Anubias Lanceolata

Underwater appearance

This medium Anubias is commonly sold with long lance-shaped to oblong-elliptic leaves. Its usual colour is described as green to deep green. The actual plant may differ with cultivation, leaf age, aquarium conditions, and seller stock.

Leaves rise from a creeping rhizome, which is the firm horizontal stem that produces roots and new growth. The plant normally attaches to rock or wood and expands slowly rather than forming a quick carpet.

It is normally used for midground rock or wood where narrow foliage is preferred. During the first few weeks, expect root attachment and slow adjustment. A firm rhizome, healthy roots, or one new leaf is a useful early sign.

Essentials

• Use low to medium light. Shaded placement often helps reduce algae on the slow-growing leaves.
• Attach the plant to rock or wood, or place the roots near substrate while keeping the rhizome exposed.
• Provide gentle to moderate circulation so debris does not remain on the leaves.
• Keep temperature and water chemistry stable rather than chasing one exact value.
• Use a complete aquarium fertiliser when livestock waste and feeding do not provide enough nutrients.
• Choose a hardscape position that matches the actual leaf size.

Optional improvements

• Stable injected CO₂ can improve establishment and leaf production.
• A mature aquarium is easier because algae and sudden parameter changes are usually easier to control.
• Roots may grow into nutrient-containing substrate when the rhizome remains above it.

Beginner setup checklist

• Stable, filtered freshwater aquarium
• Low or moderate light
• Rock or wood attachment point
• Exposed rhizome
• Gentle circulation around the foliage
• Consistent, restrained fertilising
• Enough space for the actual mature plant

CO₂ level

Injected CO₂ is unnecessary for basic survival and is optional for normal aquarium care. A stable low-tech tank can support Anubias because it grows slowly and tolerates modest light.

Stable injected CO₂ may improve establishment, leaf production, root growth, and density. It may also help a cultivar show its intended colour or pattern more clearly, but it cannot guarantee a particular result.

Balance CO₂ with light, nutrients, circulation, and oxygen. Avoid large CO₂ changes, especially when the plant is newly added or already melting.

Preparation

• Inspect the leaves, roots, and rhizome. Remove fully soft or decayed material with clean scissors.
• If the plant arrives in a pot, remove the pot and tease away rock wool in small pieces without tearing healthy roots.
• Rinse the plant in clean aquarium-safe water and inspect it for algae, snails, damaged roots, or pesticide residue concerns.
• Do not divide a weak or very small plant merely to create more portions.

Positioning

• Place the plant on rock or wood with the horizontal rhizome fully visible.
• Roots may touch or enter gravel or aquasoil, but do not cover the rhizome.
• Leave open space around the leaves for circulation and future growth.
• For large forms, place the plant far enough from the front glass that mature leaves will not crowd the viewing area.

Tissue-culture plants

• Rinse away all culture gel before placing the plant in the aquarium.
• Separate it only into natural clumps with roots and a healthy rhizome section.
• Attach each portion gently and avoid crushing the rhizome.

Attachment methods

• Thread: tie the rhizome loosely with cotton thread until the roots grip the surface.
• Fishing line: use a loose transparent wrap and check that it does not cut into the rhizome.
• Cyanoacrylate super glue gel: use one or two tiny drops on a root or the underside of the rhizome. Do not coat the entire rhizome.
• Mesh: use gentle mesh only for very small portions and avoid crushing leaves, roots, or rhizome.

Choose a stable rock or wood surface with gentle water movement. Never bury the rhizome, even when the roots are placed close to substrate.

Routine trimming

Use clean, sharp aquascaping scissors. Anubias grows slowly and normally needs only occasional trimming.

• Remove a fully damaged, melting, or heavily algae-covered leaf by cutting its stalk close to the rhizome.
• Do not cut into the rhizome or remove a large share of healthy leaves at one time.
• To reduce a mature clump, cut between healthy rhizome sections.
• Leaf-only trimmings cannot normally be replanted. A useful cutting needs a healthy rhizome section with leaves and preferably roots.

Selective leaf removal keeps the plant tidy. Rhizome division controls its spread, but the remaining sections may need several weeks to regain density.

Rhizome division

• Wait until the plant has more than one healthy growing section.
• Select a section with several leaves and, where possible, its own roots.
• Use clean scissors or a sterile blade to make one clean cut through the rhizome.
• Attach the new section to rock or wood with the rhizome exposed.
• Keep light, CO₂, nutrients, and water conditions stable during recovery.

A new section is ready to separate when it has enough leaves and roots to remain stable on its own. Avoid dividing a newly imported, melting, or heavily variegated weak plant.

Normal adjustment

Slow establishment is normal. Emersed-grown leaves may remain for a long time or may gradually be replaced by leaves produced underwater.

Limited older-leaf loss can be part of adjustment when the rhizome stays firm and roots or new leaves continue to form.

What to monitor

• Normal: firm rhizome, intact roots, slow leaf production, and limited older-leaf decline.
• Needs attention: soft rhizome tissue, spreading decay, repeated loss of every new leaf, or heavy algae and debris.
• Review recent changes in light, CO₂, fertiliser, temperature, flow, and water chemistry before changing another factor.

Anubias lanceolata is treated as a synonym of Anubias barteri in the current Kew taxonomy.