Can I plant Anubias in the substrate?

Only the roots. Burying the rhizome causes it to rot.

Why are the leaves covered in algae?

Growth is very slow, so leaves persist for a long time. Reduce light and increase water changes.

FreshwaterPlantsBeginner

Anubias Nana

Anubias barteri var. nana

A very slow-growing, shade-tolerant epiphyte with thick dark leaves, almost impossible to kill and safe in cichlid tanks.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 20 – 30 °C
pH range: 6 – 8
Hardness: 2 – 18 dGH
Adult size: 5 – 15 cm
Min. tank size: 20 litres+
Water flow: Low to moderate
Preferred setup: Attached to hardscape with the rhizome exposed

About the Anubias Nana

Anubias Nana is the low-light workhorse of planted tanks. It attaches to hardscape, tolerates neglect, survives in tanks where most plants are eaten, and needs no CO2 or special substrate.

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Where Anubias Nana comes from

Native range

West Africa

Countries / regions

Cameroon, Nigeria

Habitat

Shaded streams and river margins, growing on rocks and wood in and out of the water.

Illustrative native range only, not an occurrence dataset.

Similar species

Java Fern
Microsorum pteropus
Bucephalandra
Bucephalandra spp.

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

View all compatibility

Amano Shrimp
Caridina multidentata
Grazes algae from the tough leaves without damaging them.
Great
German Blue Ram
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
Attached to hardscape, so substrate-sifting cichlids cannot uproot it.
Great
Electric Yellow Lab
Labidochromis caeruleus
One of the few plants that survives an mbuna tank, but leaves are still grazed.
Compatible with caution

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