HomeMarine aquarium fishAngelfish & butterflyfishEmperor angelfish Emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) Scientific name: Pomacanthus imperator Bloch, 1787 The Emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator) is a marine fish of the family Pomacanthidae. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 13 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-21; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21. Juveniles are bluish black with concentric white circles. Adults blue with close-set horizontal yellow stripes on the sides and the adjoining dorsal and anal fins. Snout white; eye enclosed in a black vertical bar with blue edge; pectoral fin base area also black. Transformation to the adult color pattern occurs over the size range 8 - 12 cm.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific namePomacanthus imperatorFamilyPomacanthidae (Angelfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length40.0Depth range1–100 m (3–328 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 1 - 100 mClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Line and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan and the Ogasawara Islands, south to the Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and the Austral Islands. Not found in Easter Island, Rapa and the Marquesan Islands.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More angelfish & butterflyfishPajama cardinalfishSphaeramia nematopteraPearlscale butterflyfishChaetodon xanthurusBlacktail butterflyfishChaetodon austriacusPhilippine butterflyfishChaetodon adiergastosThreespot angelfishApolemichthys trimaculatusBlack butterflyfishChaetodon flavirostrisSee all angelfish & butterflyfish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026