Anubias Plant Not Growing: Your Complete Revival Guide For Lush Leaves
You brought an Anubias home because everyone in the hobby calls it “bulletproof.” It’s the perfect, low-maintenance green addition to your aquarium. Yet, there it sits, day after day, week after week, looking exactly the same as when you bought it. Or worse, it’s starting to look a little sad, maybe even melting away. Sound familiar?
Don’t worry—you haven’t failed, and your plant is almost certainly not a lost cause. It’s one of the most common frustrations aquarists face, and the truth is, an Anubias plant not growing is usually a sign of a simple, fixable issue. You just need to know where to look.
I promise that by the end of this guide, you’ll understand exactly why your Anubias has stalled. We’ll walk through the single biggest planting mistake nearly everyone makes, how to dial in your lighting and nutrients, and the best practices for creating an environment where your Anubias doesn’t just survive—it thrives.
Let’s get that beautiful plant growing again!
Understanding Your Anubias: The “Slow and Steady” Plant
Before we dive into troubleshooting, let’s set the right expectations. Anubias are, by nature, extremely slow growers. In a healthy, happy environment, you might only see one new leaf every month or two. This isn’t a bug; it’s a feature!
This slow growth is what makes them so hardy and low-maintenance. They don’t demand a lot of light or nutrients to sustain rapid growth, which is why they’re perfect for beginners. This is one of the surprising benefits of anubias plant not growing too quickly—it means less trimming and a more stable look for your aquascape.
So, if you’re frustrated by its pace, take a deep breath. We’re not aiming for Jack’s beanstalk here. Our goal is to see consistent, healthy, algae-free new leaves, no matter how slowly they appear. If you’re seeing zero growth, yellowing leaves, or algae taking over, then it’s time to investigate.
The #1 Mistake: Solving Why Your Anubias Plant Is Not Growing
If you take only one thing away from this entire anubias plant not growing guide, let it be this: Do not bury the rhizome! This is, without a doubt, the most common reason these hardy plants fail in a home aquarium.
What is a Rhizome?
Look at your Anubias. You’ll see the leaves, the thin roots coming down, and a thick, horizontal, green stem that the leaves and roots sprout from. That is the rhizome. It’s the life force of the plant, responsible for storing nutrients and sprouting new growth.
Unlike stem plants that you push into the substrate, the Anubias rhizome needs to be exposed to the water column to breathe and absorb nutrients. When you bury it under sand or gravel, you effectively suffocate it. The rhizome will begin to rot, the leaves will yellow and fall off, and the plant will slowly die.
How to Plant Anubias Correctly: Best Practices
So, how do you secure it in your tank? You attach it to something! This is where you can get creative and enhance your aquascape.
- Use Super Glue Gel: The aquarist’s best friend! Find a spot on a piece of driftwood or a rock. Dry both the spot and the bottom of the rhizome with a paper towel. Apply a few small dabs of gel-type cyanoacrylate super glue (like Gorilla Glue Gel) to the rhizome, press it onto the hardscape for 30 seconds, and you’re done! It’s completely aquarium-safe once cured.
- Use Fishing Line or Cotton Thread: You can also gently tie the rhizome to your hardscape. Cotton thread is great because it will dissolve over a few months, by which time the plant’s roots will have naturally gripped onto the surface.
- Wedge It In Place: Sometimes, you can find a natural crevice in your hardscape where you can gently wedge the rhizome. Just ensure it’s not being crushed and that it remains above the substrate.
Making this one change is often all it takes to solve the mystery of your anubias plant not growing.
Lighting and Placement: Finding the Sweet Spot
Anubias evolved under the dense canopy of rainforests, receiving only dappled, indirect light. In our aquariums, they thrive in similar low-to-moderate lighting conditions. Too much light is a recipe for disaster.
The Problem with Too Much Light
Because Anubias grows so slowly, it can’t use up light energy and nutrients as fast as other plants. When you blast it with a high-intensity light, you’re not helping it grow faster—you’re just rolling out the red carpet for algae.
The broad, tough leaves of Anubias become a perfect surface for stubborn algae like Green Spot Algae (GSA) or Black Beard Algae (BBA) to grow. Once covered, the leaf can no longer photosynthesize properly, and the plant’s health will decline.
Your Lighting and Placement Strategy
- Reduce Intensity: If you have an adjustable light, turn it down. If not, you can “raise” the light fixture higher above the tank or add floating plants like Frogbit or Red Root Floaters to diffuse the light naturally. This is a great eco-friendly anubias plant not growing solution.
- Shorten the Photoperiod: Don’t leave your lights on for 12 hours a day. A photoperiod of 6-8 hours is more than enough for Anubias and will help keep algae at bay.
- Strategic Placement: Place your Anubias in shadier spots in your tank. Tuck it under a larger piece of driftwood, behind taller plants, or in a corner. Think of it as an understory plant.
Nutrient Check: Is Your Anubias Secretly Starving?
While Anubias are not heavy feeders, they are not “no-feeders” either. They still require a balanced diet of essential nutrients to produce new leaves and maintain their deep green color. In a very clean tank with few fish, they can easily become nutrient-deficient.
Key Nutrients for Anubias
Plants need two types of nutrients: macronutrients (needed in larger amounts) and micronutrients (needed in smaller amounts).
- Macronutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) are the big three. A lack of potassium is a common issue for Anubias, often showing up as tiny pinholes in the older leaves.
- Micronutrients: Iron, magnesium, and manganese are also crucial. An iron deficiency can lead to new leaves appearing pale or yellow.
A Simple Fertilization Plan
Don’t be intimidated by fertilizers! For Anubias, it’s quite simple. Since they feed primarily from the water column through their rhizome and leaves, a good quality liquid all-in-one fertilizer is the perfect solution.
Look for a comprehensive fertilizer like Aquarium Co-Op’s Easy Green or Seachem Flourish. Start by dosing once or twice a week at half the recommended amount. Observe your plant and the tank for a few weeks. If you see positive changes and no algae blooms, you can slowly increase the dose. This is a core part of any good anubias plant not growing care guide.
Water Parameters and Tank Health: The Invisible Factors
Anubias are incredibly tolerant of a wide range of water parameters, but they value one thing above all: stability. Constant fluctuations in temperature, pH, or hardness can stress the plant, causing it to halt growth or even melt.
Maintain a Stable Environment
- Temperature: Keep your tank in a stable range, typically between 72-82°F (22-28°C).
- pH and Hardness: Anubias isn’t picky, but try to avoid wild swings. Regular, small water changes are far better than infrequent, large ones.
- Water Flow: Gentle water flow is beneficial. It brings nutrients to the plant and helps keep debris from settling on its leaves. Avoid placing it directly in the powerful outflow of a filter.
Think of your Anubias as a long-term resident. It wants a calm, predictable home. This approach is fundamental to sustainable anubias plant not growing solutions, as it focuses on creating a balanced ecosystem rather than relying on quick fixes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Anubias Plant Not Growing
How fast should my Anubias actually be growing?
Extremely slowly! A healthy Anubias might only produce one new leaf every 3 to 6 weeks. The key is to look for steady, consistent growth, not fast growth. If the new leaves are healthy and green, you’re doing great.
Can I save an Anubias with a rotting rhizome?
Yes, if you catch it early. Carefully take the plant out of the tank. With a sharp, clean blade, cut away any parts of the rhizome that are black, mushy, or soft. If you have a healthy, firm section of rhizome left (even a small piece with a leaf or two), it has a good chance of recovery. Re-attach the healthy portion to hardscape and give it time.
Why are the new leaves on my Anubias small or pale?
This is a classic sign of a nutrient deficiency. Small, stunted new leaves often point to a lack of macronutrients, while pale or yellow new leaves can indicate an iron deficiency. It’s a clear signal to start using a comprehensive liquid fertilizer.
My Anubias leaves are covered in green spots. What do I do?
This is Green Spot Algae (GSA), and it’s almost always a sign of too much light and/or low phosphate levels. First, try to gently scrub it off with a soft toothbrush during a water change. Then, address the root cause: reduce your lighting duration or intensity and ensure your fertilizer contains phosphates.
Your Path to a Thriving Anubias
We’ve covered a lot of ground, but fixing an anubias plant not growing usually comes down to mastering the basics. Let’s recap the most important anubias plant not growing tips:
- Never, ever bury the rhizome. Attach your plant to rocks or driftwood.
- Provide low to moderate light. Too much light is your enemy and invites algae.
- Offer consistent nutrients. A good all-in-one liquid fertilizer is your best tool.
- Keep your tank stable. Avoid drastic changes in water parameters.
Your Anubias isn’t asking for much. It just wants a stable, comfortable home where it can slowly but surely unfurl its beautiful, tough leaves. Be patient, give it what it needs, and you’ll be rewarded with a plant that can grace your aquarium for years to come.
Now, go take a look at your plant with fresh eyes. You have the knowledge and the power to turn things around. Happy scaping!
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