Anubias nana care is simple once you understand one rule: never bury the rhizome. This slow-growing, low-light Anubias aquarium plant tolerates a wide range of water conditions, needs no injected carbon dioxide (CO2), and needs no nutrient-rich substrate. Attach it to driftwood or rock with its thick, green rhizome exposed, give it low to moderate light for about six to eight hours a day, and it can live for years with very little attention.
That toughness is why Anubias nana is one of the most recommended plants for beginners, shrimp tanks, betta tanks, and tanks with fish that eat most other plants. It is not a fast plant, though. A healthy Anubias nana plant usually produces only one or two new leaves a month. Buy it for steady, reliable, low-maintenance greenery — not for quick background cover. This guide explains how to identify it, plant it correctly, keep it healthy, and propagate it by dividing its rhizome.
What Is Anubias Nana?
Anubias nana is the dwarf variety of Anubias barteri, a freshwater plant from West Africa. Its full botanical name is Anubias barteri var. nana, and it belongs to the arum family, Araceae — the same family as peace lilies, which explains the shape of its occasional flower. In the wild it grows in and beside shady, flowing streams in countries including Cameroon, Nigeria, Gabon, and Ivory Coast, often attached to rocks and tree roots, partly above the water and partly below it. That natural habit explains almost everything about how to grow Anubias nana: it likes shade, gentle flow, and a firm surface to grip, and it does not need to be rooted in soil.
The plant grows from a thick, creeping, horizontal stem called a rhizome. Broad, dark green, leathery leaves rise from the top of the rhizome, and pale roots grow from its underside. Those roots are mainly for anchoring, not feeding — Anubias nana absorbs most of its nutrients from the water column. A mature plant is usually 5–15 cm (2–6 inches) tall, with leaves about 5–8 cm (2–3 inches) long. Because it grows so slowly, a leaf can last for months: the plant needs little trimming, but any algae on a leaf has a long time to grow there.
How to Identify Anubias Nana — and Tell It Apart from Related Varieties
Anubias nana is easy to confuse with its relatives, because shops use the name “Anubias” loosely and young plants of different varieties can look alike.
| Form | Full name | Typical height | Leaves | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anubias nana | Anubias barteri var. nana | 5–15 cm (2–6 in) | Broad, dark green, teardrop-shaped, 5–8 cm long | Foreground to midground |
| Anubias nana ‘Petite’ | Anubias barteri var. nana ‘Petite’ | 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) | Tiny, oval, usually under 2.5 cm long, densely packed | Nano tanks, detailed hardscape |
| Anubias barteri (broadleaf) | Anubias barteri var. barteri | 20–40 cm (8–16 in) | Very broad, heart-shaped leaves up to about 30 cm long | Background in large tanks |
| Anubias nana ‘Gold’ | Anubias barteri var. nana ‘Gold’ | 5–10 cm (2–4 in) | Lime-green to golden leaves | Accent plant |
A few distinctions matter when you buy. First, “nana” is a variety of Anubias barteri, not a separate species, so the correct name is Anubias barteri var. nana — “Anubias nana” is the common shorthand. Second, ‘Petite’ (also sold as ‘Bonsai’) is a further-dwarfed selection within var. nana, not a separately recognised botanical variety. It is much smaller, with more leaves crowded along each centimetre of rhizome, and it grows even more slowly, which is one reason it often costs more. Third, some plants sold as Anubias are not A. barteri at all — the trade name Anubias ‘Congensis’, for example, is treated by Kew’s Plants of the World Online as a synonym of a separate species, Anubias heterophylla — so check the size on the label, not just the name. A broadleaf A. barteri bought by mistake can outgrow a nano tank within a year, while a ‘Petite’ bought for a large background will look lost.
When buying, choose a plant with at least three or four firm, deep green leaves and a firm, bright green rhizome, and avoid any plant with a brown, soft, or mushy rhizome or heavy black beard algae — a damaged rhizome rarely recovers. Tissue-culture pots cost more but arrive free of pests, snails, and algae.
Anubias Nana Care at a Glance
| Requirement | What works |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Light | Low to moderate, 6–8 hours a day |
| CO2 | Not required; may speed growth slightly |
| Temperature | 20–28°C (68–82°F); commonly kept at 22–28°C (72–82°F) |
| pH | About 5.0–9.0; commonly kept at 6.0–7.5 |
| Water hardness | Soft to moderately hard; very adaptable |
| Substrate | Not required |
| Fertiliser | Light liquid fertiliser as needed; root tabs not needed |
| Growth rate | Slow — usually 1–2 new leaves a month |
| Placement | Foreground to midground, attached to hardscape |
| Propagation | Rhizome division |
The ranges above are deliberately broad, because sources disagree on exact figures and because Anubias nana genuinely tolerates a wide range. Stability matters more than hitting one exact number: a steady pH of 7.5 suits it better than a pH that swings between 6.0 and 7.0. The same applies to temperature — it can survive cooler water down to about 18°C (64°F) for a time, but growth slows, and water above about 30°C (86°F) can stress it.
Why the Rhizome Must Never Be Buried
The Anubias nana rhizome is the plant’s lifeline. It is a thick, fleshy, horizontal stem that stores energy and produces both leaves and roots. If the rhizome is buried under gravel, sand, or soil, water cannot circulate around it, oxygen is cut off, and the tissue rots. A buried rhizome typically turns soft, brown, and mushy within weeks, leaves detach at the stalk, and the plant dies. This is the single most common cause of Anubias failure, and it is entirely avoidable.
The rule is simple: the rhizome stays fully above the substrate at all times. The thin, pale roots underneath it may be tucked into the substrate, wedged into a crack, or left to grip the hardscape — that is fine, and they will anchor the plant within a few weeks. Only the thick green stem itself must remain exposed to open water. If you buy a plant sold potted in rockwool, remove the pot and the rockwool, rinse the roots gently, and check the rhizome before you attach it.
If you discover a rhizome has been buried, act at once. Lift the plant, inspect the whole rhizome, and cut away every soft or brown section with a clean, sharp blade until only firm, green tissue remains. Reattach the healthy portion to wood or rock with the rhizome exposed. A plant with a firm rhizome and at least a few healthy leaves can recover, though new growth will take weeks because the plant grows so slowly.
How to Grow Anubias Nana: Attachment Methods
Anubias nana is an epiphyte — a plant that grows attached to a surface rather than rooted in soil — so you do not plant it the way you plant a stem or rosette plant. There are four reliable methods, and all of them work if the rhizome stays exposed.
Tying with thread or fishing line. Hold the rhizome flat against driftwood or rock and tie it gently with cotton thread or fishing line. Cotton thread rots away after a few weeks, by which time the roots have usually gripped the surface; fishing line lasts longer but must be loosened before it cuts into the growing rhizome. This is the safest method for a first plant.
Cyanoacrylate gel glue. A small drop of aquarium-safe cyanoacrylate gel on a dry spot of wood or rock, pressed against the underside of the rhizome for a few seconds, holds the plant firmly. Work outside the tank or with the hardscape lifted out, keep the glue off the leaves, and let it set before the piece goes back underwater. This is the usual choice for small ‘Petite’ pieces that are hard to tie.
Wedging. Wedge the rhizome into a crack, fork, or hollow in driftwood or rock so that it sits firmly with the rhizome exposed. Check that the plant cannot be knocked loose by fish or water flow, and that the wedge is not so tight that it crushes the rhizome.
Resting on the substrate. Rest the plant on top of the substrate with only its roots tucked in and the rhizome above the surface. This works in a calm tank, but the plant may drift until its roots anchor, so use a small stone to hold it in place.
Whichever method you choose, place the plant where it will get low to moderate light and gentle flow: the shaded side of driftwood, under the overhang of a larger plant, or in the foreground under floating plants. Avoid the brightest spot directly under the light, and avoid strong filter outflow, which traps debris on the leaves and encourages algae.
Lighting, Water, and Feeding
Anubias nana needs less light than most aquarium plants, and too much light is more harmful than too little: a basic LED on a timer for six to eight hours a day is enough. Strong light does not make it grow much faster, but it does give algae a long-lived surface to colonise — green spot and black beard algae are the usual result, and they are hard to remove from a slow-growing leaf without damaging it. In a bright, high-tech tank, keep Anubias nana in the shade: under floating plants, behind taller stems, or low on a piece of wood.
Water conditions are the easy part. Anubias nana tolerates soft to moderately hard water, a pH from about 5.0 to 9.0, and temperatures from about 20 to 28°C (68–82°F); most keepers hold it at 22–28°C (72–82°F) and a pH of 6.0–7.5. What it does need is clean, stable water: regular partial water changes, a cycled filter, and no ammonia or nitrite spikes. A new tank that is still cycling is a poor place for any plant — its slow growth means damage shows late and recovery takes weeks.
Feeding is light. Because Anubias nana is a water-column feeder, a small dose of a complete liquid fertiliser, used as the product label directs, is usually enough; in a stocked tank, fish waste supplies some nutrients on its own. Root tabs are not needed, because the plant has no root system in the substrate to feed from. Do not over-fertilise: in a low-light tank, excess fertiliser feeds algae more than it feeds a slow plant. Injected CO2 is also optional — it may speed growth a little, but Anubias nana grows perfectly well without it.
Anubias Nana Propagation: Dividing the Rhizome
Anubias nana propagation is done by rhizome division, and it is one of the easiest ways to get more plants for free — provided you are patient. Do not divide a young plant. Wait until the rhizome is long and healthy, with several clusters of leaves along it, so that each piece you cut can support itself.
- Remove the plant gently. Lift the whole piece of hardscape, or untie the plant, taking care not to snap the rhizome. Keep the plant damp.
- Find the natural sections. Look for gaps between leaf clusters along the rhizome. These are the safest places to cut, because each side already has its own leaves and roots.
- Cut with a clean, sharp tool. Cut the rhizome into sections, each with at least three or four healthy leaves and some roots — three or four is the safer minimum (some sources say two or three), because each new plant needs enough leaf area to photosynthesise while it recovers.
- Reattach each piece. Tie or glue each section to new wood or rock, exactly as you would a new plant, with the rhizome fully exposed.
- Give it time to recover. Growth often pauses for a few weeks after division. Keep the light low, the water stable, and do not move the new plants. New roots and leaves appear slowly over the following months.
A plant may also produce side shoots along the rhizome on its own; separate these daughter plants once they carry their own leaves and roots, using the same method. Over several years, repeated division can cover a whole branch of driftwood from a single original plant.
Where to Place Anubias Nana in Your Tank
Anubias nana suits the foreground and midground of most tanks, attached to hardscape. In a nano tank of 5–10 gallons, standard nana works in the foreground or midground, and ‘Petite’ is better still, because its tiny leaves stay in proportion. In a larger tank, group several nana plants along a piece of driftwood to build a green ridge. Do not use standard nana as a background plant in a tall tank — it will never grow tall enough to fill the space. For background height, see the taller plants in our Best Background Aquarium Plants guide, and for low-light companions, see Best Low Light Aquarium Plants.
It also suits betta and shrimp tanks — bettas rest on its smooth leaves, and shrimp graze biofilm from them — and it survives with goldfish and larger cichlids, because its tough, bitter leaves are unappealing to most fish; attach it firmly in a cichlid tank, as digging fish can dislodge it. Anubias can also grow emersed in a paludarium as long as it stays wet, and healthy plants can flower underwater, producing a small white spadix flower like a tiny peace lily.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Algae on leaves (green spot, black beard) | Too much light, light on too long, excess nutrients | Move the plant to shade, shorten the photoperiod to 6–8 hours, wipe leaves gently, add Amano shrimp or Nerite snails |
| Rhizome rot (soft, mushy, brown rhizome) | Rhizome buried or damaged | Cut away all rotted tissue to firm, green rhizome; reattach with the rhizome exposed |
| Yellowing leaves | Old leaf ageing, or nutrient shortage (often iron or potassium) | One old leaf yellowing is normal; if several yellow at once, dose a complete liquid fertiliser and check water stability |
| Melting or transparent leaves after purchase | Transition from emersed nursery growth to submerged growth | Remove melted leaves, leave the firm rhizome alone; new submerged leaves usually appear within 4–8 weeks |
| No new growth for months | Very low light, no fertiliser for months, or a stressed rhizome | Check the rhizome is exposed and firm, check for ammonia or nitrite, add light liquid fertiliser, and be patient — slow growth is normal |
Algae is the most common Anubias problem: a leaf that lives for months gives algae a long time to establish, and scrubbing a slow-growing leaf too hard damages it. Prevention is better than cure — keep the plant shaded, the light to six to eight hours, and up with water changes. If algae appears, wipe it gently with a soft brush, or trim off the worst leaf close to the rhizome; never pull a leaf off, because that can tear the rhizome.
Anubias naturally sheds one or two old leaves a month as it redirects nutrients to new growth, and that is not a problem. Yellowing alone does not prove a specific deficiency, so check the whole setup — light, water stability, fertiliser, and whether the rhizome is buried — before adding anything.
Conclusion
Anubias nana care comes down to a short list: keep the rhizome exposed, attach the plant to wood or rock, give it low to moderate light for six to eight hours a day, keep the water clean and stable, and feed it lightly from the water column. It needs no CO2, no special substrate, and no frequent trimming. In return you get a tough, long-lived plant that suits beginners, shrimp tanks, betta tanks, and tanks with plant-eating fish — and that, divided once a year or so, can slowly fill your hardscape from a single original plant. Buy a healthy plant with a firm, green rhizome, place it in the shade, and leave it alone to grow slowly, and last.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast does Anubias nana grow?
Very slowly. A healthy plant usually produces one or two new leaves a month, and in low light without CO2 it may produce one leaf every six to eight weeks. CO2 and brighter light may speed growth a little, but they will not turn it into a fast-growing plant — and brighter light usually grows algae on its leaves instead.
Can Anubias nana grow without CO2?
Yes. It grows well without injected CO2 and is one of the best plants for a low-tech tank, using the carbon dioxide naturally present in the water, along with nutrients from fish waste and, if needed, a light liquid fertiliser.
Why is my Anubias nana rhizome rotting?
Rhizome rot is almost always caused by burying the rhizome in substrate, which cuts off oxygen and lets the tissue rot. It can also follow physical damage. Cut away all soft, brown tissue with a clean blade until only firm, green rhizome remains, and reattach the healthy portion with the rhizome fully exposed.
How do I propagate Anubias nana?
By rhizome division. Wait until the rhizome is long and healthy, then cut it with clean, sharp scissors into sections, each with at least three or four healthy leaves and some roots. Attach each section to wood or rock, rhizome exposed, and give it a few weeks to recover — growth often pauses after division.
Does Anubias nana need substrate?
No. It is an epiphyte that grows attached to driftwood, rock, or other hardscape, and needs no substrate at all. If you rest it on the substrate, tuck in only the thin roots and keep the thick rhizome above the surface.
Why are my Anubias nana leaves turning yellow?
A single old leaf yellowing is normal ageing. If several leaves yellow at once, check whether the rhizome is buried, whether the water has had an ammonia or nitrite spike, and whether the plant has had any fertiliser for months. A complete liquid fertiliser, used as directed, is the usual first step — but yellowing alone does not identify one specific deficiency.
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