I know color can vary based on lighting etc., but the markings and patterns aren't even similar. The one I got is kinda drab imo.

@Biota_Marine I've already put in a support ticket. Just here trying to get some second thoughts from others in case I'm going crazy and I do indeed have the clam I chose.

What do y'all think? Color aside, the markings aren't even close to matching up.

What clam (type) were you supposed to get?
This looks to be a maxima

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Well the clam shell is obviously different no clam will ever be white like that. I think it’s done on purpose to throw us off. But as for the mantle, perhaps not exactly but very similar. Similar enough that I would say it is equal to the picture.

 

[CloudReefer]

What clam (type) were you supposed to get?
This looks to be a maxima

It's a T. maxima. I got the right species, but to my eyes the markings don't match up at all and I think I got the wrong one. I ordered the one in the picture on the left.

 

[CloudReefer]

Well the clam shell is obviously different no clam will ever be white like that. I think it’s done on purpose to throw us off. But as for the mantle, perhaps not exactly but very similar. Similar enough that I would say it is equal to the picture.

The shell was actually that white when I received it believe it or not.

 

[twentyleagues]

Looking at all the raised bumps in your pic would be where the black spots are in their pic. Without a current top down it's anyone's guess. Going on reputation and what I can see my vote is it is the one.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It's a T. maxima. I got the right species, but to my eyes the markings don't match up at all and I think I got the wrong one. I ordered the one in the picture on the left.

May have been their lighting. I would contact them and get verification

 

[BeanAnimal]

Looks like the sane clam to me. What is the issue with it? You can’t even remotely compare photos. Lighting, camera white balance, etc.

If it were yellow with green stripes and orange fringe sure… but come on.

 

[CloudReefer]

Looks like the sane clam to me. What is the issue with it? You can’t even remotely compare photos. Lighting, camera white balance, etc.

If it were yellow with green stripes and orange fringe sure… but come on.

As far as colors go, yes those factors all are significant and are hard to compare. The markings look different to me, so I was getting other opinions on it.

 

[CloudReefer]

Looking at all the raised bumps in your pic would be where the black spots are in their pic. Without a current top down it's anyone's guess. Going on reputation and what I can see my vote is it is the one.

That seems to be the consensus. Good to know! I'll try to get a better top down pic of it tomorrow but with the feedback here I feel pretty comfortable with it as is now.

Appreciate everyone chiming in!

 

[BeanAnimal]

It is a healthy blue maxima clam. I don’t see the issue one way or the other. I would simply thank them and move on.

 

[CloudReefer]

It is a healthy blue maxima clam. I don’t see the issue one way or the other. I would n thank them and move on.

I care because I paid for a wysiwyg clam. Perhaps money isn't meaningful to you, but I want what I paid for. That's like saying because I chose and paid for a cream retriever, but I received a golden one, that I should be happy because it's a retriever and it is healthy.

In this case it looks like I'm mistaken and they are the same clam, which is great, but had this not been the case, I would expect to get precisely what I paid for and I'm sure Biota would agree. Otherwise what is the point of spending the labor $ posting wysiwyg clams?

 

[BeanAnimal]

I care because I paid for a wysiwyg clam. Perhaps money isn't meaningful to you, but I want what I paid for. That's like saying because I chose and paid for a cream retriever, but I received a golden one, that I should be happy because it's a retriever and it is healthy.

Yes, I understand WYSIWYG. The point was does it really matter in this case? I mean does it really matter at all??

If you didn’t have a photo to compare you wouldn’t know anyway. If I shuffled your clam with 2 others a week from now, you wouldn't know.

Bottom line - you chose a clam based on the color of a photo. If the clam matched the color in the photo exactly (it never will) you wouldn't be counting clam freckles and growth rings to see if it was the WYSIWYG clam.

Yes, money is meaningful to me. So are quality vendors -- so is being a reasonable customer with reasonable expectations and the ability to look past little things that really make no difference.

Maybe this is the kind of hill you like to plant a flag on. I just happen to think it is rather silly any way you slice it.

Good luck with the clam and your ticket. I hope it all works out to your satisfaction.

 

[OrionN]

That is the same clam. You just need to take a picture top down, it will look the same.

 

[Macbalacano]

I'm a pretty picky person that pays a lot of attention to the details of just about everything that I buy. I don't know how much clams are in your part of the world, but I'm sure it wasn't cheap, so I can appreciate the line of thinking of wanting to get exactly what you paid for.

I order a lot of things online - especially corals - I have probably ordered approximately 100 pieces by now. I also have had several clams, some of which I've ordered online. I have also ordered from at least 5 different vendors for corals and livestock.

What I can say is that it is actually quite rare that the photo looks exactly like what I receive, even with WYSIWYG. Often times their photos are heavily edited. Looking back from when I first started the hobby a few years ago to now, I have definitely adjusted my expectations. As long as the specimen I receive looks similar enough, is about the same size, and is healthy, I'm a happy camper.

If It were me in your shoes, I'd be pretty happy with the clam. It looks great and pretty close to the picture.

 

[CloudReefer]

Yes, I understand WYSIWYG. The point was does it really matter in this case? I mean does it really matter at all??

If you didn’t have a photo to compare you wouldn’t know anyway. If I shuffled your clam with 2 others a week from now, you wouldn't know.

Bottom line - you chose a clam based on the color of a photo. If the clam matched the color in the photo exactly (it never will) you wouldn't be counting clam freckles and growth rings to see if it was the WYSIWYG clam.

Yes, money is meaningful to me. So are quality vendors -- so is being a reasonable customer with reasonable expectations and the ability to look past little things that really make no difference.

Maybe this is the kind of hill you like to plant a flag on. I just happen to think it is rather silly any way you slice it.

Good luck with the clam and your ticket. I hope it all works out to your satisfaction.

@BeanAnimal I don't know why you're all over me on this. Who are you to judge what's important to me? You have no idea why this matters and rather than trying to empathize you just knee-jerk dismiss my concerns without a thought. Why did you even bother replying?

I've learned a lot from reading some of your threads and responses, and I respect your knowledge and appreciate that you try to help the community. That said, on a personal level, you are acting like a jerk towards me and for no good reason.

Just a FYI, this is a gift for someone who very specifically wanted the patterns she saw in the picture. Color had very little to do with this outside of the fact it's blue, which it is. The folks who actually provided thoughtful opinions helped me confirm that it was indeed the correct specimen and I'm grateful to them for their help. That's why I was being so particular. So buzz off with your judgmental attitude.

And why would I need luck with the ticket? The issue is resolved, wouldn't you say?

 

[BeanAnimal]

I've learned a lot from reading some of your threads and responses, and I respect your knowledge and appreciate that you try to help the community. That said, on a personal level, you are acting like a jerk towards me and for no good reason.

I am sorry that you feel I am being a jerk, but I tend to call things like I see them and this whole situation is very silly to me and looks to be based in interpretation of a photo that didn't match color expectations, not markings.

Just a FYI, this is a gift for someone who very specifically wanted the patterns she saw in the picture.

Aside from the color balance in the photos, they look the same. That is the point

The folks who actually provided thoughtful opinions helped me confirm that it was indeed the correct specimen and I'm grateful to them for their help. That's why I was being so particular. So buzz off with your judgmental attitude.

My point was that by any reasonable measure, (pattern, color, size, shape, health) it is the correct specimen and even if it was not the exact one, the fact that you had to ask others to see if it was...

Anyway no need to go in circles here. I am sorry that my responses didn't give you a warm fuzzy feeling, but I tend to speak my mind and simply don't see the problem with the clam one way or the other and stated why.

And why would I need luck with the ticket? The issue is resolved, wouldn't you say?

You opened a ticket with the vendor. I wished you luck in getting the resolution that you were looking for and luck with the clam. There was no hidden meaning or slight.

 

[exnisstech]

Looks like the same clam to me.