The nutritional mode is the basis for scleractinian corals to obtain energy and nutrients, which affects their growth and distribution. In recent years, the content and composition of suspended sediment in coral reefs have changed significantly, and many effects on the nutritional mode of scleractinian corals are becoming the focus of current research. This article reviewed the characteristics of the suspended sediment changes in coral reefs, the effects of suspended sediment on the nutritional mode of scleractinian corals and their adaptability. The results show that the intensification of human activities and the frequent occurrence of heavy rainfall events in recent years are the main reasons driving the increase in suspended sediment concentration, composition changes and frequency conversion in coral reefs, especially in fringing reefs. The influences of suspended sediment on autotrophy and heterotrophy of scleractinian corals are significantly different, which are mainly related to the extinction effect and bioavailability of suspended sediment, and the species of scleractinian corals. Although some species of scleractinian corals have photosynthetic plasticity or heterotrophic plasticity, they can grow well in low-light environments where high levels of suspended sediment exist. However, for the majority of scleractinian corals, the adaptability of nutritional mode is poor, so they can't obtain the energy and nutrients needed for living better under the influence of suspended sediment, which makes them difficult to survive. Overall, suspended sediment is considered to be one of the important environmental factors affecting the growth and distribution of scleractinian corals in recent years. However, the present studies on the response and adaptability mechanism of the nutritional mode of scleractinian corals to the change of suspended sediment are still rare, and further research is needed.