Plant guide
Anubias Barteri: Complete Aquatic Plant Care
Last updated: May 2026
- Epiphyte, not substrate plant: tie or glue Anubias barteri to hardscape - burying the rhizome kills it.
- Lighting: low to moderate, 20-40 PAR at the leaf surface; high light accelerates algae on broad leaves without speeding growth.
- CO₂: not required - this plant grows fine without it, just slowly.
- Temperature & pH: 20-28°C (68-82°F), pH 6.0-7.5; tolerates hard or soft water.
- Growth rate: slow - expect roughly one new leaf per month under typical conditions.
- Algae risk: broad, long-lived leaves accumulate algae; photoperiod discipline and algae-grazing tank mates are your main defences.
What is Anubias barteri?
Anubias barteri is a West African rheophyte - naturally found anchored to rocks and submerged wood in fast-moving rivers and streams in Cameroon, Nigeria, and neighbouring countries. In the aquarium trade the species covers a wide range of forms, and you will regularly see Anubias barteri var. barteri (the standard broad-leaf form), var. nana (compact, popular in small tanks), var. coffeefolia (corrugated dark leaves), and var. glabra (narrower, slightly larger). All share the same core care requirements, so everything in this guide applies across the group unless stated otherwise.
The plant grows from a horizontal stem called a rhizome. Roots anchor it to surfaces; leaves emerge along the top of the rhizome. Understand that structure and you understand Anubias. Ignore it and you will kill the plant by planting it the wrong way.
Care requirements
Attachment, not planting
Anubias is an epiphyte. It must be attached to hardscape - driftwood, rocks, or ceramic décor - rather than pushed into substrate. The rhizome needs to stay exposed to the water column to breathe and grow. Even partial burial causes the rhizome to rot within weeks.
To attach it, use black cotton thread, fishing line, or cyanoacrylate gel superglue (safe once cured in water - the "aquarium-safe" branding is largely marketing for the same product). Thread is tidier for beginners; glue is faster and permanent. Wrap thread loosely around both the rhizome and the hardscape, avoid crushing the stem, and within a month the roots will grip on their own. At that point the thread will have biodegraded or you can trim it.
Pushing the rhizome into gravel or sand because it "looked more natural." The rhizome rots in substrate regardless of depth. If your Anubias is yellowing from the base up within a few weeks of purchase, check whether the rhizome is buried.
Lighting
Anubias genuinely thrives in low light - it is one of the few plants where that claim is actually true rather than a retailer shorthand for "won't immediately die." A PAR reading of 20-40 µmol/m²/s at the leaf surface is plenty. In a tank with higher-light plants, position your Anubias in shaded spots: behind taller plants, under driftwood overhangs, or toward the edges of the light footprint.
Running higher light to speed growth will not work. Anubias growth rate is constrained by its biology, not by how much light you throw at it. What higher light does do is dramatically increase algae growth on those large, slow-moving leaves. This is the central trade-off with the plant - keep lighting modest.
Under typical low-light, no-CO₂ conditions - normal and healthy, not a sign something is wrong.
CO₂ and fertilisation
CO₂ injection is not required and will not produce a dramatic improvement in growth rate. If you run a pressurised CO₂ system for other plants, Anubias will benefit mildly, but do not add CO₂ for Anubias alone - the cost and effort is not justified by the result.
Fertilisation matters more than most guides admit. Because Anubias is a slow grower, its nutrient demands are low, but it is a water-column feeder - it absorbs nutrients through its leaves and roots from the surrounding water, not from rich substrate. A general liquid fertiliser dosed weekly is sufficient. If you notice new leaves emerging pale or deformed, check your nitrate baseline (ideally 10-30 ppm) and consider whether you are dosing any trace elements. Deficiencies show up in Anubias slowly but visibly because the leaves are large and long-lived.
Water parameters
Temperature: 20-28°C (68-82°F). The plant handles the cooler end of that range well, making it compatible with goldfish tanks - unusual for a tropical plant. Avoid prolonged exposure above 28°C; warm water also promotes algae on the leaves.
pH: 6.0-7.5. This is a genuine range rather than a marketing claim. Anubias copes with moderately hard water and does not require soft, acidic conditions the way many Amazonian plants do. If your tap water is hard and alkaline, Anubias is a better choice than most stem plants. See our guide to aquarium water parameters for how to test and interpret your readings.
Placement and aquascaping
Standard Anubias barteri var. barteri reaches 15-40 cm in height, so it works as a midground plant in most tanks. Var. nana stays under 10 cm and suits foreground or nano tanks. Neither variety looks good crammed against glass - give the plant room and it will spread sideways over time into a natural-looking clump.
In aquascaping, Anubias is often used to soften hardscape edges and break up monotonous substrate lines. It pairs well with Microsorum pteropus (Java fern) - same attachment method, same low-light preference, contrasting leaf textures.
The algae problem - and how to actually manage it
This is what most Anubias guides gloss over. The plant's slow metabolism means its leaves live for months or years. That longevity is a feature, but it gives algae - particularly spot algae, black beard algae (BBA), and green dust algae - a long-term surface to colonise. Once a leaf is heavily coated in BBA, there is no practical way to remove it without damaging the leaf. Prevention is the entire game.
Keep your photoperiod at 6-8 hours and avoid any periods of direct bright light hitting Anubias leaves. A timer is not optional here - inconsistent photoperiods are a leading cause of algae outbreaks on broad-leaved plants.
Three practical controls:
- Photoperiod discipline. 6-8 hours is usually enough for Anubias to photosynthesize adequately. More light does not benefit the plant but does feed algae.
- Algae grazers. Otocinclus catfish are the most effective grazers for spot algae on Anubias leaves - they are small enough to reach every surface and will not damage the leaf. Siamese algae eaters and amano shrimp also help. Nerite snails are efficient but may not physically reach all leaf surfaces in a heavily planted tank.
- Spot treatment. For early-stage algae, a 5-second direct application of liquid carbon (glutaraldehyde solution) using a syringe with the flow turned off will kill spot and early BBA. Do not dose the whole tank with high quantities - it can stress sensitive fish and shrimp. If you use App-aquatic to log your dosing and test history, you can track whether interventions are actually working over time.
Elevated phosphate combined with high light is the fastest route to a BBA outbreak on Anubias. If your algae problem keeps returning, test phosphate alongside nitrate. High phosphate often traces back to overfeeding or insufficient water changes - see our guide on how often to do water changes.
Propagation
Propagating Anubias is straightforward and one of the more satisfying aspects of keeping it. When your rhizome has grown long enough to have at least 3-4 leaves on each prospective section, cut it with a sharp, clean blade. Each piece needs a rhizome section and at least two leaves to establish reliably. Do not cut through the crown - make a clean cut between nodes.
Reattach both sections to hardscape. The cut ends will callous over within a few days and growth will continue normally. There is no need for rooting hormone, special substrate, or any other intervention.
Anubias is marketed heavily as "the indestructible beginner plant." That is mostly true, but it obscures one genuine weakness: algae management. If your tank parameters are not stable - lighting inconsistent, phosphate drifting high, nitrate spiking between water changes - Anubias will show algae on its leaves before most other plants show any visible stress. Treat it as a canary for tank stability, not as a plant that just looks after itself.
Compatible tank mates and stocking context
Almost any community fish works with Anubias, and the plant is robust enough to withstand species that uproot or nibble plants lightly. It is one of the few plants compatible with cichlids - particularly smaller West African cichlids like Pelvicachromis pulcher (kribensis) and shell-dwellers, which tend to leave the rhizome alone once it is firmly anchored. Large digging cichlids may eventually displace it from hardscape if they are particularly enthusiastic, but this is rare once the roots have gripped.
Goldfish will eat almost any plant given enough time, but Anubias's thick leaves and slightly bitter taste makes it one of the last things they target. Some goldfish keepers run it successfully; others find it gets nibbled in a well-fed tank.
For stocking in general, use our free stocking calculator to check load before adding algae-grazing species. Or see our guide on best fish for beginners if you are building a community around a planted tank.
Common problems and diagnosis
Yellowing leaves
If older leaves yellow and die off while new growth is healthy, this is normal leaf senescence - Anubias regularly drops old leaves as new ones emerge. If new leaves are emerging yellow or pale, suspect a nutrient deficiency (most likely iron or nitrogen) or - if the rhizome is buried - rot beginning at the base.
Melting or mushy rhizome
Rot. Usually caused by burial, but can also occur if the rhizome is crushed by tight attachment or if water quality is poor. If caught early, cut out the affected section to clean tissue and reattach what remains. If the rot has reached the growing tip, the plant cannot recover.
No new growth for months
Anubias is slow, but complete growth stall usually points to one of three things: nutrient deficiency, water temperature consistently below 20°C, or a damaged/rotting rhizome you have not noticed yet. Check the rhizome physically before adjusting anything else.
Algae covering leaves
Addressed in detail above. The short version: reduce photoperiod, add grazers, check phosphate, consider spot treatment for early outbreaks. A heavily algae-covered leaf will not recover - remove it cleanly to redirect the plant's energy into new growth.
Track your parameters and get care reminders with App-aquatic.
Get the free appCan I plant Anubias barteri in substrate?
No. The rhizome must remain exposed to the water column. Burying it - even partially - causes rot within weeks. Attach it to driftwood or rock instead.
Why is my Anubias not growing?
Anubias is genuinely slow - one leaf per month is normal. A complete stall usually means the rhizome is damaged or rotting, the water is too cold (below 20°C), or there is a nutrient deficiency. Check the rhizome first before adjusting fertiliser or lighting.
How do I get rid of black beard algae on Anubias leaves?
Established BBA cannot be removed from a leaf without damaging it - remove badly affected leaves entirely. For early-stage growth, spot-treat with liquid carbon (glutaraldehyde) applied directly by syringe with flow off. Long-term, reduce photoperiod to 6-8 hours and add Otocinclus or Siamese algae eaters.
Does Anubias barteri need CO₂?
No. It grows without CO₂ injection and responds only modestly when CO₂ is added. Do not invest in a CO₂ system for this plant alone. Weekly liquid fertiliser is a more practical priority.
Is Anubias safe with cichlids?
Generally yes, once firmly anchored to hardscape. Smaller cichlids like kribensis usually ignore it entirely. Large, aggressive diggers may dislodge it occasionally, but the plant itself is not edible enough to attract sustained attention from most cichlid species.