If Java fern is the most beginner-friendly aquarium plant, Anubias is a very close second. Thick waxy leaves that no fish eats, doesn’t need substrate, grows in low light, tolerates any UK tap water. Once established, an Anubias can survive years of casual neglect.

The one thing that kills Anubias every time — burying the rhizome in substrate — is easy to avoid once you understand what the rhizome actually is.

Quick facts

• Scientific name: Anubias barteri var. nana (most common); also barteri, afzelii, hastifolia
• Origin: West African rivers and streams (Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo)
• Adult size: leaves 5–20 cm depending on variety
• Light needs: low (high light causes leaf algae)
• Substrate: none — attaches to wood or rock
• Water temperature: 22–28°C
• pH: 6.0–8.0
• Water hardness: any UK tap water
• Growth rate: very slow (1 leaf per month once established)
• CO2: not required
• Difficulty: almost as easy as Java fern

The varieties available in UK trade

• Anubias nana — the classic small variety, 5–10cm leaves. Most widely available and cheapest. £5–£8.
• Anubias nana “Petite” — miniature form, 3–5cm leaves. Aquascape favourite for foreground use. £8–£15.
• Anubias nana “Golden” — pale gold-green leaves. Slower growing, sensitive to light. £10–£15.
• Anubias barteri — larger cousin, 15–25cm leaves. Background centrepiece. £8–£15.
• Anubias coffeefolia — reddish new leaves that mature to green. Aesthetic. £12–£18.
• Anubias afzelii — long narrow leaves. Uncommon in UK trade. £15–£25.

Where to buy in the UK

• Amazon UK: Anubias nana — reliable, £5–£12 per portion.
• Maidenhead Aquatics and most independent UK aquatic shops carry Anubias in tissue culture cups (£6–£10) or attached to driftwood (£15–£30).
• Aquarium Gardens, Aqua Essentials — better varieties and larger specimens.

Tissue culture plants (“in vitro”) are pesticide-free, snail-egg-free, and safe for shrimp tanks immediately. Emersed-grown plants (in soil, above water) often “melt” a few leaves during transition to submerged growth — this is normal, not death.

The rhizome — what kills most Anubias

Every Anubias has a horizontal woody stem called the rhizome. Roots grow from underneath; leaves grow from above.

The rhizome MUST sit ABOVE the substrate. Bury it and it rots within weeks. This is the single most common Anubias killer.

You do not plant Anubias like a normal plant. You attach it to a hard surface with its roots dangling free.

How to attach

Method 1 — Cyanoacrylate super glue (fastest)

1. Get aquascape cyanoacrylate super glue gel — NOT liquid, gel form.
2. Take your Anubias portion. Trim any dead or damaged leaves.
3. Pat the underside of the rhizome dry with kitchen roll.
4. Apply a bead of glue to the underside of the rhizome (never the leaves).
5. Press firmly onto wood or rock for 30 seconds.
6. Place in tank. Cured glue is aquarium-safe within minutes.

Total time: 5 minutes.

Method 2 — Cotton thread

1. Position rhizome against wood/rock.
2. Wrap dark cotton thread around the rhizome multiple times.
3. Anubias attaches within 4–8 weeks; cotton biodegrades over 3–6 months.

Method 3 — Wedge into crevice

Some rocks have natural gaps. Wedge Anubias rhizome into a crevice, leave. Works well for smaller nana varieties.

Positioning in the tank

• Not directly under the light — bright light causes green spot algae on the tough waxy leaves.
• Anywhere in mid to background — the medium size suits mid-water focal points.
• On wood attached to hardscape — recessed against a piece of driftwood is visually stunning.
• In caves or shaded corners — Anubias thrives in dim conditions where nothing else grows.

Water and lighting

Anubias tolerates virtually anything.

• pH 6.0–8.0 — any UK tap water
• Temperature 22–28°C — tropical range
• Nitrate 0–60 ppm — indifferent (though tank overall shouldn’t be at 60)
• Hardness — irrelevant to Anubias

Lighting: low to moderate. A basic aquarium LED bar at 6–8 hours daily is ideal. Bright planted-tank lighting causes brown/black algae to develop on leaves — Anubias prefers the shady bits of the tank.

Fertiliser: minimal. Once a month liquid ferts is plenty. Never insert root tabs near Anubias — the roots aren’t in substrate, and rotting root tabs pollute the tank.

CO2: absolutely not required. Growth is slightly faster with CO2 but the plant is already slow and CO2 doesn’t dramatically change that.

Propagation — one plant becomes many

Anubias multiplies via rhizome division.

When to propagate: the plant has grown 3+ leaves at each end of the rhizome, and the middle of the rhizome is visibly older.

How:

1. Remove the plant from wood/rock (or leave attached and work carefully).
2. Use aquascape scissors to cut the rhizome cleanly into pieces. Each piece needs 2–3 healthy leaves and some roots.
3. Attach each piece to new wood or rock as above.
4. Both pieces grow independently.

Anubias can double in size once a year through this method. Free multiplication.

Common problems

Rhizome rotting (fatal)

The Anubias-killing scenario. Rhizome buried in substrate, or rhizome trapped against silicone corners where waste accumulates. Prevention: attach ABOVE substrate on hard surfaces.

If rot has started (rhizome soft, discoloured, mushy), cut off the affected portion cleanly and re-attach the healthy portion.

Algae on leaves

Too much light. Reduce photoperiod to 6 hours; move Anubias to a shadier position. Add nerite snails to graze algae off leaves.

Yellow leaves

Iron or general nutrient deficiency. Weekly liquid ferts fix it. If persistent, use a proper aquarium fertiliser like Tropica Plant Nutrition.

Very slow growth / no new leaves

Anubias is naturally slow (1 leaf per month is normal). If you see one leaf every 2–3 months, that’s fine — this plant grows for years, not seasons.

Melting after purchase

Emersed-grown Anubias transitioning to submerged form. Some leaves may die; new leaves grow in submerged. Don’t remove the plant — it’s converting, not dying.

Tank mates

Anubias is safe with:

• Every fish — the tough waxy leaves taste bitter
• Shrimp (Anubias is a shrimp-tank favourite; biofilm develops on the leaves)
• Snails
• Even bristlenose plecs that shred softer plants leave Anubias alone
• Anubias survives even in tanks with silver dollars or goldfish

The only plant more universally safe from tank inhabitants is Java fern.

Aquascape uses

• Focal point on wood — a single Anubias attached to the “canopy” of a driftwood centrepiece
• Wall of Anubias — many pieces attached along a piece of horizontal wood at the tank back
• Nano tank foreground — Anubias nana “Petite” as a small ground-cover plant on smooth stones
• Cave decor — Anubias attached above or beside caves for cichlid tanks

Bottom line

Buy Anubias nana as one of your first plants. Attach to wood or rock. Never bury the rhizome. Ignore for months. Come back to a healthy, established plant that’s grown new leaves and starts propagating naturally.

Combined with Java fern and Amazon frogbit, a beginner planted tank effectively runs itself.

Frequently asked questions

How do you plant Anubias?

Attach the rhizome to wood or rock with aquarium glue or thread — never bury it in substrate, or it will rot. The roots grip the surface over a few weeks.

Why is my Anubias growing so slowly?

Slow growth is normal — Anubias produces roughly one leaf per month. As long as leaves are healthy and green, slow growth is not a problem.

Does Anubias need CO2?

No. Anubias thrives in low light without CO2. A monthly liquid fertiliser is plenty; avoid bright light, which causes algae on the leaves.

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Related: Java fern care, Best aquarium plants for UK beginners, Cherry shrimp care (Anubias is a shrimp favourite), DIY CO2 (not needed for Anubias).

— Jaqline Smalling, FishForever