Anubias Nana Care Guide: Light, Attaching to Rock & Fixing Melting Leaves

Anubias Nana Care at a Glance

• Light: Low to moderate. Standard aquarium LEDs are enough. Check your setup with the Anubias Nana sunlight calculator.
• Planting: Attach the rhizome to rock or driftwood. Never bury it.
• Water: 72-82°F (22-28°C), pH 6.0-7.5, with regular water changes. See our guide to water quality.
• CO2 and substrate: Neither is required.
• Fertilizer: A light dose of liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks is plenty. Use the aquarium fertilizer calculator to avoid overdosing.
• Growth: Very slow; typically 2-4 inches tall.
• Common problems: Rhizome rot, melting leaves and green spot algae.

What Is Anubias Nana?

Anubias Nana (Anubias barteri var. nana, also sold as Dwarf Anubias and sometimes misspelled as “anubis nana” or “anubia nana”) is arguably the most resilient plant in the aquarium hobby. Native to the streams of West Africa (Cameroon), it is an epiphyte, meaning it naturally grows on rocks and wood rather than in soil. Its thick, dark green leaves provide excellent cover for shy fish and resting spots for slow-swimming species.

This compact form has been grown commercially for the aquarium trade since the 1970s and is now one of the most widely sold aquarium plants in the world. Its slow growth rate makes it an ideal choice for aquascapers who want a low-maintenance setup. It can adapt to a wide range of water parameters, making it beginner-friendly.

• Anubias Nana is a true aquatic plant that is perfect for low-tech setups.
• Its leathery leaves make it resistant to most herbivorous fish, such as goldfish and many cichlids.
• It is commonly used as a foreground or midground plant in freshwater aquariums.
• The plant helps improve water quality by absorbing excess nitrates.

Botanical Profile

The botanical name is Anubias barteri var. nana. It is a slow-growing aquatic herb with dark green, broad leaves that are thick and leathery to the touch.

The plant features a rhizome—a horizontal stem that grows along the surface and can reach roughly 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) or more over time. This rhizome is the most vital part of the plant and should never be buried.

• Anubias Nana is small, typically reaching only 2-4 inches in height.
• Individual leaves can last for several years, which is why slow-growing algae can settle on them if light is too strong.
• It can be propagated easily by cutting the rhizome into pieces, ensuring each piece has at least 3-4 healthy leaves.
• The plant can flower underwater in healthy aquarium conditions, producing a small white spathe.

Anubias Nana Light Requirements and Placement

Anubias Nana prefers low to medium light. It is highly adaptable but thrives best when shaded from direct, intense light to prevent algae accumulation on its leaves.

It does not need high-tech lighting or CO2. Standard aquarium LEDs on a moderate photoperiod (roughly 6 to 8 hours a day) are enough, and extra light mostly feeds algae on its slow-growing leaves. Use the Anubias Nana sunlight calculator to sanity-check your light setup.

Place it attached to driftwood, rocks, or other hardscape features in the foreground or midground of your aquarium.

• Avoid placing the plant directly under high-intensity lighting.
• If you notice Green Spot Algae on the leaves, move the plant to a shaded area or reduce your light duration.
• Floating plants or taller stem plants can provide natural shade over Anubias.
• Good water circulation around the rhizome is essential for preventing rot.

How to Attach Anubias Nana to Rock or Driftwood

1. Remove the plant from its pot or rockwool and gently rinse off any loose material.
2. Pick a rock or piece of driftwood where the rhizome (the thick horizontal stem) can sit on the surface.
3. Fix the rhizome in place with a small dab of cyanoacrylate gel superglue, or tie it on with cotton thread or fishing line. Keep the glue off the leaves and roots where possible.
4. Place the hardscape in the tank so the rhizome stays above the substrate and clear of sand or gravel.
5. Over the following weeks the roots grip the surface. If you used line or thread, remove it once the plant holds on by itself.

Another simple option is to wedge the rhizome into a crack between two rocks, or to buy a plant that is already mounted on a coconut shell or wood. You can also anchor only the roots in gravel, as long as the rhizome stays clear of the substrate.

Where to Place Anubias Nana in Your Aquarium

Because it stays small and tolerates low light, Anubias Nana fits almost anywhere in a freshwater tank. In a nano aquarium it works as a foreground feature on a small rock. In a larger tank it suits the midground, where it can soften the base of hardscape.

• Pair it with other epiphytes. Java fern, Java moss and Bucephalandra use the same mounting method and similar low-tech conditions, so they combine well on one piece of driftwood.
• Shrimp tanks. Its broad leaves give shrimp surfaces to graze on and shelter to hide in.
• Tanks with digging or large fish. The leaves are rarely eaten, but digging fish can knock loosely mounted plants over. Mount Anubias on heavy rock or wood so it stays put.
• Keep the rhizome clear. Leave a little space around it so debris and fine substrate do not pile up against it.

Fertilizing Anubias Nana

Anubias Nana grows slowly and absorbs most of its nutrients from the water column, so it needs very little. A light dose of a complete liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks is enough for most tanks, and many established tanks with fish already supply what it needs.

More is not better. Heavy dosing mainly feeds algae on the plant’s long-lived leaves. Use the aquarium fertilizer calculator to work out a sensible dose for your tank volume, and read our guide to dosing macro and micro nutrients in a planted tank if you run a more advanced setup. Root tabs are optional, since the plant feeds mainly through its leaves and roots in the water, not by growing in soil.

Anubias Nana Above Water and in Paludariums

Anubias Nana can also grow with its leaves above the waterline (emersed), which makes it a popular choice for paludariums, ripariums and planted terrariums with a water section. Keep the rhizome and roots in contact with moisture and give it high humidity and moderate light.

Emersed-grown plants often flower more readily. If you move a plant between emersed and submerged conditions, expect some leaves to melt and be replaced by new ones adapted to the new environment. For more on this style of setup, see our guides to paludarium plants, paludarium lighting and converting an aquarium to a paludarium.

Care and Maintenance

The most important rule for Anubias is to keep the rhizome exposed to the water column. If buried, it will rot. Attaching it to hardscape is the standard method.

Maintenance is minimal. Occasional pruning of dead or decaying leaves is all that is required to keep the plant healthy. Because each leaf can last for years, do not trim healthy leaves just to tidy the plant.

• Remove decaying leaves promptly to maintain water quality.
• Clean the leaves gently if they become covered in algae or detritus.
• Ensure the aquarium water has good oxygenation and filtration.

How to Propagate Anubias Nana

Propagation is straightforward and usually done by division. Use a clean, sharp pair of scissors or a razor blade to cut the rhizome.

Each section must have a piece of the rhizome and several leaves to survive. Once cut, reattach the pieces to rocks or wood using fishing line or glue.

• Sterilize tools before cutting to prevent infection.
• Allow the cut section to heal for a few minutes before attaching.
• The plant will slowly re-establish its root system on the new surface.

Anubias Nana Problems: Melting Leaves, Rhizome Rot, Yellow Leaves and Algae

Anubias Nana is generally hardy, but ‘melting’ or rhizome rot is the most common issue. This is usually due to poor water flow or burying the rhizome.

Algae issues, specifically Green Spot Algae, are common due to the plant’s slow growth rate.

Melting leaves

Melting after purchase is common when a plant grown above water (emersed) is placed underwater. The old leaves break down and new, submerged-adapted leaves grow in. Keep the rhizome healthy and exposed, keep conditions stable, and be patient. Melting that continues for weeks, or that comes with a soft rhizome, points to burial, poor flow or sudden water-parameter swings instead.

Rhizome rot

A brown, mushy rhizome with a bad smell is rot. Cut away the rotting section with clean tools, keep the healthy part, and remount it on hardscape with good water flow around it.

Yellow leaves

An occasional old leaf turning yellow is normal, since leaves do not last forever. Remove it when it is fully dead. Many yellow leaves at once usually point to very low light, a buried rhizome, or a major change in water conditions.

Green spot algae

Green spot algae (GSA) shows up as hard green dots on older leaves. It is mostly cosmetic and best managed by reducing light intensity or duration, avoiding nutrient overdosing and keeping conditions stable. Some snails, such as nerite snails, may help graze it from leaves.

• Monitor for signs of rhizome decay (mushy texture, bad smell).
• Ensure regular water changes to maintain stable parameters.
• Adjust light levels if algae becomes a persistent problem on the leaves.

Anubias Nana vs Java Fern vs Bucephalandra

These three epiphytes are often grown together. They share the same basic rule (keep the rhizome out of the substrate), but they differ in size and look.

Sizes are typical ranges and vary with variety and growing conditions. If you want the simplest, most forgiving choice for a first planted tank, Anubias Nana is hard to beat.

Anubias Nana Varieties (Petite, Mini, Gold) and Price

Beyond the standard form, several highly sought-after varieties exist. Anubias Nana Gold features striking, lighter yellowish-green leaves and requires slightly more light to maintain its vibrant color. Anubias Nana Mini (often used interchangeably with ‘Petite’) is perfect for nano tanks, offering the same hardiness in a much smaller footprint. Because of its extremely slow growth rate, Anubias Nana is typically more expensive than fast-growing stem plants. Prices generally range from $6 to $15 per pot or bare-root portion depending on the size and variety, with rare varieties like ‘Gold’ or ‘Pinto’ commanding higher prices. Prices vary by seller and region.

Buying tips

• Check the rhizome. Choose plants with a firm, light-colored rhizome and healthy roots, not a soft or dark one.
• Know the form you are buying. Potted, bare-root, tissue-culture cups and pre-mounted plants are all common. Tissue-culture plants are usually clean of pests and algae but start small.
• Expect an adjustment period. Plants grown above water may lose leaves after you place them underwater.
• Quarantine briefly. Rinse new plants and check them for algae and snail eggs before adding them to an established tank.

Anubias Nana vs Other Anubias

Anubias nana is the smallest of the commonly sold Anubias. Larger types such as Anubias barteri, Anubias coffeefolia and Anubias hastifolia grow bigger leaves and suit background placement, but they follow the same rule: keep the rhizome out of the substrate.

Related Guides

• Java Fern care guide
• Java Moss care guide
• Bucephalandra care guide
• Aquarium fertilizer calculator
• Water quality basics
• Paludarium plants