Midnight angelfish (Centropyge nox)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Centropyge nox · Authority: (Bleeker, 1853) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 278847.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Holacanthus nox Bleeker, 1853.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=278847 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 10 cm · Depth range: 3–70 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Common in coral-rich areas of outer reef slopes, occasionally sighted in lagoons and passages. Prefers habitats with rich mixed invertebrate growth (Ref. 48636). Usually seen singly or in pairs.

It thrives well in an algae-grown tank (Ref. 4859). Feeds on algae. Forms harems of 3-7 individuals. Frequently exported through the aquarium trade (Ref. 48391).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 6647) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Centropyge-nox.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

169 georeferenced occurrence records for Centropyge nox are published through GBIF from 11 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 56 distinct locations from a sample of 169 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: Philippines (55); Indonesia (29); Solomon Islands (23); Papua New Guinea (22); Fiji (14); Australia (7); Palau (7); Timor-Leste (5); Vanuatu (4); New Caledonia (2); Micronesia (Federated States of) (1).

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396527) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396527&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=278847 (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 nox (Bleeker, 1853) 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 165868) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165868/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396527) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396527/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Centropyge nox is uniformly bluish-black in colour with an irregular yellow blotch immediately to the rear of the gill cover and above the pectoral fin. The dorsal fin contains 14–15 spines and 16–17 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 16–17 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 10 cm.

Centropyge nox Is found in the Western Pacific Ocean where it ranges from the Ryukyu Islands in the north to New Caledonia and the Great Barrier Reef in the south, west to Indonesia and east as far as the Caroline Islands.

Centropyge nox is found at depths between 10 and 70 m.5th This species is common in the coral dense parts of the outer reef slopes, although it is occasionally recorded from lagoon areas and channels. The midnight angelfish shows a preference for habitats which include dense and varied growth of benthic invertebrates.

It is typically encountered as solitary fishes or as pairs. This is a herbivorous species which feeds on algae. The live in harems of 3-7 fishes.

Centropyge nox was first formally described in 1853 by the Dutch ichthyologist and herpetologist Pieter Bleeker (1819-1878). With the type locality given as Ambon Island in Indonesia. The specific name, nox means "night", this refers to tilts bluish-black colour of the midnight angelfish. Some authorities place this species in the subgenus Centropyge.

Centropyge nox occasionally appears in the aquarium trade.

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