Orange angelfish (Centropyge fisheri)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Acanthuriformes · Family: Pomacanthidae · Genus: Centropyge.

Accepted name: Centropyge fisheri · Authority: (Snyder, 1904) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 211778.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Centropyge caudoxanthorus Shen, 1973; Centropyge flavicauda Fraser-Brunner, 1933; Holacanthus fisheri Snyder, 1904; Xiphipops fisheri (Snyder, 1904); Xiphipops flavicauda (Frase-Brunner, 1933).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=211778 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Centropyge fisheri. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 8.399999618530273 cm · Depth range: 10–95 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Benthopelagic species found in reefs (Ref. 58302); in coral bottoms of channels and over reef slopes (Ref. 9710); also in areas with rubble bottom (Ref. 4858). Often in small loose groups on inner reefs in low patches of brittle corals and coralline algae mix that is shared by damselfishes and small wrasses (Ref. 48636). Herbivorous (Ref. 33482). Occasionally exported through the aquarium trade (Ref. 48391).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 7813) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Centropyge-fisheri.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

644 georeferenced occurrence records for Centropyge fisheri are published through GBIF from 21 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 106 distinct locations from a sample of 644 records, omitting 19 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: United States of America (436); Indonesia (37); American Samoa (30); French Polynesia (29); Fiji (26); Australia (15); Philippines (14); United States Minor Outlying Islands (10); Northern Mariana Islands (9); Papua New Guinea (8); Solomon Islands (6); New Caledonia (5); Palau (4); Japan (3); Kiribati (3).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396483) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396483&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=211778 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Centropyge fisheri (Snyder, 1904) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 165828) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165828/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396483) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396483/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Centropyge fisheri varies in colour from deep blue to orange-brown. The caudal fin is whitish to pale yellow and is almost transparent. The dorsal, anal and pelvic fins have vivid blue margins and there are blue streaks along the posterior edge of the dorsal and anal fins. This species attains a maximum total length of 8.4 cm.

Distribution

Centropyge fisheri has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. It is found on the East African coast in Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania across the Indian Ocean and into the Pacific Ocean as far as Hawaii and Johnston Atoll and Tuamotu. Its range extends north to southern Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef. In Australia it can be found at Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands as well as on the reefs off Western Australia, in the Timor Sea and on the east coast as far south as Cook Island in New South Wales while juveniles reach as far south as Bass Point.

Habitat and biology

Centropyge fisheri is found at depths between 3 and 60 m. It is a species of reefs where it can be found in the coral rich bottoms of channels, reef slopes and areas of rubble. It is frequently found in areas of brittle corals and coralline algae which it shares with damselfish and smaller wrasses.

It is typically encountered in small groups. Its diet is mainly algae but some worms and crustaceans are consumed. This species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, the dominant female in a group will change sex if there is no male.

Systematics

Centropyge fisheri was first formally described as Holocanthus fisheri in 1904 by the American ichthyologist John Otterbein Snyder (1867-1943) with the type locality given as off Diamond Head on Oahu in Hawaii. The specific name honours the zoologist Walter Kenrick Fisher (1878-1953) of Stanford University. Within the genus Centropyge this species is considered, by some authorities, to be in the subgenus Xiphypops. C. fisheri was considered to be restricted to Hawaii but the more widespread C. flavicauda is now considered to be synonymous with it.

Source: Wikipedia: Centropyge fisheri — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centropyge_fisheri (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.