Leaf colourgreen
Native range
- Angola
- Cabinda
- Cameroon
- Congo
- DR Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
rhizome cichlid-proof background midground Conservation status: LC
The large anubias: leaves up to a span long on tall stalks. Same easy temper as its smaller relatives, but it needs a big tank to look right.
- Light
- low–high
- Difficulty
- easy
- Height
- 25 – 60 cm
- Temperature
- 12 – 30 °C
Parameters
Plant typerhizome
Growth rateslow
Tolerates lightlow – high
pH5 – 8
Carbonate hardness0 – 15 °dKH
General hardness0 – 30 °dGH
Placementcichlid-proof, background +1
Propagationrhizome division, division +1
Grows emersedyes
Appearance
Long pointed leaves of a deep green on sturdy stalks; the plant reaches 25–60 cm. Growth is very slow — a couple of new leaves a month at best.
Keeping
Easy: dim light is enough, no carbon dioxide is required, and the water may be soft or hard. As with all anubias, the thick horizontal stem must stay above the substrate — buried, it rots. Slow growth means algae settle on old leaves in bright light, so shade suits it.
Placement
The middle and back of the tank, tied to wood or a stone. Its tough leaves survive cichlids, which is why it appears in tanks where most plants do not.
Propagation
Cut the horizontal stem into pieces with three or four leaves and tie each piece down separately.
Fish and this plant
Water conditions match
The water suits 1008 of 1249 species in the catalogue — these are the ones people look up most often.
Swordtail GuppiesCobra GuppyBlood Red MollyButterflyfishRed Zebra CichlidJulii CorydorasRed-finned ParotocinclusGastromyzon monticolaEgg-shaped GoldfishFlame TetraGardner's KillifishAfrican TetraKenyi CichlidCuckoo CatfishGolden SwordtailHypsolebias picturatusCommon ZaccoLabeo BicolorGambusiaFlying barbGastromyzon scitulusAlbino Zebra DanioGeophagus BrokopondoZebra Mbuna
Will eat this plant
These species damage plants, especially when their diet is short of vegetable food.
Bengal LoachZebra LoachBurmese Border LoachEmperor BotiaSpined LoachMarbled HeadstanderPellegrin's LeporinusLeporinus striatusFalse Black TetraCommon MetynnisMylossoma duriventreRed Whiptail CatfishMolly sphenopsBalloon MollyLyretail MollyMarble MollyHi-Fin PlatyHawaii PlatyBlue PlatyPintail PlatyBlack PlatyChocolate MollyMoonlight GouramiMelanotaenia parva
Will uproot it
These species dig through the substrate and pull rooted plants out.
Marble LoachPeacock EelForktail LoachGuntea LoachLong-nosed LoachHorseface LoachPearlscaleBlack Moor GoldfishShubunkinPainted PlecoFeatherfin SynodontisReddish Mystus CatfishBlue AcaraAulonocara maylandiAulonocara multicolorAulonocara OrchidGeophagus altifronsGeophagus winemilleriPearlscale CichlidPearl CichlidRedbelly CichlidRed-spotted CichlidChuco godmanniHaplochromis philanderRed ChromideJack Dempsey cichlid
Cultivars
The same plant with a different look: light, water and care are shared with the species.
Other varieties: Anubias congensis, Anubias Heterophylla Supernova, Anubias Congensis Mini