I've been digging up shells for a BAR. I've recently noticed that people at the trade tables seem to like trochus very much, so I thought that it would be a great idea to trade mine in exchange for scallops or sand dollars to squeeze out extra gralats (1.1:1 ratio, as most people have asked for). Usually after the trade, people message me that I'm doing it wrong, or I just got ripped off, yadda yadda...

I haven't played this game in a while so bear with me. Am I missing out something? I see it as a great way to maximize my earnings.