Are corals animals, plants, or something else?

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Corals seen in Gulf of Mexico. Image courtesy of NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program.

Because corals are attached, taking root to the seafloor, people often think they are plants. Because many corals have hardened surfaces, they are sometimes mistaken as being rocks. However, unlike plants, corals do not make their own food using photosynthesis. And, unlike rocks, corals are very much alive. Corals are, in fact, animals.
Source: Ocean Exploration Facts