Abstract
The effects of maintaining the burrowing Manila clam in suspended culture in the sea on flesh weight changes or on condition are not yet known. This work analyses these effects using the condition index and the air survival time of clams. Samples of clams submitted to three different treatments (traditional farming on the lagoon bottom, lagoon suspended culture and open sea suspended culture) were investigated between July and November. The most sensitive of the eight condition indices for comparing the three different breeding systems was AFDW/SV. From the Tukey test (two-way ANOVA), AFDW/SV, exhibited the highest number of significantly different (P < 0.05) cases in a comparison between the month/treatment interactions. This index showed the highest values in lagoon suspension, whereas there was not much difference between bottom farming and sea suspension until after a four-month period: in November the suspended individuals recovered condition, whereas a fall was recorded in the traditional farming area. As regards air survival time, individuals in sediment were more resistant, except in November, when lagoon suspended ones were hardier. Suspended culture, which is necessary for hygiene and health reasons to market the product, is an advantageous necessity for farmers in both lagoon and sea, especially over periods of several months.
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