Anubias Nana And Shrimp – Creating A Flourishing, Low-Maintenance
Ever dream of a lush, green underwater world that’s teeming with life but doesn’t demand all your free time? Many aquarists, especially those just starting, feel a little overwhelmed. You want beautiful plants and fascinating creatures, but you worry about complicated care routines or making a costly mistake. It’s a common feeling, and you’re not alone.
I promise you, creating that vibrant, self-sustaining micro-ecosystem is easier than you think. The secret lies in pairing the right plant with the right inhabitants. This is where the magic of the anubias nana and shrimp combination comes in—a truly perfect match for a stunning, low-maintenance aquarium.
In this complete guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know. We’ll cover why this duo is so successful, how to set up your tank for them, the single most important planting tip you can’t ignore, and how to troubleshoot any little bumps along the way. Get ready to build your slice of underwater paradise!
Why Anubias Nana and Shrimp Are a Match Made in Aquarium Heaven
So, what makes this pairing so special? It’s not just about looks; it’s about a perfect symbiotic relationship where each one helps the other thrive. This is the core of creating a balanced, healthy tank. Let’s break down the benefits of anubias nana and shrimp living together.
For Your Shrimp: A Perfect Playground and Buffet
Imagine you’re a tiny dwarf shrimp. An Anubias nana isn’t just a plant; it’s a whole world. Its broad, sturdy leaves provide fantastic benefits:
- Ample Surface Area for Grazing: The wide, flat leaves of Anubias nana are magnets for biofilm—a delicious (for shrimp) layer of microorganisms. Your shrimp will spend their days happily cleaning these leaves, which provides them with a constant, natural food source.
- Shelter and Security: The dense foliage offers countless hiding spots. This is especially crucial for vulnerable molting shrimp or tiny shrimplets, giving them a safe space to hide from tank mates and feel secure.
- A Safe Place to Rest: Unlike delicate, feathery plants, the strong leaves of Anubias provide a stable platform for shrimp to rest and hang out.
For Your Anubias: A Dedicated Cleaning Crew
Anubias are slow-growing plants. While this makes them wonderfully low-maintenance, it also means their leaves can become a target for algae. This is where your shrimp come to the rescue!
Shrimp, especially Amano shrimp and Neocaridina varieties like Cherry Shrimp, are fantastic algae eaters. They will diligently scrub the leaves of your Anubias, keeping them clean and healthy. This prevents algae from blocking light and allows the plant to photosynthesize properly. It’s a natural, eco-friendly anubias and shrimp partnership that reduces your need for manual cleaning.
Setting Up Your Tank: The Perfect Home for Anubias Nana and Shrimp
Creating the right environment from the start is the most important step. Don’t worry—neither Anubias nor most dwarf shrimp are particularly demanding. Here are the anubias nana and shrimp best practices for a successful setup.
Tank Size and Filtration
You can successfully keep this pair in tanks as small as 5 gallons, but a 10-gallon tank is a more stable and forgiving starting point for beginners. The larger water volume makes it easier to keep water parameters consistent.
When it comes to filtration, gentle is the name of the game. Baby shrimp (shrimplets) are tiny and can easily be sucked into powerful filter intakes. A sponge filter is the absolute best choice. It provides excellent biological filtration, aerates the water, and its surface becomes another grazing spot for your shrimp.
Lighting and Substrate
Anubias nana is a true low-light champion. It thrives in shaded areas and doesn’t require intense, expensive lighting. A standard LED light that comes with most aquarium kits is perfectly fine. In fact, too much light can cause algae issues on its slow-growing leaves.
Because Anubias is an epiphyte—a plant that grows attached to surfaces rather than in the ground—your substrate choice is flexible. You can use sand, gravel, or even a bare-bottom tank. If you’re keeping Neocaridina shrimp, an inert substrate like sand or fine gravel is great. For Caridina shrimp (like Crystal Reds), you’ll want an active substrate that buffers the pH.
The Right Way to Plant Anubias Nana (Hint: Don’t Bury the Rhizome!)
If you take only one piece of advice from this entire guide, let it be this. This is the most common mistake beginners make, and it’s a surefire way to kill your beautiful plant. This section is your key to how to anubias nana and shrimp success.
What is the Rhizome?
Look at the base of your Anubias plant. You’ll see a thick, horizontal green stem from which both the leaves (upwards) and roots (downwards) grow. This is the rhizome. It’s the life-support system for the plant.
Under no circumstances should you bury this rhizome in the substrate. If you do, it will be deprived of oxygen and water flow, and it will quickly rot, killing the entire plant. The thin, stringy roots can go into the substrate, but the rhizome must stay above it.
How to Attach Your Anubias
So, how do you plant it? You attach it to something! This mimics how it grows in the wild, clinging to rocks and logs in shaded streams.
- Using Super Glue Gel: This is the easiest and fastest method. Use a cyanoacrylate-based super glue gel (like Gorilla Glue Gel). Pat the spot on your rock or driftwood dry, apply a small dab of glue to the rhizome, and press the plant onto the surface for 30-60 seconds. You can do this out of the water or even underwater! It’s completely shrimp-safe once cured.
- Using Fishing Line or Cotton Thread: Simply tie the plant gently but firmly to your hardscape. The roots will eventually grip the surface on their own. Cotton thread is a great sustainable anubias and shrimp option as it will dissolve over a few months, by which time the plant will have attached itself.
Anubias Nana and Shrimp Care Guide: Water Parameters for Success
Consistency is more important than chasing “perfect” numbers. Both Anubias nana and common dwarf shrimp are quite adaptable, but they don’t like sudden changes. Aim for a stable environment.
Here are the ideal ranges to aim for in your anubias nana and shrimp care guide:
- Temperature: 72-78°F (22-25.5°C) is the sweet spot for both.
- pH: 6.5 – 7.5. Neocaridina shrimp (Cherries, Blue Dreams) are more adaptable, while Caridina shrimp prefer a slightly more acidic pH (6.2-6.8). Anubias is not fussy about pH.
- GH (General Hardness): 6-8 dGH. This measures minerals like calcium and magnesium, which are essential for the shrimp’s exoskeleton during molting.
- KH (Carbonate Hardness): 2-5 dKH. This helps keep your pH stable.
- Ammonia & Nitrite: 0 ppm. These are toxic. Ensure your tank is fully cycled before adding shrimp.
- Nitrate: Below 20 ppm. Regular water changes will keep this in check.
A simple liquid test kit like the API Freshwater Master Test Kit is an invaluable tool for monitoring these parameters and ensuring the health of your little ecosystem.
Troubleshooting Common Problems with Anubias Nana and Shrimp
Even in the most well-cared-for tanks, issues can pop up. Don’t panic! Here’s how to tackle the most common problems with anubias nana and shrimp.
Problem: Algae on Anubias Leaves
Because Anubias grows so slowly, it’s a prime target for algae, especially Green Spot Algae (GSA).
Solution: First, check your lighting. It’s likely too intense or on for too long. Reduce your photoperiod to 6-8 hours a day. Second, make sure your shrimp population is healthy; Amano shrimp are particularly good at tackling GSA. Finally, ensure your phosphate levels are balanced with nitrates. You can gently wipe the leaves with a soft cloth during a water change, but addressing the root cause is key.
Problem: Yellowing Leaves (Chlorosis)
If new leaves are coming in pale or old leaves are turning yellow, it’s often a sign of a nutrient deficiency.
Solution: Anubias is a light feeder, but it still needs nutrients. Since it pulls them from the water column, dosing a comprehensive, shrimp-safe liquid fertilizer once or twice a week can make a huge difference. Look for one that contains both macro- and micronutrients. Don’t overdo it, as excess nutrients can fuel algae!
Problem: Shrimp Are Dying Randomly
This is heartbreaking and often points to an issue with water quality or a failed molt.
Solution: Test your water parameters immediately, especially for ammonia, nitrite, and copper (which is lethal to shrimp). Check your GH—if it’s too low, shrimp may not have enough minerals to molt successfully. You can use products like Salty Shrimp GH/KH+ with RO water to achieve perfect parameters. Also, ensure no pesticides or chemicals have entered the tank (e.g., from new plants or room sprays).
Sustainable Aquascaping: Eco-Friendly Anubias Nana and Shrimp Best Practices
Part of the joy of this hobby is creating a small piece of nature. We can extend that respect for nature by making sustainable choices. Adopting an eco-friendly anubias and shrimp approach is rewarding and responsible.
Responsible Sourcing
Whenever possible, purchase tank-bred shrimp and aquacultured plants. This reduces the impact on wild populations and ecosystems. Look for tissue-cultured Anubias, which are grown in a sterile lab environment and are guaranteed to be free of pests, algae, and pesticides—making them extra safe for your delicate shrimp from day one.
Propagation: Share the Love!
Your Anubias nana will eventually grow a longer rhizome. You can easily propagate it! Simply take a clean, sharp razor blade and cut the rhizome into sections, ensuring each piece has at least 3-4 healthy leaves. Attach these new pieces to other rocks or wood, and you’ve just created new plants for free. You can use them in other tanks or share them with fellow hobbyists!
Frequently Asked Questions About Anubias Nana and Shrimp
Will my shrimp eat my Anubias nana?
No, healthy shrimp will not eat your healthy Anubias nana. They will only graze on the biofilm and algae on the surface of the leaves. If you see shrimp picking at a leaf, it’s almost always because that part of the plant is already dying or melting, and they are just cleaning up the decaying organic matter.
What kind of shrimp are best with Anubias nana?
The best and most common choices are Neocaridina davidi (Cherry Shrimp, Blue Dream Shrimp, etc.) and Amano Shrimp (Caridina multidentata). Both are hardy, excellent cleaners, and their care requirements align perfectly with Anubias.
Do I need CO2 or fertilizer for my Anubias nana?
CO2 is absolutely not necessary. Anubias is a very low-tech plant that thrives without supplemental CO2. While it can survive without fertilizer, it will do much better with a light, regular dose of a comprehensive liquid fertilizer. This will result in more robust growth and deeper green leaves, making it one of the most important anubias nana and shrimp tips for long-term health.
How fast does Anubias nana grow?
Very slowly! You might only see one new leaf every few weeks or even once a month. This is completely normal. Its slow growth is what makes it so low-maintenance and resistant to being eaten, but it’s also why preventing algae is important.
Your Thriving Paradise Awaits
You now have a complete roadmap to success. By pairing the incredibly resilient Anubias nana with the endlessly entertaining dwarf shrimp, you’re not just putting a plant and an animal in a box of water. You are cultivating a living, breathing ecosystem where each element supports the other.
Remember the key takeaways: provide gentle filtration, don’t bury that rhizome, keep your water stable, and don’t overdo the light. Follow this anubias nana and shrimp guide, and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful, thriving aquarium that brings you joy instead of stress.
Go forth and create your own little underwater paradise. Happy scaping!
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