Pokok Anubias: Anubias Nana Care & How to Attach It to Wood or Rock

The one rule of pokok anubias care: never bury the rhizome (the thick horizontal stem) in sand or soil. Tie or glue it to driftwood or rock instead, and let the roots grip on their own. Do that, and anubias is close to unkillable: it grows in low light, needs no CO2, copes with warm Malaysian tanks, and fish that nibble most plants usually leave it alone. It grows slowly, though, and that slow growth is why its leaves pick up algae spots. This guide covers attaching, light, feeding and fixing the common problems.

What Is Anubias?

Anubias are tough, dark-green aquatic plants from West Africa that grow along stream banks, often partly out of water. In the aquarium they are epiphytes: they grow attached to surfaces rather than rooted in substrate, like java fern and bucephalandra. You'll find them in the Epiphytes category.

Popular types

Type	Leaf size	Height	Best place
Anubias nana (A. barteri var. nana)	Small–medium, rounded	~5–15 cm	Foreground/midground, on wood or rock
Anubias nana 'Petite'	Very small	~3–6 cm	Nano tanks, shrimp tanks, small crevices
Anubias barteri	Medium–large	~20–40 cm	Midground, background wood
Anubias 'Coffeefolia'	Ridged, coffee-leaf texture, new leaves reddish-brown	~10–20 cm	Midground accent
Anubias 'Golden' / variegated forms	Yellow-green or patterned	Varies	Light accents; often slower still

Names vary between sellers, so go by the photo and size stated on each listing.

Anubias Care at a Glance

Need	Anubias
Light	Low to medium; does well in shade
CO2	Not needed
Temperature	Copes with typical Malaysian tank temperatures (about 26–30°C)
Growth	Slow: often one new leaf every 1–3 weeks
Substrate	Not needed; attach to hardscape
Fertiliser	Light liquid fertiliser helps; no root tabs needed
Fish-safe	Yes, tough leaves; goldfish and cichlids usually ignore it
Beginner-friendly	Very

How to Attach Pokok Anubias (Never Bury the Rhizome)

The rhizome is the thick green stem the leaves grow from. Buried under substrate, it rots. The roots, the thin brown strands, can go into gravel, but the rhizome must stay exposed to water.

Method 1: Tie it on

1. Pick a spot on the wood or rock where the rhizome sits flat.
2. Wrap cotton thread, fishing line or thin black thread around the rhizome and wood, between the leaves. Don't crush the rhizome.
3. Tie a firm knot. Fishing line stays; cotton thread rots away in a few weeks, by which time the roots have usually gripped.

Method 2: Glue it on

1. Use cyanoacrylate gel superglue (the gel type, not liquid). Choose a plain product with no added chemicals. Many hobbyists use it on plants and hardscape.
2. Dry the spot on the wood and the bottom of the rhizome with a tissue.
3. Put a small dot of glue on the wood, press the rhizome on for 20–30 seconds.
4. Mist it with water to cure it, then place it in the tank.

Method 3: Wedge it

Push the rhizome between two rocks or into a crack in driftwood. Roots will grip over time. This is quick for rockscapes.

Method 4: Plant the roots only

If you really want it in the substrate, plant the roots and keep the rhizome resting on top of the sand.

Our Malaysian driftwood guide covers preparing wood. Browse wood and stone in Driftwood, Rocks & Stones.

Unpacking New Anubias

Anubias sold online usually comes in one of three forms:

• Potted (in a plastic basket with rock wool): pull the plant out gently, remove all rock wool from the roots with your fingers or tweezers. Rock wool left in the tank traps waste.
• Tissue culture (in a cup of gel): rinse off all the gel, separate small clumps, and attach them. Tissue-culture plants are free of snails and pests.
• Bare-root or on wood: check for snail eggs and rinse well. Quarantine if you want to avoid pest snails.

Read the full process in cara tanam pokok akuarium.

Common Anubias Problems and Fixes

Problem	Cause	Fix
Rhizome turns soft, mushy, smells bad, leaves fall off	Rhizome rot: buried rhizome, injury, or poor water	Cut away rotten parts with clean scissors until only firm green tissue remains; reattach above substrate
Green spots or dark fuzz on leaves	Slow growth + strong light	Move it into shade; cut light hours; nerite snails and otocinclus help; wipe leaves gently
Black beard algae on leaf edges	Unstable CO2 or old water	Trim worst leaves; spot-treat; improve maintenance
Yellow leaves	Nutrient shortage (often nitrogen, potassium or iron) or old leaves dying naturally	Light liquid fertiliser; remove old leaves
Melting after purchase	Shock from transport or emersed-grown plant adapting	Be patient; healthy rhizome will regrow
No new leaves for months	Very low nutrients, or plant is just slow	Light fertiliser; give it time

Algae on anubias is the most common complaint. Our guide to cara hilangkan lumut dalam akuarium explains the light balance in detail.

Placement Tips for Malaysian Tanks

• Put anubias in the shade under taller plants, driftwood branches or floating plants. This is the simplest way to stop algae spots.
• Avoid direct sunlight from windows, which makes algae worse and warms the tank.
• Good flow helps clean the leaves and bring nutrients.
• Goldfish and big fish tanks: anubias tied to heavy rock survive where soft plants get eaten or uprooted.
• Betta tanks: bettas like resting on wide leaves near the surface. Anubias tied high on wood makes a natural "leaf hammock".

How to Propagate Anubias

1. Wait until the rhizome is long, with plenty of leaves.
2. Cut the rhizome with a clean blade, leaving at least 3–4 leaves on each piece.
3. Attach each piece separately.

Side shoots sometimes form on their own; cut them off once they have a few leaves.

FAQ

Pokok anubias perlu CO2 ke?

Tidak perlu. Anubias tumbuh perlahan dan boleh hidup dengan cahaya rendah tanpa CO2. Baja cecair yang sedikit membantu, tapi CO2 tidak wajib.

Kenapa daun anubias ada bintik hijau?

Itu lumut. Anubias tumbuh perlahan, jadi lumut sempat melekat pada daun. Letak anubias di tempat teduh, kurangkan masa lampu dan jauhkan dari cahaya matahari. Siput nerite juga membantu.

Can I plant anubias in the sand?

Only the roots. The rhizome must stay above the sand, or it will rot. Tying or gluing it to wood or rock is better.

Is superglue safe for aquarium plants?

Cyanoacrylate gel is widely used by aquascapers on plants and hardscape. Use a small amount, let it set, and choose a plain gel without added chemicals.

How fast does anubias nana grow?

Slowly. Expect roughly one new leaf every one to three weeks in a healthy tank, depending on light and nutrients.

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Low-light, no-fuss greenery: browse anubias and other epiphytes, driftwood and rocks and plant fertilisers from sellers across Malaysia on FishyHub.