Anubias Nana: Care, Planting, and Algae Control

A rhizome-rooted plant no larger than a grown fist thrives in shaded West African streams, shrugging off dim tanks, hard water, and most beginner mistakes. Its dark green, oval leaves grow from a thick horizontal stem called a rhizome, never from a true root mass, so the plant stores water and energy the way a succulent does. That biology is exactly why an Anubias can sit on driftwood for a year with almost no help, and exactly why burying the rhizome in gravel rots it within weeks. Slow growth and tough leaves make it a favorite resting perch for bettas and a steady grazing surface for cherry shrimp.

This guide walks you through Anubias Nana care from water parameters and lighting through rhizome splitting and algae control, with notes on shrimp and betta safety built into each step.

Why Anubias Nana Earns a Spot in Nearly Every Freshwater Tank

Shaded rainforest streams in Cameroon shaped this plant’s constitution. Water levels rise and fall through the wet season, light is filtered through canopy cover, and nutrients arrive mostly as leaf litter rather than dissolved fertilizer. Those conditions built a plant that grows slowly, prefers dimmer light, and absorbs nutrients through both its leaves and any surface the rhizome touches.

Rhizome-First Biology

Every leaf, root, and flower on Anubias Nana grows from one horizontal stem running along the surface it sits on. That stem is the engine. Cut a rhizome in half and each piece can regrow, provided each section keeps at least three to four healthy leaves. Damage the rhizome and the whole plant eventually fails, even if the leaves still look fine for a few weeks.

Size, Growth Rate, and Placement

A mature Anubias Nana typically spans 3 to 6 inches across, with individual leaves reaching 1.5 to 2.5 inches long. Expect one new leaf every three to four weeks under good conditions and far slower in low light. That compact footprint suits the foreground of a 10-gallon tank or the midground of a 20-gallon community, where it covers a piece of driftwood without crowding faster stem plants behind it.

Tank Mate Synergy

Bettas use the broad horizontal leaves as resting platforms, and cherry or Amano shrimp spend hours picking biofilm off the same surface. The plant does not get eaten by either group, and both groups help keep algae under control. Pair Anubias Nana with peaceful nano fish, otocinclus, or corydoras for a low-maintenance, naturally balanced setup.

Setting the Right Water Parameters Before You Plant

Most Anubias losses in the first two weeks trace back to tank conditions rather than the plant itself. A cycled aquarium with stable temperature, neutral pH, and moderate hardness gives the rhizome time to settle before the first new leaf pushes out.

Temperature and Stability

Target 22 to 28°C (72 to 82°F), which covers virtually every common tropical community tank. A stable reading matters more than chasing the exact middle of that range. Avoid placing the tank near a window where afternoon sun can swing the temperature five degrees in an hour, because rapid shifts stall rhizome activity more than a slightly off-target constant does.

pH, Hardness, and Cycling

A pH between 6.5 and 7.5 and general hardness between 4 and 12 dGH suits Anubias Nana well. The bigger variable is whether the nitrogen cycle has finished before the plant arrives. In an uncycled tank, ammonia and nitrite burn leaf edges and trigger melt within days. A cycled aquarium with measurable nitrate and zero ammonia is the real prerequisite, more important than any fertilizer schedule you might read about later.

Quarantine and Acclimation

New plants often arrive with snail eggs, hydra, or algae spores clinging to the leaves. A short quarantine dip in a weak alum or dilute hydrogen peroxide solution clears most hitchhikers without damaging the plant. Float the pot in the display tank for 15 to 20 minutes to equalize temperature, then plant or attach it. Expect one or two older leaves to yellow and drop during week one. That is normal acclimation, not disease, as long as the rhizome stays firm and green.

After the first week of adjustment, dialing in lighting and nutrients becomes the real lever for steady growth.

Lighting, CO2, and Nutrients Calibrated for Slow Growth

Because it grows slowly, it cannot outcompete algae for the same light and nutrients. Every lighting decision should aim to feed the plant just enough without feeding the algae a feast.

Target PAR and Color Temperature

Leaf surfaces should receive roughly 20 to 40 PAR under bulbs tuned to about 6500K for steady, compact growth. That range keeps photosynthesis active without overdriving the system. Below 15 PAR the plant stalls, leaves darken, and growth stretches. Above 50 PAR, green spot algae and black beard algae start colonizing the slow-growing leaves, and recovery is slow.

CO2 Is Optional, Not Required

Without CO2, it grows roughly one new leaf every four weeks. Adding 15 to 25 ppm of CO2 can shorten that to two to three weeks and produce slightly larger leaves. The trade-off is real: CO2 also feeds algae, so any tank injecting CO2 must balance light, nutrients, and surface agitation or risk a breakout.

Fertilization: Liquid Carbon and Water-Column Dosing

Anubias absorbs nutrients from the water column through its leaves rather than through a true root system, so root tabs tucked under the rhizome do very little. Liquid fertilizers containing potassium and trace elements support steady leaf color. Liquid carbon products like glutaraldehyde-based doses can suppress algae on the leaves and act as a mild carbon source, though they are not a substitute for true CO2 at scale.

Reading the Leaves

Dark, leggy growth with long stems between leaves means the plant needs more light. Bright but algae-coated leaves mean the opposite. A pale, yellowish new leaf usually points to an iron or potassium gap, and a sudden melt with a blackening rhizome points to rot rather than a lighting problem.

Light Condition	PAR Range	Visible Symptom	Adjustment
Too low	Below 15	Dark leaves, slow growth	Raise fixture or shorten canopy plants above
Sweet spot	20 to 40	Steady, deep green leaves	Hold current setting
Too high	Above 50	Green spot, black beard algae	Dim the fixture or add floaters

Anchoring the Rhizome to Driftwood or Rock the Right Way

Mounting it on driftwood looks striking and keeps the rhizome out of anaerobic substrate pockets. The catch is that the wrong attachment method either damages the plant or comes loose within a month.

Why the Rhizome Should Never Be Buried

Substrate traps moisture against the rhizome and cuts off gas exchange. Within two to four weeks, the buried section turns soft, dark, and mushy, and the whole plant collapses. The white hair-like roots can sit in gravel if needed, but the green stem must stay exposed to flowing water.

Attachment Methods Compared

Method	Hold Time	Fish and Shrimp Safety	Best Use
Cyanoacrylate gel (super glue gel)	Permanent once cured	Safe once cured, no fumes underwater	Long-term display tanks, hardscape
Fishing line	6 to 12 months, then biodegrades	Safe, but visible	Aquascaping layouts, easy repositioning
Cotton thread	2 to 4 months	Safe, fully biodegradable	Short-term or breeding tanks
Rubber band or zip tie	Temporary	Safe short term, can trap small shrimp long term	Initial positioning only

Step-by-Step Attachment

1. 1Dry the contact surface. Lift the plant out and blot the rhizome and the wood or rock where it will sit, so the glue bonds cleanly.
2. 2Apply a small glue patch. Squeeze a pea-sized drop of cyanoacrylate gel onto the wood, then press the rhizome into it.
3. 3Hold for 30 seconds. The gel cures fast underwater, but a firm 30-second hold prevents slip.
4. 4Re-submerge and reposition roots. Once cured, the roots can drape over the wood naturally. Trim only damaged or rotted sections.

Mid-flow zones with gentle current, shaded pockets below overhangs, and spots away from direct fixture glare all work well. Avoid the high-flow blast directly under a filter output, where leaves stay coated with debris.

Algae on the Leaves and Other Common Problems

Slow-growing Anubias leaves act as a settling surface for every free-floating algae spore in the tank. The fix depends entirely on which algae is taking hold, since each type responds to a different intervention.

Identifying the Three Common Algae Types

• ▸Green spot algae. Hard, circular green dots that do not wipe off. Cut light intensity, add more fast-growing stem plants to outcompete, and manually remove the worst leaves.
• ▸Black beard algae. Dark, hair-like tufts that fan out from leaf edges. Spot-treat with liquid carbon, raise phosphate slightly, and add Amano shrimp to graze it back.
• ▸Diatom films. Brown, dusty coatings common in new tanks with high silicates. Wipe leaves gently with a soft toothbrush, add otocinclus, and let the cycle mature.

Yellowing Leaves and Melt

One yellow leaf on a new plant is normal acclimation. A wave of yellowing across multiple leaves points to nitrogen deficiency, often because the tank is too clean, with nitrates below 5 ppm. Rhizome rot looks different: leaves stay green briefly while the stem turns brown and soft, and the plant pulls free with no resistance. A firm green rhizome almost always means the plant is fine, even when leaves look rough.

Tank Mate Compatibility

it stays peaceful with bettas, shrimp, otocinclus, corydoras, and most nano fish. Goldfish, silver dollars, and large cichlids shred it, sometimes stripping a healthy plant down to the rhizome overnight. Knowing who not to house it with saves the plant and a lot of frustration.

Once placement is locked in, the next hurdle is the algae that still shows up on those broad leaves.

“Manual removal of heavily coated leaves works better than chemistry. Snip the worst leaf at the rhizome, let the plant redirect energy to a clean new shoot, and rebalance the lights rather than reaching for an algicide.

Propagation Timing and the Nana vs. Nana Petite Distinction

Propagation rewards patience. it responds to slow, deliberate division with healthy regrowth and punishes over-aggressive splitting with melt.

How to Split the Rhizome

Use sharp, sterilized scissors or a razor blade. Cut the rhizome so each piece keeps at least three to four leaves and a portion of the rootlets. Reattach or replant each piece immediately. New growth resumes within three to four weeks, faster in a tank with stable CO2 and a steady photoperiod.

When to Divide vs. When to Leave It Alone

Horizontal runners fill in a piece of hardscape naturally when the plant is left undisturbed, often producing a thick, carpeted look over six to twelve months. Division makes sense when the rhizome has outgrown its mount, when one piece shades out another, or when starting a new tank. Cutting for the sake of cutting usually sets the plant back without speeding anything up.

Anubias Nana Petite Compared

Feature	Anubias Nana	Anubias Nana Petite
Leaf length	1.5 to 2.5 inches	Under 0.5 inch
Growth rate	1 leaf every 3 to 4 weeks	1 leaf every 4 to 6 weeks
Best tank size	10 gallons and up	Nano and shrimp tanks
Carpet potential	Limited, larger footprint	Strong on small mesh or lava rock

Choosing the Right Variety

For a 5-gallon shrimp tank or a detailed aquascape, it Petite wins. For a 20-gallon community with driftwood and resting bettas, the standard Nana fills space without overwhelming the layout. Trying to carpet a foreground with standard Nana is slow and visually uneven. Petite handles that role far better, though even Petite takes months to fill in.

Wrap Up

Treat the rhizome as the plant, not the leaves. Anchor it to hardscape in stable, cycled water, light it at moderate PAR without excess, and let slow growth do the rest. Algae signals an imbalance, not a death sentence, and a healthy it can outlast almost every other plant in a freshwater aquarium.

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