Anubias gracilis

Also known as Spade-Leaf Anubias, Triangle Anubias

FreshwaterRhizomeRhizome division

Anubias gracilis (Anubias gracilis) — Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Light: Low light
CO2: CO₂ beneficial
Growth rate: Slow
Placement: Epiphyte
Type: Rhizome
Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Hardness: 2–15 dGH
Max height: 15.7 in (40 cm)
Spread: 7.9 in (20 cm)
Nutrient uptake: Root + water column
Growth region: Submersed or emersed
Difficulty: Easy
Origin: West Africa (Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia)
Family: Araceae

Overview

Attach the thick rhizome to hardscape or leave it sitting on the substrate, just do not bury it. Submersed it stays far smaller and slower than its emersed size, so give it time and keep the light low to moderate to avoid leaf algae. It is a sturdy, undemanding plant that suits beginner tanks and even holds up in African cichlid setups.

In the wild

Anubias gracilis grows in the wet forests of West Africa, along stream banks and in seasonally flooded ground in countries like Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. It lives as a marsh plant, often emersed, with the rhizome anchored to soil, rock or wood and the leaves held up on long, slim stalks.

Good to know

This is an accepted Anubias species (not a barteri form, despite some shops labelling it Anubias barteri gracilis). It is easily told apart by its triangular to arrowhead-shaped leaf blades, roughly 7 to 12 cm long, carried on unusually long petioles that can stretch 30 to 60 cm when grown emersed.

Did you know

The spade-shaped leaves make gracilis one of the few Anubias with a genuinely distinctive silhouette, most others share the same rounded oval leaf, so it stands out on a driftwood scape.