Yellow with blue lips and a black-edged anal fin; usually deeper than the other yellow angelfish.
To about 26 cm and largely bright yellow, with blue-purple lips, a dark blue-black anal fin edged in white, and a faint dark blotch on the nape and above each gill cover — the three spots, which are indistinct in many individuals. Juveniles are similar to adults, which is unusual in this family.
It occurs on reef slopes and walls, generally deeper than the Centropyge dwarf angelfishes, and feeds mainly on sponges and tunicates. It is usually alone or in pairs, moves steadily along the slope and does not hold still for long. Photographs at the depths where it is common carry an obvious constraint on bottom time. Recorded from about 10 to 60 m.
Ratings are per location: 1 means found on most dives that look for it, 5 means a handful of records. Where enough dives have been logged the figure is calculated from them; otherwise it is an editorial estimate, and says so. We publish habitat and destination, not the dive site.