Description
Anubias are one of the easiest types of aquarium plants to care for, so they are especially suitable for beginners in the aquarium .
One of the reasons they are perfect for beginners is that they grow fairly slowly , so you don’t have to be constantly pruning them.
They are characterized by having dark green leaves, very resistant to all kinds of diseases, sudden changes in the water parameters and the attack of the minnows that inhabit the aquarium.
They are species that do not grow much. Some are ideal for the front of the aquarium, others will be better in the middle.
They grow between about 6 cm and 40 cm in height.
Distribution and habitat
They are a genus that belongs to the Araceae family, originating in tropical Africa, specifically in the areas of Senegal, Angola and Zaire.
In their natural state they can be found growing on the banks of rivers, with their roots among the rocks and the remains of logs.
Not all the plants of this genus are completely aquatic, some are semi-aquatic, so they cannot be completely submerged.
Aquarium conditions
They are very resistant plants. Although they would be able to survive with parameters different from those that I am going to offer you, these would be the ideal parameters for them to grow up healthy and strong:
- Temperature: between 22º and 28ºC
- pH: between 5.5 and 8
- Water hardness gH: between 3º and 15º
It can live in very soft waters, even moderately hard.
illumination
They do not need specific lighting. They are plants that prefer low lighting , because in their natural state they live in the shade.
It will be enough to give it an illumination of 0.50W / L (Watts per liter), the basic illumination that they receive if we buy a normal aquarium kit , with fluorescent lights.
They can be grown alongside some floating plants, such as duckweed, which will sift some of the direct light they receive.
Substrate and compost
The aquarium substrate does not have to be specific, nor does it have to be the best on the market. They are plants that in their natural state take root between stones and rocks, taking most of the food they need from water.
They can be paid periodically with liquid fertilizers, specific for aquarium plants , respectful of fish.
They do not need to add additional CO2 for their development. If we add it, we will achieve a faster growth, but the one obtained naturally by the aquarium fish is enough.
Reproduction
They have a rhizome that grows horizontally through the substrate. When we see that new leaves appear, new plants can be obtained by dividing the rhizome.
Once we have the new seedling, we will fasten it to the bottom of the aquarium with a thread, tied to a rock or a log. In a short time it will root without any problem.
Varieties
At our disposal in specialized stores we will find a good variety of Anubias. The most popular are:
- Anubia Barteri, variety Barteri. It measures between 20 cms and 30 cms. It needs little light, its leaves are sagittate.
- Anubias Barteri, variety Nana . It measures between 12 cms and 15 cms in height. It has dark green leaves, which are spread horizontally.
It must be fixed to a rock. - Anubias Afzelii. It can measure up to 40 cm in height. Its leaves are moderate to dark green in color. Its growth is extremely slow, it can generate a leaf every two months.
- Anubias Congensis. In nature it can measure up to 50 cm, but in the aquarium it does not usually exceed 30 cm. Its leaves are wide, of very, very slow growth, being able to sprout three or four leaves a year.
- Anubias Gilleti. It grows up to 30 cms. It has soft green, oval and lanceolate leaves.
- Anubias Gracilis. It does not exceed 30 cms. It is very easy to grow and maintain.
It has a rosette-shaped rhizome, which allows its multiplication in a simple way. - Anubias Heterophylla. It measures about 40 cm and develops polymorphic leaves. Very curious.
- Anubias Lanceolata. We can expect it to be 12 inches tall. Its leaves are lanceolate, dark green, robust and rigid.
They are very undemanding.
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