The ironic thing about this is...What other industry is the vendor telling the customer not to buy their product?
Vendors looking out for their customers and their success, ultimately translates into the the success of the industry. When a animal/coral is purchased, dies, introduces pests whatever it's another red mark on how this is a 'hard' hobby. If the rules are followed success is easy which makes it good for all.
So true...I think that the coral industry is filled with really conscientious, very concerned people, who do their level best to delight customers. As purveyors of live animals, we have an ethical and moral responsibility to at least let potential customers know what the real "411" is about the corals that they are contemplating purchasing...And if forcing us to examine our own thinking about corals keeps a few people from making a move that could be detrimental to the animal(s) in question, then that's time well spent! In the long run, the greater good of the hobby is more important than a single sale to an individual who is ill-prepared to care for the corals that they intend to purchase. Love the good discussion here...everyone seems to be on the same page.