OH I dont doubt some people are selling frags of SSC that has been in a captive reef tank for some time (aquacultured). But they are still more being brought in from Australia.....I'd much rather buy a sm colony for $180 than a frag for $50. Also they should mariculture it over there.
Think about all the aquacultured peices we get from the stores now....most of them will rarely or never become available through wild or maricultured shipments...that is why people pay big bucks for the frags. Also the fact that aquaculture is generally more hardy. But when wilds are still coming in what is stopping the stores from getting a big wild colony in ...waiting a month and chopping it into frags at $50 a pop. That is what makes SSC much different than a purple monster or pink lemonade. Its a coral that is still available in wild shipments.