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One species · 25 forms

Anubias varieties

Anubias barteri

Nearly every anubias in the trade is one tough West African species, Anubias barteri, selected into dozens of leaf shapes and sizes. All of them grow the same way: rhizome tied to wood or rock, low light, no CO2, and patience.

Pick a variety

same rhizome care on every shelf

Standard forms

Nana and petite forms

White and variegated forms

Care, the same for every form

One setup covers every form on this page. The white and variegated lines just grow slower and hold their pattern best with a little more light.

Growth rate
Slow
Type
Rhizome
Temperature
68–82°F (20–28°C)
pH
5.0–8.5

Why they are all the same plant

Anubias barteri grows along shaded stream banks in West and Central Africa, half in and half out of the water. The named forms are selections of that one species: nana is a naturally compact variety, petite and pangolino are tissue-culture sports of nana, and the broad, coin and wavy forms were picked out of nursery stock over decades. The plant underneath never changed, so every form wants the same low-demand epiphyte care.

The rhizome rule

Anubias grows from a thick horizontal rhizome, and burying it is the one reliable way to kill the plant. Tie or glue the rhizome to wood or rock and let the roots find their own way down; they can reach into the substrate as long as the rhizome itself sits in open water.

White forms want more light

White leaf tissue has no chlorophyll to work with, so pinto, snow white and the other variegated lines grow even slower than the green forms and hold their pattern best under moderate light with clean, stable water. Push the light too hard, though, and algae claims those slow leaves first; moderate is the ceiling, not the floor.

Common questions

Do anubias need CO2?

No. Every form on this page grows fine without it. CO2 speeds the slow growth up a little and helps the white forms hold their color, but it is strictly optional.

Why is my anubias rotting at the base?

Almost always a buried rhizome. Pull the plant, trim away the mushy tissue, and reattach it to hardscape with the rhizome fully exposed.

Can I keep anubias with fish that eat plants?

Yes. The thick, bitter leaves are one of the few things goldfish and big cichlids reliably leave alone, which is why anubias is the classic plant for rough tanks.

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