Subclass Alismatidae
Order Alismatales
Family Araceae
Genus Anubias
All Anubias plants are divided by leaf shape into eared ones and those without ears, having round or lanceolate leaves. Anubias have a strong rhizome creeping along stones and driftwood. Therefore, the plant is placed on the surface of the substrate without burying it. Under no circumstances should the rhizome be buried in the substrate; it must remain above the substrate surface. The soil should be nutrient-rich.
It is very important to choose the right lighting; it should not be excessive, because when overgrown with algae, they get sick and die. Old leaves under such conditions quickly deteriorate, and the bush retains only 2-3 young leaves in full health. As a rule, algae primarily occupy Anubias plants, so they should be kept under moderate light, and small Anubias can be planted under taller plants. It is better to plant the plant in shaded areas (this applies to all Anubias varieties) to limit algae growth on the leaves.
They grow very slowly, producing 1 leaf per month, and the leaves last for 1-2 years. With a prolonged drop in temperature, it loses its leaves. They are propagated by separating the front part of the rhizome with 3-4 leaves and a few roots. They are very sensitive to injuries during division, which drastically slows down growth. If Anubias are heavily overgrown with algae, and even black beard algae (Vietnamese algae), put the bush into a 3-liter container and throw a handful of ramshorn snails (Planorbis sp.) into it — in a week or two, the leaves will be absolutely clean.
Anubias are quite undemanding plants. Probably the most unpretentious aquarium plants, they are not demanding regarding lighting, water parameters, soil size, or water column height. These are hard-leaved plants, and therefore they can be kept with cichlids and veiltails. They attach themselves to driftwood and porous stones, making them convenient for aquascaping and aquariums with burrowing fish. Those Anubias that do well underwater are easier to transition from emersed to submersed form and vice versa than other plants. A water temperature around 25 degrees will suit all species. A slight water current is necessary.
They love nutrient-rich soil, but also grow without problems in clean substrate. They actively feed on iron-containing water-soluble fertilizers. The leaves turn out larger than usual and have a rich color. Adding mineral supplements to the water where Anubias grows does not make sense, because in a general aquarium, nutrients are extracted from the water by other, faster-growing hydrophytes. And creating a special aquarium for Anubias is impractical, since a collection of Anubias is best kept in a paludarium. Anubias are cultivated in special aquariums — paludariums (from the Latin word palus — marsh), where they grow only with their roots in the water, under greenhouse conditions.
For an underwater garden, Anubias nana (small) can be recommended as it can grow underwater; other Anubias species slowly die or degenerate underwater, although the market will try to convince you otherwise. It should be noted that Anubias nana is a very hardy plant and can be recommended for beginner aquarists. It is advisable to purchase large specimens. Never cut the rhizome! The larger the plant biomass, the more leaves it will produce per month. If your plant has produced a flower spike, break it off.
1) Anubias afzelii. Formerly sold under the name “Congolese Anubias”.
2) Anubias barteri var. barteri. A very slowly growing Anubias underwater. It is better to keep it above water in a paludarium, although it can remain submerged for years.
— Anubias barteri var. angustifolia. Barter’s narrow-leaf Anubias. Leaves are long and narrow, less green than A. barteri barteri, veins are inconspicuous. The length of a single leaf is up to 11 cm. Bush height is 15-20 cm. Can be used in the foreground and midground. It grows very slowly, which is why it is sometimes called the “most temperamental” in the Anubias barteri group.
— Anubias barteri var. caladiifolia. The most beautiful of the “aquatic” Anubias. Heart-shaped leaves, but much larger and wider than A. barteri barteri, veins are visible, the upper surface of the leaves is dark green. Leaf length up to 22 cm. Bush height 20-35 cm. Remaining underwater for years — it does not degrade externally. When decorating an aquarium, a nice combination of two bushes growing in opposite directions, “crosswise”, is obtained. Small bushes can be used to “create a street” in a Dutch aquarium, or the bushes can be attached to driftwood.
— Anubias barteri var. coffeefolia. Heart-shaped leaves with very convex and very wavy veins. The main feature of this variety is the leaf color — brownish-reddish, especially of young leaves, however, the coloration gradually turns green. Leaf length up to 10 cm. Bush height 20-25 cm.
— Anubias barteri var. glabra. Barter’s glabrous Anubias. Sagittate heart-shaped leaves, slightly wavy edges, but darker, narrower, and more elongated than A. barteri barteri, veins are less obvious. The length of a single leaf is up to 13 cm. Bush height up to 55 cm. It is placed in the background. A rather rare species, caused by its slow growth rate.
— Anubias barteri var. nana. Barter’s dwarf Anubias. Leaves are the same as in A. barteri barteri, but everything, including the foliage, is 2 times smaller. The length of a single leaf is up to 6 cm. Bush height 12-15 cm. The most true-to-aquarium Anubias, grows best underwater. A foreground plant, can be used when creating a “street” or attached to driftwood. You will spend two to three months, or even half a year, on attachment.
— Anubias barteri var. nana “Petit”. Anubias with small heart-shaped leaves, slightly lighter than green Barteri barteri, veins are not visible. Leaf length up to 3.5 cm. Maximum height 5-8 cm. Recommended for planting in the foreground or on wood compositions.
— Anubias barteri var. nana “Bonsai”. Bonsai Anubias, with small dark green heart-shaped leaves, veins slightly visible. Leaf length up to 2.5 cm. Maximum height 3-5 cm. Recommended for planting in the foreground or on wood compositions.
— Anubias barteri var. nana “Yellow Heart”. Yellow Heart Anubias. Leaves are small and slightly more rounded than Barteri nana, veins are not visible except for the central one. Leaves are lemon-yellow, especially young ones. Leaf length up to 5 cm. Maximum height 8-10 cm. Recommended for planting in the center, depending on the aquarium height, or on wood compositions.
— Anubias barteri var. nana “Marbled”. Marbled Anubias. Leaves are small and slightly more elongated than Barteri nana, the upper surface of the leaves is light green, covered with many small irregular white spots. Leaf length up to 6 cm. Maximum height 12-15 cm. Recommended for planting in the center, depending on the aquarium height.
— Anubias barteri var. nana “Wrinkled Leaf”. Wrinkled Leaf Anubias. Heart-shaped leaves, but slightly concave along the central vein, the upper surface of the leaves is wrinkled and dark green. Leaf length up to 8 cm. Maximum height 8-10 cm. Recommended for planting in the center, depending on the aquarium height.
— Anubias barteri “Broad leaf”. Barter’s broad-leaved Anubias. Sagittate heart-shaped leaves, but larger and wider than A. barteri barteri, with clearly visible veins. The length of a single leaf is up to 18 cm. Maximum bush height up to 40 cm. Placed mainly in the background and midground. Unpretentious, durable. Prefers a nutrient-rich, humus-rich substrate. A powerful root system and high leaf rigidity provide this plant with protection from substrate-burrowing aquarium and terrarium inhabitants and herbivores. It feels best in water up to dH 15, at pH 6.5-7.5. Needs protection from bright light and direct sunlight, otherwise, it quickly becomes covered with algae and degenerates.
— Anubias barteri “Variegated”. Variegated Barter’s Anubias. Distinguished by the presence of light (up to white) patches on the leaf blades. The presence of variegation gives such Anubias a bright individuality. Suitable for cultivation in a fully submerged state. Rich, humus-rich soils should be preferred as a substrate. Plant them in the midground or background.
3) Anubias gigantea. It is one of the largest species of the genus Anubias, reaching a height of 85 cm and more. Recommended for keeping in paludariums and only conditionally as an aquarium plant. Petioles are thick and long. The leaf blade is deep green, leathery, varying in shape from lanceolate to tripartite. Its length is up to 30 cm. The rhizome is creeping, up to 3 cm thick, capable of holding about 35 leaves. It grows very slowly, producing only 2-3 leaves per year. When transplanted into an aquarium, it requires a long acclimatization period. Young plants are not recommended to have soil with a high organic content, otherwise, the root system will develop very poorly. dH 2-15°, pH 6.0-7.5, temperature 22-28°C.
4) Anubias gilletii. 40 cm. A prominent representative of “greenhouse” Anubias. Very popular for its lanceolate leaf shape. It will not show its beauty in water. The leaf blade is leathery, initially heart-shaped or with ears, older leaves range from sagittate to lanceolate. In the aquarium, they are so small that they are easily confused with Anubias hastifolia and Anubias pynaertii. Although A. gilletii requires much less lighting, plants develop noticeably better under medium-intensity lighting.
5) Anubias gracilis. Guinea. A plant with a creeping, trailing rhizome 1.0-1.5 cm thick. Up to 60 cm tall, requires a large aquarium (best option is a humid greenhouse). Leaves are leathery, lanceolate, mostly triangular, 10-40 cm long and 10-20 cm wide, pointed, rounded at the base, entire-margined, green. Suitable for growing underwater in an aquarium only for a limited time, but a very valuable plant for a paludarium. It grows slowly. When transplanted into an aquarium, the plant needs a long acclimatization period (up to several months). Propagated by rhizome division. pH 6.6-7.6; dH 5-15; T 23-26°C.
6) Anubias hastifolia. Another “eared” wonder, but it will show all its splendor only in a tall greenhouse.
7) Anubias pynaertii. Height 45 cm. Poorly suited for long-term cultivation in an aquarium.
8) Anubias heterophylla. 25-60 cm. Grows slowly. Grow them in paludariums, along with Anubias gigantea, Anubias gilletii, and Anubias hastifolia.
There are several “buts”: — Anubias gilletii, gracilis, hastifolia, gigantea, pynaertii cannot grow underwater for a long period of time; a paludarium is needed for their successful maintenance. The rest of the species are suitable for underwater maintenance. In their submersed form, Anubias grow rather slowly. For someone who wants to grow the maximum number of bushes of maximum size as quickly as possible, this is a disadvantage. For an aquascaper, this can be an advantage.
Barter’s Anubias — Anubias barteri var. barteri.
«1» Origin — swamps of West and Central Africa. A medium-sized species with so-called ears at the base of the leaf. Height is approximately up to 25-30 cm, usually up to 20 cm, bush width 15 cm, with a small number of leaves, producing abundant lateral shoots on the rhizome that easily separate from the main stem. Leaves are asymmetric, thick to the touch, fleshy, sagittate, green to pale green, glossy on the upper side, velvety on the lower side, their base with short, oval, somewhat backward-projecting lobes. The leaf reaches its maximum width closer to the middle, narrowing towards the apex and pointed at the tip.
In an adult plant, the leaf base has a shallow notch and divergent basal lobes; from the base to the apex for about 2/3 of the length, the width does not change, but then the leaf gradually narrows. The main leaf vein is clearly visible and forms a rib on the lower side; lateral veins are weakly noticeable. There are barely noticeable light spots on the leaves. The petiole is approximately equal to the leaf length. There are several variations of Anubias barteri that differ from each other in leaf shape and size.
«2» Water temperature 20-30°C, pH 5.5-8.0, dH up to 15°. Lighting is upper, weak, diffused (0.3 W/l). Under direct and prolonged lighting, the leaves become covered with dense algae on the upper side, then curl and die off. Weekly water changes are recommended.
«4» A powerful root system with a branched structure has lateral shoots that firmly anchor in the substrate. The rhizome is creeping, thick, fleshy, sometimes branched; adventitious roots penetrate relatively deep into the substrate. A mixture of coarse sand, peat crumbs, and fatty clay is used as a substrate; it is good to add pieces of birch charcoal.
«5» Adult plants can be replanted into the aquarium substrate or clay pots. In the aquarium, it is preferable to plant them in a group; if the plant is tall, it can be planted individually. The plant grows better in an aquarium with a low water level. It grows slowly, but over time forms a dense carpet. Maintenance conditions are simple. It is better to plant the plant in shaded areas (this applies to all Anubias varieties) to limit algae growth on the leaves. It is not eaten by herbivorous fish because the leaves are very tough. The plant is suitable for both the foreground and midground.
«6» A well-developed plant can produce daughter plantlets, which form from buds on the stem or from unopened buds during rhizome division. It is recommended to separate them after they develop 3 leaves.
Anubias barteri nana, Petite, angustifolia, caladiifolia.
Pistia stratiotes, Spirodela polyrhiza. 
