Anubias Nana

Anubias Nana

Anubias Nana is a classic West African epiphyte plant known for its deep green, oval leaves and nearly indestructible nature in the aquarium. Because it stays relatively small and grows slowly, it’s an ideal choice for foreground and midground placement—especially for aquarists who want a hardy plant that looks great year-round without demanding equipment or constant trimming. Its thick, leathery leaves also make it a favorite in community tanks where more delicate plants might get damaged.

Anubias Nana Overview

In the aquarium, Anubias nana grows from a creeping rhizome that produces sturdy roots and short stems with dark green leaves. Rather than being planted like a typical rooted stem plant, Anubias is best treated as a “hardscape plant”—positioned on rocks, driftwood, or décor so it becomes part of the layout. This instantly makes the aquarium look more natural and mature, and it creates a clean, professional aquascape look even in simple setups.

Aquarists appreciate Anubias nana for:

• Exceptional hardiness: One of the most forgiving aquarium plants available, ideal for beginners and experienced hobbyists alike.
• Low-light performance: Thrives in low light and shaded areas, making it perfect under taller plants or in tanks where lighting is modest.
• Epiphyte growth habit: Attaches to rocks, driftwood, and décor, creating a natural “grown-in” look without needing to be buried.
• Bold, evergreen structure: Thick leaves provide year-round greenery and a strong visual anchor in the foreground and midground.

Placed on hardscape, Anubias nana becomes a true layout-builder—softening rock edges, adding lush detail to driftwood branches, and creating a natural focal layer beneath taller plants. If you want a plant that’s nearly bulletproof, looks great on hardscape, and gets better with age, Anubias nana is one of the best long-term additions you can make to a planted aquarium—especially when paired with driftwood, rocks, and natural botanicals like catappa (Indian almond) leaves for a more authentic, established look.

Caring for Anubias Nana

Anubias nana is highly adaptable and does well in most aquariums with minimal fuss. It grows slowly and spreads horizontally as the rhizome extends, producing new leaves and side shoots over time. Because it is an epiphyte, it does not need special substrate—and the most important rule is never bury the rhizome in gravel or sand. If the rhizome is covered, it can rot.

You can place Anubias in the substrate as long as the rhizome stays exposed (only the roots should be tucked in). More commonly—and often more attractively—it is attached to rocks or driftwood. Use a small dab of aquascaping glue or tie it with thread, and after a short period the plant’s roots will grip the surface naturally. Under stronger light, Anubias will often produce leaves a bit faster and stay more compact, but it will still grow well in low light.

• Light: Low
• Temperature Range: 72–82°F
• Placement: Foreground–Midground
• CO₂: Not required
• Difficulty: Easy
• Growth Rate: Slow

For a natural “riverbank” look, attach Anubias nana to stones or driftwood so it appears to be growing out of the hardscape rather than planted in rows. It pairs beautifully with other epiphytes like Java Fern or Bucephalandra, and adding botanicals such as Aquatic Avocado Leaves can help create a more immersive, natural environment—especially in driftwood-focused layouts.

Modern Aquarium carries a full Anubias category with multiple sizes and leaf shapes to build out your aquascape, including varieties like Anubias Congensis, Anubias Barteri, Anubias grown on rocks and driftwood for instant placement and easy scaping.

Buying Aquarium Plants at Modern Aquarium

At Modern Aquarium, each Anubias nana plant is carefully inspected, cleaned, and prepared by hand before shipping so you receive healthy, robust specimens ready to attach and grow.

• Top Quality Store & real reviews: Modern Aquarium has been designated by Google as a Top Quality Store and has thousands of individual verified reviews from real customers, so you can shop with confidence.
• Live Arrival Guarantee & fast delivery: All live plants are backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee and shipped via FedEx 2-Day delivery to help ensure they arrive fresh and ready to thrive.
• Trusted sourcing: Our plants are sourced from some of the best nurseries in Florida and handled with care from the grower to your aquarium.
• What You See Is What You Get: The images on our site are typical representations of the plants we sell—no unrealistic stock photos. Because live plants are natural products, individual specimens will vary in size, leaf count, and exact shape.
• Support when you need it: If you have questions about attaching Anubias, keeping the rhizome exposed, or choosing the best variety for your layout, you can reach us through the chat feature on our website or simply give us a call—we’re happy to help.

For a more natural, immersive layout, combine Anubias Nana with driftwood and botanicals like catappa leaves, which can add gentle tannins and help create that calm, rainforest-inspired feel many aquarists love.