Anubias Nana Care Guide: Size, Planting & Growth Tips

If you just picked up a small potted rhizome labeled "Anubias nana" at the fish store, you're probably wondering how big this thing actually gets — and whether you're about to bury it wrong. That's the single most common mistake beginners make with this plant. Get the planting step right, and Anubias nana is one of the most forgiving plants you can put in a tank.

Quick Answer: Anubias nana typically grows 3-6 inches (7.5-15 cm) tall and wide, with a slower-growing "petite" variety topping out around 2 inches (5 cm). It should never be buried in substrate — the rhizome must sit on top of rock, driftwood, or gravel, tied or glued in place until roots anchor it naturally.

What Is Anubias Nana, Exactly?

Anubias nana is a compact, low-light aquarium plant botanically classified as Anubias barteri var. nana, native to slow-moving streams and rainforest banks in West Africa. It's an epiphyte, meaning it naturally grows attached to rocks and wood rather than rooted in soil. This single fact explains almost every care mistake people make with it.

Because Anubias nana evolved to cling to hard surfaces above the substrate line, its rhizome (the thick horizontal stem the leaves grow from) needs airflow and light contact with water. Bury it in gravel or sand, and the rhizome slowly rots from lack of oxygen. As of 2026, this is still the number-one reason keepers report Anubias nana "dying for no reason" on aquarium forums.

You'll usually see three names used almost interchangeably at fish stores: Anubias barteri var. nana, Anubias nana "petite," and plain Anubias nana. They're related but not identical in size or growth habit, which we'll break down in the comparison table below.

If you've read a general Anubias plant care guide already, this article goes deeper on the specific nana and petite varieties — their size differences, growth rate, and which one actually fits a small tank.

Where It Comes From

Wild populations grow along riverbanks in Cameroon and neighboring countries, often partially submerged during rainy seasons [1]. This amphibious lifestyle is why Anubias nana tolerates both fully aquatic and emersed (paludarium) setups without missing a beat.

Why Beginners Like It

• Tolerates low light and zero CO2 injection
• Survives a wide pH range of 6.0 to 8.0
• Nearly impossible to overfeed or "overdo" with fertilizer
• Won't melt or die back from a missed water change

How Big Does Anubias Nana Grow?

Standard Anubias nana reaches 3-6 inches (7.5-15 cm) tall and roughly the same in width once mature. Growth is slow and steady rather than explosive, which is actually good news if you don't want to trim plants every week.

Expect new leaves roughly once every 3-4 weeks under stable low-light conditions. That pace can stretch to a new leaf every 6-8 weeks in dimmer tanks, and speed up slightly under moderate light with root tab fertilization.

Pro Tip: If your Anubias nana hasn't grown a new leaf in 8+ weeks, check your light isn't sitting directly overhead with an old, dim bulb. Anubias tolerates low light — but it isn't a plant that thrives in near-total darkness.

Here's how nana's size compares to its most common relatives:

Recommendation: for tanks under 10 gallons, choose the petite variety — standard nana can start to look crowded once it fills in.

Anubias Nana vs. Anubias Nana Petite: Which One Fits Your Tank?

If you're staring at two nearly identical-looking pots at the store, the size difference matters more than it looks like on day one. Petite stays roughly one-third the size of standard nana at full maturity.

Verdict: budget-conscious beginners setting up a first 10-20 gallon tank generally do better with standard nana — it's cheaper, easier to find, and still small enough not to overwhelm the space.

Common Myth: "Anubias nana and Anubias nana petite are just marketing names for the same plant." Reality: they're genetically distinct cultivars with a documented, consistent size difference — petite plants stay small even under identical light and fertilizer conditions [1].

How to Plant Anubias Nana the Right Way

Never bury the rhizome — this is the single rule that determines whether your Anubias nana survives. The rhizome (thick stem the leaves emerge from) needs contact with water, not sand or gravel.

Instead, attach it to something hard:

1. Take a piece of driftwood, lava rock, or a ceramic decoration.
2. Press the rhizome flat against the surface, roots facing the material.
3. Wrap cotton thread, fishing line, or plant-safe glue around it — not the leaves.
4. Leave it for 3-4 weeks until roots grip the surface on their own.
5. Remove the thread once roots are visibly anchored.

A betta-safe tweezer and thread kit makes this step much easier for shaky hands, since Anubias rhizomes are surprisingly delicate to handle bare-fingered.

Pro Tip: If you're setting this up as your very first planted tank, skip the glue entirely and start with cotton thread — it's cheap, forgiving, and dissolves on its own within a few weeks.

New to planted tanks in general? Check out our beginner's guide to easy freshwater plants →

Can You Plant Anubias Nana in Gravel?

Anubias nana can sit on top of gravel, but the rhizome must never be pushed under it. Roots are allowed to grow into the substrate — it's only the thick horizontal stem that needs to stay exposed.

Many keepers simply weigh the plant down with a rock or a plant anchor weight until roots take hold in the gravel bed naturally.

Water Parameters and Light Anubias Nana Needs

Anubias nana thrives in temperatures of 72-82°F (22-28°C) and a pH range of 6.0-8.0, making it compatible with almost any established freshwater community tank. This wide tolerance is exactly why it's recommended so often for low-light beginner setups.

Light is where most new keepers overcorrect. Because Anubias nana grows so slowly, strong lighting doesn't speed it up — it mostly just feeds algae on the broad leaves instead.

• Light: low to moderate (10-30 PAR); avoid direct high-output LEDs
• CO2: not required, though light supplementation slightly boosts growth
• Fertilizer: root tabs near the base every 2-3 months, or a light liquid dose weekly
• Water changes: standard 20-30% weekly, no special schedule needed

A root tab fertilizer pack tucked near the base every couple of months is usually all the feeding this plant ever needs.

Short on time for tank maintenance? See our low-effort planted tank routine in the freshwater plants beginner guide →

Common Mistakes That Kill Anubias Nana

Most Anubias nana "deaths" aren't really deaths — they're slow rhizome rot from planting errors that took weeks to show up. Catching the signs early saves the plant almost every time.

• Burying the rhizome: the #1 cause of rot; always keep it exposed
• Blasting it with high light: invites algae growth on the leathery leaves
• Overdosing liquid CO2 products: Anubias leaves are sensitive to chemical burn
• Trimming too aggressively: only remove yellow or mushy leaves, never healthy green ones
• Impatience: expecting weekly growth like fast-growing stem plants

Pro Tip: if leaves feel mushy and slide off the rhizome with light pressure, that's rot — not a nutrient issue. Trim the affected section back to firm, healthy tissue immediately.

If algae does build up on the leaves, resist scrubbing hard — Anubias leaves are slow to regrow and easily scarred. A soft aquarium algae scraper pad works better than a brush for these thick leaves.

Best Tankmates for an Anubias Nana Setup

Anubias nana pairs well with slow, calm community fish that won't shred its leathery leaves. Because the plant grows so densely at mid-level, it also doubles as cover for shy or small species.

One community favorite for planted tanks like this is Badis ruber, a small, colorful fish that appreciates dense cover and calm water — parameters detailed on its Seriously Fish species profile [2]. Nerite snails and Amano shrimp are also popular choices, since both graze algae off Anubias leaves without damaging the plant itself.

• Good tankmates: small tetras, rasboras, corydoras, Amano shrimp, nerite snails
• Avoid: large cichlids and goldfish, which uproot or shred broad-leafed plants
• Bonus: dense Anubias growth gives fry and shrimp babies places to hide

Setting this tank up for a first community build? Our best low-light plants for beginners guide covers full stocking pairings →