Anubias Nana Petite on Lava Rock

Anubias Nana Petite on Lava Rock

Anubias nana ‘Petite’ is one of the smallest and hardiest Anubias varieties, originating from West Africa and prized for its tiny, deep green leaves and incredible toughness. Already attached to a natural lava rock, this specimen is truly “plug-and-play”: just rinse, place it in your tank, and enjoy an instant, natural-looking foreground accent that thrives even in low-light, low-tech aquariums.

Anubias Nana Petite Overview

In the aquarium, Anubias nana ‘Petite’ forms tight clumps of small, oval leaves—typically no more than about 1–1.5 inches in length—growing from a creeping rhizome. On lava rock, it quickly looks like a miniature, leafy shrub growing out of a natural stone, perfect for nano tanks, foreground detail, and filling in gaps between larger hardscape pieces.

Aquarists love Anubias nana ‘Petite’ for:

• Exceptional hardiness: This is one of the toughest aquarium plants available, tolerating a wide range of water parameters and thriving in low to moderate light without CO₂, making it ideal for beginners and experienced aquascapers alike.
• Compact size and texture: The very small, thick leaves add fine detail and contrast beautifully with larger-leaf plants and taller stems, making layouts feel more intricate and carefully composed.
• Epiphyte growth on hardscape: As an epiphyte, Anubias grows attached to surfaces rather than planted in the substrate. On lava rock it creates a ready-made, natural focal point and can be easily moved or repositioned as your aquascape evolves.
• Benefits for fish and invertebrates: The dense, tough foliage offers hiding places for shrimp, fry, and small fish, while the lava rock itself provides extra surface area for beneficial bacteria to colonize, supporting overall biological filtration.

We also offer a dedicated Anubias category at Modern Aquarium, featuring many different Anubias species and varieties with a range of leaf sizes and shapes. Anubias nana ‘Petite’ on Lava Rock pairs beautifully with other Anubias on wood or stone, allowing you to build rich, layered hardscape compositions that stay beautiful with very little maintenance.

Caring for Anubias nana ‘Petite’ on Lava Rock

Anubias nana ‘Petite’ is famously undemanding. It does well in low to moderate lighting, does not require CO₂ injection, and is happy in a wide range of pH and hardness levels. Because it is already attached to lava rock, there is no need to plant it in the substrate—simply position the rock where you want it in the aquarium, such as in the foreground, among other rocks, or at the base of driftwood.

As with all Anubias, the key is to keep the rhizome above the substrate. On lava rock this is taken care of for you, but if you ever transfer it to another rock or piece of driftwood, make sure you tie or glue the rhizome to the hard surface rather than burying it. Burying the rhizome can lead to rot. You can use aquascaping glue or thread to attach Anubias to other rocks or driftwood pieces if you wish to expand it beyond the original lava stone.

Anubias is a slow grower, which means it doesn’t demand heavy fertilization. However, occasional dosing of a complete liquid fertilizer can support healthy, steady growth. Because of its slow growth, it can be prone to algae on the leaves under very strong light; keeping light in the low-to-moderate range, maintaining good water quality, and including algae eaters such as Tiger Eye Nerite Snails can help keep leaves clean. When older leaves become damaged or heavily algae-covered, simply trim them at the base with sharp aquascaping scissors—our Modern Aquarium 6-Piece Aquascaping Tool Set (9.9") is perfect for this kind of precise, close-up work.

Over time, Anubias nana ‘Petite’ will propagate by producing side shoots along the rhizome. You can gently divide the rhizome with a sharp tool once it has multiple leaves and roots, then attach the new piece to another rock or driftwood, or place additional lava pieces nearby to create small Anubias “colonies” throughout the scape.

• Light: Low–Moderate
• Temperature Range: 69–86°F
• Placement: Foreground / Attached to hardscape (rocks, driftwood, décor)
• CO₂: Not required
• Difficulty: Very Easy / Beginner-friendly
• Growth Rate: Slow

With its toughness, flexibility, and small size, Anubias nana ‘Petite’ on Lava Rock is one of the most forgiving and versatile plants you can add to your aquarium.

Shop with Confidence at Modern Aquarium

At Modern Aquarium, each Anubias nana ‘Petite’ on Lava Rock is carefully inspected, cleaned, and prepared by hand before shipping so you receive a healthy, well-attached plant ready to place directly into your tank.

• 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 of our live plants are backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee and shipped via FedEx 2-Day delivery to help ensure they arrive fresh, vibrant, 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 and natural stones are unique, individual specimens will vary in size, fullness, rock shape, and exact leaf arrangement.
• Support when you need it: You can reach us through the chat feature on our website or simply give us a call—we’re happy to help with practical, hobby-focused advice on placement, attaching Anubias to other hardscape, and choosing additional varieties from our Anubias category.

To complete your layout, pair Anubias nana ‘Petite’ on Lava Rock with other Anubias species, carefully chosen aquascaping rocks, and driftwood options such as Stump Wood, Tiger Wood, Saba Wood, Blackwood, or Driftwood on Slate, and add subtle details with our botanicals. Combined with a high-quality diet from our fish food selection, you’ll have a beautiful, low-maintenance aquascape where both plants and fish thrive.