I totally agree that there's no problem if the frag is a wysiwyg.

It just seems that there's a new element out there in this hobby. Now, there are some hobbyists that view reefing as a money making adventure, or at least one that will allow them to break even. Of course, the sellers that frag too much do develop a bad reputation with seasoned aquarists, but they'll always have a market with the newbies who don't know any better.

The new guys see a high-end coral that's being offered for a far cheaper price than he sees at the lfs, and jumps on it. Then the unhealthy frag goes into a less than desirable tank and dies. It becomes a self perpetuating cycle between buyer and seller. I'd bet this lack of success is one of the reasons we see a lot of people getting out of the hobby.

I agree that we should trade corals between each other to minimize the destruction of natural reefs in the ocean. But, I just wish some people would do their propogation more responsibly.