Short Life

[TexasState]

Many creatures in the sea have infinite life span.

Did you know Pocillopora coral reportedly only have a lifespan of 8 years in the wild? Or at least that's what Eric Borneman said.

[MikeP]

Many corals can live a long time - in the wild there is the constant threat of competition from other corals, damage by climate and earth movement, fish and invertebrates that will consume them (i.e. parrotfish , crown of thorns star), and man made problems like pollution and algal blooms from fertilizer rich runoff.

I am amazed that some of the very strongest corals like hydnophora don't have a larger presence on the reef considering I've never seen another coral that can stand up to it :)