Anubias Nana

Anubias Nana aquarium plant is without
question one of the most popular, most
beloved, and most widely grown freshwater
aquarium plants in the entire world. This
anubias nana aquarium plant features
beautiful dark glossy green heart-shaped
leaves on short sturdy stems growing from
a thick horizontal rhizome — creating a
classic and instantly recognisable natural
appearance that has made it a staple in
planted tanks, nature aquariums, and shrimp
tanks for decades.

Hardy, slow growing, virtually indestructible,
and endlessly versatile — this anubias nana
aquarium plant is the single most recommended
plant for beginners setting up their first
planted tank and remains a favourite of
experienced aquascapers who use it as a
foundational midground and foreground element
in their most detailed and impressive
aquascape layouts worldwide.

What is Anubias Nana Aquarium Plant?

Anubias Nana is a compact variety of
Anubias Barteri — a genus of aquatic plants
native to tropical West Africa, found
naturally growing along the shaded banks
and submerged roots of rivers and streams
in the tropical rainforests of Cameroon,
Nigeria, and surrounding countries. In its
natural habitat it grows attached to rocks
and submerged wood in slow-moving shaded
streams — explaining its remarkable
adaptability to low light conditions in
the aquarium.

In the aquarium this anubias nana aquarium
plant grows as an epiphyte — a plant that
attaches to surfaces rather than rooting
in substrate. Simply tie or glue it to
your favourite piece of driftwood or rock
and it will slowly develop root-like
structures that grip the surface naturally
— becoming increasingly beautiful and
well-established with every passing month.

Why Choose Anubias Nana Aquarium Plant?

🌿 Beautiful dark glossy green heart-shaped
leaves create classic natural appearance
🌿 Grows on driftwood and rocks — no
substrate or soil required at all
🌿 Thrives in low light — perfect for
basic aquarium lighting without upgrades
🌿 Virtually indestructible — one of the
most forgiving aquarium plants available
🌿 No CO2 required — grows in basic
low-tech setups without special equipment
🌿 Slow growing — minimal maintenance
and trimming needed once established
🌿 Perfect for shrimp tanks — provides
ideal natural grazing and shelter surface
🌿 Produces occasional white flowers
even when fully submerged in aquarium
🌿 Highly resistant to algae on leaves
compared to faster growing plants
🌿 Compatible with virtually all fish
species including goldfish and cichlids

How to Plant Anubias Nana Aquarium Plant

Attach this anubias nana aquarium plant
to driftwood or rock using one of three
methods — all work equally well depending
on your preference and setup:

METHOD 1 — COTTON THREAD (most natural):
Tie small sections of this anubias nana
aquarium plant to driftwood using thin
cotton thread. The thread biodegrades
naturally within 4 to 6 weeks by which
time the rhizome will have gripped the
surface with its own root-like structures
and the thread is no longer needed.

METHOD 2 — FISHING LINE (most durable):
Use thin fishing line or invisible thread
instead of cotton. Fishing line does not
biodegrade but is nearly invisible and
holds the plant very securely in place
permanently — useful for plants on rocks
that are difficult to access for re-tying.

METHOD 3 — SUPER GLUE GEL (fastest):
Apply a small amount of super glue gel to
the rhizome and press firmly to the dry
surface of driftwood or rock for 30 seconds.
The glue is completely safe for fish and
shrimp once cured and holds the plant
immediately — ideal for detailed aquascapes
where precise positioning is important.

CRITICAL: Never bury the rhizome of this
anubias nana aquarium plant in substrate.
Burying the rhizome causes it to rot
and will kill the plant. The rhizome must
always remain exposed — keep it above
the substrate surface at all times.

Anubias Nana Growth Rate and Maintenance

This anubias nana aquarium plant is a
slow grower — producing approximately
one new leaf per month under typical
aquarium conditions. Under better lighting
and with CO2 supplementation the growth
rate increases slightly but it will never
be a fast growing plant by nature.

This slow growth is actually one of its
greatest advantages — the plant requires
very little maintenance and trimming once
established. Simply remove any yellowing
or damaged leaves occasionally and the
plant will continue growing steadily
and beautifully without any intervention.

Anubias Nana and Algae

One important consideration with this
anubias nana aquarium plant is that its
slow growing dark leaves can develop algae
on their surface under high lighting —
particularly green spot algae and black
beard algae. To prevent this keep lighting
at low to medium intensity and ensure
adequate water flow around the leaves.

If algae does develop on the leaves it
can be removed by gently wiping the leaf
surface with a soft cloth or by spot
treating with liquid carbon. Introducing
nerite snails to the tank also provides
excellent natural algae control on the
broad leaf surfaces of this plant.

Anubias Nana in Shrimp Tanks

This anubias nana aquarium plant is one
of the absolute best plants for shrimp
tanks. Its broad dark green leaves develop
a rich layer of biofilm on their surface
that shrimp graze on constantly throughout
the day — keeping them active, well-fed,
and visibly thriving. The structure of
the rhizome and leaves also provides
excellent natural shelter for baby shrimp
increasing their survival rate significantly
in community tank environments.

Anubias Nana and Fish Compatibility

Unlike many aquarium plants, this anubias
nana aquarium plant is compatible with
fish species that would normally destroy
other plants — including goldfish, large
cichlids, and other herbivorous or
plant-destroying species. Its thick tough
dark leaves are generally left alone by
even the most destructive tank inhabitants
— making it one of the very few plants
that can be kept successfully in cichlid
and goldfish tanks.

Propagation

This anubias nana aquarium plant propagates
very easily through rhizome division. Simply
cut the rhizome into sections using sharp
clean scissors — each section with at least
3 to 4 leaves and visible roots will develop
into a complete independent plant. Attach
each section to its own piece of driftwood
or rock and it will continue growing
independently from that point onward.

Perfect Plant Combinations

This anubias nana aquarium plant creates
a stunning classic combination when paired
with
Java Moss
on the same piece of driftwood — the soft
delicate green texture of Java Moss
contrasted against the bold dark glossy
leaves of Anubias Nana is one of the most
timeless and beautiful aquascape combinations
available.

Also pairs beautifully with
Bolbitis Difformis
for a stunning all-epiphyte driftwood
display and works wonderfully alongside
Vallisneria Spiralis
in the background for a complete natural
planted tank layout.

Browse our complete
epiphyte plant collection
for more driftwood and rock attachment
plant options.

Read our
complete guide on the best plants for shrimp tanks
to learn how Anubias Nana fits into the
perfect natural shrimp environment.

Also read our
guide on the 5 easiest aquatic plants for beginners
to see why Anubias Nana is always at
the top of the recommended list for
anyone starting their first planted tank.

For more information on Anubias Nana
care visit
Fishkeeping World and
Aquatic Plant Central.

Care Details

🌱 Care Level: Easy
💡 Lighting: Low to Medium
💧 CO2: Not required
📍 Placement: Foreground to Midground
🌡️ Temperature: 22°C – 28°C
⚗️ pH: 6.0 – 7.5
💪 Growth Rate: Slow

Every Anubias Nana aquarium plant from
FloraBiz is farm-grown in clean healthy
cultivation tanks in Kozhikode, Kerala and
shipped fresh directly to your doorstep
anywhere in India with our live plant
delivery guarantee.