Anubias Plant Losing Leaves: Your 7-Step Revival Guide

Written ByHoward Parker

There’s nothing quite like the sinking feeling of seeing your favorite aquarium plant—the one everyone told you was “impossible to kill”—start to fail. You chose Anubias for its tough, beautiful, deep green leaves. But now, they’re turning yellow, getting holes, or even melting away entirely.

I get it. We’ve all been there, staring into the tank and wondering where we went wrong. The good news? An anubias plant losing leaves is a common and almost always fixable problem. You haven’t failed as a plant keeper, you just need the right information.

I promise this guide will walk you through exactly how to diagnose the issue like a pro. We’ll pinpoint the cause, from the most common planting mistake to subtle nutrient issues, and give you a clear, step-by-step plan to bring your Anubias back to its lush, vibrant self.

Let’s dive in and turn that struggling plant into the thriving centerpiece of your aquarium once again.

Why Your “Bulletproof” Anubias is Struggling

First, let’s give ourselves a little credit. Anubias species, like Anubias barteri or Anubias nana, are rightfully famous for being incredibly hardy. They thrive in low light, don’t require CO2 injection, and are generally unfussy about water parameters. They are the definition of a perfect beginner plant.

But “hardy” doesn’t mean “indestructible.” When an Anubias plant starts losing leaves, it’s sending you a signal. It’s a sign that one of its core needs isn’t being met. Think of it less as a failure and more as a puzzle to solve.

The most common issues often trace back to how the plant was introduced to the tank or a misunderstanding of its unique anatomy. Don’t worry—these are simple fixes once you know what to look for. This anubias plant losing leaves care guide will show you everything you need to know.

The #1 Mistake: How to Fix Anubias Plant Losing Leaves from Improper Planting

If you take only one thing away from this article, let it be this: Do not bury the rhizome! This is, without a doubt, the number one reason beginners find their anubias plant losing leaves.

So, what’s a rhizome? Think of it as the thick, horizontal stem of the plant from which both the leaves (upwards) and roots (downwards) grow. It’s the plant’s central life-support system. Burying it in your substrate—be it sand or gravel—is like burying the trunk of a tree. It will suffocate, rot, and kill the entire plant.

This is one of the most important anubias plant losing leaves best practices to follow. The roots that grow down from the rhizome are there to anchor the plant and absorb some nutrients, but the rhizome itself needs to be exposed to the open water column.

How to Plant Anubias Correctly

Instead of planting it in the substrate, you need to attach your Anubias to something. This mimics how it grows in the wild, clinging to rocks and logs in shaded streams.

  1. Choose Your Anchor: Find a nice piece of driftwood, a textured rock, or any other aquarium-safe hardscape.
  2. Gather Your Tools: You’ll need either a tube of aquarium-safe super glue gel (cyanoacrylate) or some dark-colored cotton thread or fishing line.
  3. Attach the Plant:
    • The Glue Method (My Favorite): Dab a few small spots of super glue gel onto the anchor where you want the rhizome to sit. Gently press the rhizome onto the glue for about 30 seconds. It will bond almost instantly, even underwater!
    • The Tying Method: Gently wrap the thread or fishing line around the rhizome and the hardscape a few times. Tie a secure knot, but don’t tie it so tightly that you crush the rhizome. The plant’s roots will eventually grip the surface, and you can remove the thread if you wish.

By giving the rhizome access to light and water flow, you’ve solved the most frequent cause of Anubias melt and decay.

Diagnosing Common Problems with Anubias Plant Losing Leaves

If you’ve confirmed your rhizome is safely above the substrate but you’re still seeing issues, it’s time to play detective. Here are the other common culprits and how to identify them.

Lighting: Too Much of a Good Thing?

We often think more light means better plant growth. For many species, that’s true. For Anubias, it’s the opposite. These are low-light plants. Exposing them to intense, direct lighting for long periods can cause two major problems.

First, it can stress the plant directly. But more commonly, it encourages algae to grow on the surface of Anubias’s slow-growing leaves. You might see stubborn green spot algae or a fuzzy layer of hair algae. This algae layer blocks light, effectively suffocating the leaf underneath and causing it to yellow and die off.

The Fix: Move your Anubias to a shadier spot in your tank, perhaps under a larger plant or a piece of overhanging driftwood. Reduce your lighting period to 6-8 hours per day. If algae is already present, you can gently wipe it off with a soft toothbrush or introduce an algae-eating crew like Nerite snails or Amano shrimp.

Nutrient Deficiencies: Reading the Leaves

While Anubias are not heavy feeders, they still need access to basic nutrients from the water column. If your tank is too “clean” or lacks these essential building blocks, the plant will show it.

  • Yellowing Leaves (Chlorosis): If older leaves are turning yellow while the veins remain green, this often points to a magnesium deficiency. Widespread yellowing, especially in new leaves, can signal a lack of iron or nitrogen.
  • Pinholes in Leaves: Small, pinprick-sized holes that eventually get larger are a classic sign of a potassium deficiency.

The Fix: The easiest solution for most aquarists is to start dosing a comprehensive, all-in-one liquid fertilizer once or twice a week. Look for a product that contains a good balance of macronutrients (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) and micronutrients (Iron, Magnesium, etc.). Start with a half dose to see how your tank responds.

New Plant “Melt”: The Acclimation Phase

Did you just add the plant to your tank within the last month? If so, you might be seeing normal acclimation melt. Many aquatic plants sold in stores are grown emersed—with their leaves in the open air and roots in water. This makes them grow faster and stronger for commercial purposes.

When you submerge this plant in your aquarium, it has to shed its air-breathing leaves and grow new ones adapted for underwater life. This can look alarming, as several leaves might yellow and decay at once. Don’t panic! As long as the rhizome is firm and healthy, this is a temporary and natural process.

The Fix: Be patient. Trim away the decaying leaves to prevent them from fouling your water. As long as the rhizome is healthy, you will soon see new, smaller, darker green leaves begin to sprout.

The Anubias Rot Nightmare: Identifying and Treating Rhizome Rot

This is the most serious issue an Anubias can face, but it is still salvageable if you act quickly. Rhizome rot is a bacterial or fungal infection that turns the normally firm, green rhizome into a mushy, brown or black mess. It often has a distinct, foul smell.

This is almost always caused by the rhizome being buried or having sustained physical damage that allowed an infection to take hold. If left unchecked, it will consume the entire plant.

Anubias Surgery: A Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Remove and Inspect: Carefully take the plant out of the aquarium and lay it on a clean, damp paper towel. Gently feel the rhizome. You’re looking for any soft, mushy spots.
  2. Prepare for Surgery: Get a sharp razor blade, X-Acto knife, or pair of scissors. Sterilize the blade with rubbing alcohol or by running it through a flame (let it cool!).
  3. Cut Away the Rot: With a clean cut, trim away every last bit of the mushy, discolored rhizome. Be ruthless here. You need to cut back into the firm, healthy, green tissue. Any infected part left behind will continue to spread.
  4. Save the Survivors: Don’t be discouraged if you’re left with a much smaller piece. As long as it’s a healthy chunk of rhizome with even one or two leaves (or even none!), it has a great chance of survival.
  5. Re-attach and Recover: Using the glue or tie method, re-attach the healthy piece(s) to your hardscape and place it back in the tank. With time and stable conditions, it will begin to grow new leaves and roots.

A Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Anubias Care Guide

Part of being a responsible aquarist is embracing sustainable practices. Luckily, caring for Anubias aligns perfectly with an eco-friendly approach. Instead of reaching for harsh chemicals, we can use nature’s own solutions.

The supposed problem of an anubias plant losing leaves can have an unexpected benefit: it teaches you to observe your tank’s ecosystem more closely. By learning to read the plant’s signals, you become a better, more intuitive aquarist.

For a more sustainable anubias plant losing leaves solution, consider these tips:

  • Natural Algae Control: Instead of chemical algaecides that can harm shrimp and fish, use a natural cleanup crew. Nerite snails are fantastic for spot algae, while Amano shrimp are relentless grazers of hair algae.
  • Propagate and Share: When your Anubias becomes large and healthy, you can easily propagate it. Simply cut the rhizome into sections (making sure each has a few leaves) and attach them elsewhere. This is a free and sustainable way to get more plants for your tank or to share with fellow hobbyists!
  • Natural Fertilization: The waste produced by your fish and inverts provides a natural source of nitrogen and phosphates. In a well-stocked tank, you may find you need to add very little in the way of liquid fertilizers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Anubias Plant Losing Leaves

Why are my new Anubias leaves turning yellow?

If new leaves are coming in pale or yellow, it’s almost certainly a nutrient issue. This is a classic sign of iron deficiency. Ensure you are using a comprehensive liquid fertilizer that contains iron and other essential micronutrients, and dose it consistently according to the instructions.

Can Anubias recover from rhizome rot?

Absolutely! The key is to catch it early and be aggressive with your treatment. As long as you cut away all the infected, mushy tissue and are left with a piece of firm, healthy rhizome, the plant has an excellent chance of making a full recovery. Patience is key, as regrowth will be slow.

Is it normal for Anubias to lose old leaves?

Yes, this is perfectly normal. Like any plant, an Anubias will occasionally shed its oldest, largest leaves as it directs energy towards new growth. A single yellowing leaf every now and then is no cause for alarm. The problem is when you see multiple leaves declining at once or when new growth is also affected.

How fast does Anubias grow new leaves?

Anubias are famously slow growers. In ideal conditions, you might see one new leaf every 3-5 weeks. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see explosive growth. This slow pace is part of their charm and is what makes them so low-maintenance and resistant to algae (in the right lighting).

Your Path to a Thriving Anubias

Seeing your anubias plant losing leaves can be disheartening, but it’s a solvable challenge that every aquarist faces at some point. By working through this guide, you’ve learned to think like your plant.

Remember the golden rule: keep the rhizome out of the substrate. From there, it’s a simple process of elimination—check your lighting, assess your nutrient levels, and give new plants time to acclimate. You are now equipped with the knowledge to not only save your struggling plant but to help it truly flourish.

Go take another look at your tank, not with worry, but with confidence. You have the tools to diagnose the problem and the simple, actionable steps to fix it. Happy scaping!

Howard Parker
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