I think this is intended. They're supposed to be distracted by gold.
try in an ocean or river.
can you add a video of this occurring
it's common in singleplayer too. I hope they fix it soon, but for now, go to your portal in the overworld, take the coordinates, and rebuild the portal in the nether with the x and y coordinates divided by 8.
Example:
your portal in the overworld is at (640, 65, 200)
rebuild portal in nether at (80, 65, 25)
I agree. They seem way too common. I feel like they should be a bit rarer given the loot.
How long does it burn for and how much health does it take without armor?