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Anubias Nana Care: Don't Bury the Rhizome

Anubias barteri var. nana

A complete care guide for Anubias Nana. Learn how to plant, propagate, and grow this incredibly hardy, low-light aquarium plant.

Easy Care

Light: Low
Growth Rate: Very Slow
Difficulty: Easy
Placement: Foreground/Midground

Overview

Anubias Nana is arguably the most resilient plant in the aquarium hobby. Its thick, dark green, leathery leaves provide excellent contrast in aquascapes and serve as perfect resting spots for fish like Bettas.

Care Guide

Like Java Fern, Anubias is an epiphyte with a rhizome. It should never be planted directly into the substrate or the rhizome will rot. Instead, wedge it between rocks or attach it to driftwood using cyanoacrylate gel superglue or fishing line. It tolerates temperatures of 72–82°F and a pH of 6.0–7.5, and does best under low to moderate lighting — excess light on its slow-growing leaves usually just invites algae rather than faster growth.

Size And Varieties

Standard Anubias Nana stays compact, typically reaching 3–8 inches tall with leaves fanning out from a slow-creeping rhizome, making it well suited to foreground or midground placement. Several popular cultivars offer different sizes and colors: 'Petite' is the smallest, with leaves often under an inch long, ideal for nano tanks; 'Bonsai' sits between Petite and standard Nana in size; 'Gold' features light green to chartreuse leaves instead of the usual dark green; and 'Coin Leaf' is prized for its unusually round, small leaves. All share the same easy care requirements and rhizome-based growth habit as the standard variety.

Fertilizer And Feeding

Anubias Nana can survive without dedicated fertilizing, often getting by on fish waste and whatever nutrients are already in the water. That said, since it feeds mainly through its leaves and roots rather than the substrate, a liquid water-column fertilizer with iron and micronutrients is more useful than root tabs, which mostly go to waste on a plant attached to wood or rock rather than planted in substrate. Without any fertilization, leaves may eventually turn pale with visible green veins, a sign of iron or micronutrient deficiency. Slightly elevated phosphate levels alongside iron can also encourage flowering and help resist algae.

Plant Data Profile

Taxonomy

Family: Araceae
Origin: West Africa

Growth

Growth Rate: Very Slow
Emersed Capable: Yes
Rhizome Plant: Yes
Floating Plant: No

Water Parameters

Temperature	Recommended: 22-28 C (Survivable: 20-30 C)
Water pH	Recommended: 6-7.5 (Survivable: 5.5-8)

Lighting

Requirement: Low
PAR Min: 15 μmol/m²/s
PAR Max: 35 μmol/m²/s

Nutrition & Fertilization

CO₂ Requirement: None
Nitrate Demand: Low
Phosphate Demand: Low
Potassium Demand: Low

Algae Sensitivity

Black Beard Algae: High
Green Spot Algae: High
Diatoms: Moderate

Companion Plants

Related: Excellent broad leaves for Betta resting.
Related: Tough, leathery leaves are usually left alone by herbivorous fish like goldfish.

Recommended Calculators

Estimative Index Fertilizer Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are there green spots on my Anubias leaves that won't rub off?

This is Green Spot Algae (GSA), which is extremely common on slow-growing plants like Anubias. Because Anubias leaves last for months or even years, they become prime real estate for algae. GSA is typically caused by too much direct light or a deficiency in phosphates. To fix it, move the Anubias to a shaded area (perhaps under a taller stem plant or floating plants), reduce your lighting duration, or gently increase phosphate dosing in your water column.

How do I attach Anubias Nana to driftwood or rocks?

The easiest and most secure method is using cyanoacrylate gel superglue (commonly sold as Gorilla Glue Gel or standard aquarium glue). Dry the surface of the rock/wood slightly, apply a small dab of glue, and press the rhizome (the thick horizontal stem) against it for 15 seconds. You can also use cotton thread or fishing line to tie it tightly around the decor. Avoid burying the rhizome in gravel or sand, as it will quickly rot and kill the plant.

My Anubias is turning yellow and melting. What's wrong?

If the thick green rhizome is buried beneath your substrate, it will suffocate, turn yellow/brown, become mushy, and eventually 'melt' away. If the rhizome is properly exposed but the leaves are yellowing with prominent green veins, this indicates a nutrient deficiency (often iron or magnesium). Since Anubias feeds primarily from the water column, adding a comprehensive liquid fertilizer will resolve this issue. Root tabs will not help an Anubias attached to wood.

How fast does Anubias Nana grow?

Anubias Nana is notoriously one of the slowest-growing plants in the aquarium hobby. Under typical low-tech conditions (no CO2, low light), you can expect it to produce only one new leaf every 3 to 4 weeks. Adding CO2 and higher light will slightly increase the growth rate, but will often lead to severe algae issues on the leaves. Patience is required; it is best purchased already at the size you desire.

Can I propagate Anubias Nana?

Yes! Once your Anubias has grown a long rhizome with many leaves, simply remove it from the tank and use a sharp, sterilized pair of scissors or a razor blade to cut the rhizome into pieces. Ensure each new piece has at least 3 to 4 healthy leaves attached. Reattach both pieces to your hardscape, and they will continue growing as separate, healthy plants.

How big does Anubias Nana grow?

It's a compact, slow-spreading plant, typically reaching only 3–8 inches tall depending on the variety, with leaves fanning out from the rhizome. This makes it well-suited to the foreground or midground rather than towering background placements.

Does Anubias Nana need CO2?

No, CO2 isn't necessary — Anubias Nana thrives in low-tech tanks without it. Adding CO2 can promote slightly faster growth and more robust leaves, but it isn't required for the plant to stay healthy.

Can Anubias Nana grow without soil?

Yes. As an epiphyte, it doesn't need soil or substrate at all — it gets by fine attached to driftwood or rocks, drawing nutrients mainly through its leaves and roots from the water column rather than through substrate feeding.

Is Anubias Nana good for beginners?

Yes, it's frequently recommended as one of the best beginner plants. It tolerates a wide range of water parameters, doesn't demand strong lighting or CO2, and is hard to kill as long as the rhizome isn't buried.

Does Anubias Nana need fertilizer?

Not strictly — it can survive on fish waste and existing tank nutrients alone. However, a light dose of liquid fertilizer containing iron and micronutrients noticeably improves leaf color and health, since Anubias feeds mainly through its leaves and roots rather than the substrate.

Can Anubias Nana survive in low light?

Yes, it's one of the best plants for low-light tanks and is often recommended specifically for that reason. It grows even more slowly under low light but stays healthy, and lower light actually reduces the risk of algae building up on its long-lasting leaves.

Is Anubias Nana good for shrimp tanks?

Yes. Its dense leaves and rhizome provide biofilm and hiding spots that shrimp graze on and shelter in, and its tough, leathery leaves are generally left alone by shrimp and most fish, making it a very shrimp-safe plant choice.