Anubias barteri var. nana (dwarf Anubias) care

Light

Most houseplants sulk in a dim corner. Anubias barteri var. nana is one of the handful that doesn't. Performs best under low to moderate aquarium light. Excess light without CO2 simply coats the slow leaves in algae. Emersed in a terrarium, give bright-indirect light and avoid direct sun, which scorches foliage. The tell that you've pushed even a low-light plant too far is soil that stays wet for a week — the plant has stopped transpiring, which means it's stopped using water, which is one short step from rot.

Watering

Water anubias barteri var. nana submerged full-time; change 20-30% of tank water weekly. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Kept permanently underwater in the aquarium, or in saturated substrate at near-100% humidity if grown emersed. Tolerates soft to hard water, pH 6.0-7.8, and a wide temperature band, making it ideal for beginners.

Soil and pot

Anubias barteri var. nana grows best in rhizome attached to hardscape, not buried. Anchor the rhizome to driftwood or stone with thread or cyanoacrylate gel, keeping the rhizome exposed. Roots may grip gravel or sand, but burying the rhizome causes it to rot. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Anubias barteri var. nana sits happiest at around 90-100% humidity and 22-28°C (72-82°F). Submerged in normal use; when grown emersed it needs near-saturated air above 90%. In open household air the small leaves crisp and brown quickly. If you keep the room above 22 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed anubias barteri var. nana sparingly. Dose a complete liquid aquatic fertiliser into the water column for potassium, iron and micronutrients. Root tabs are largely wasted on this rhizome-feeder. Light CO2 injection accelerates growth but is optional for a healthy plant. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on anubias barteri var. nana in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Rhizome rot — Burying the rhizome is the most common killer. Keep it above the substrate and remove any soft, darkened tissue promptly.
• Algae buildup — Its slow, long-lived leaves accumulate green-spot and black-beard algae under strong light. Lower light and add gentle water movement.
• Yellowing leaves — Usually iron or potassium shortfall in the water column. Begin or increase complete liquid fertilisation.
• Transition melt — Emersed-grown stock may drop a few leaves when submerged. Keep the rhizome and wait for new aquatic leaves to form.

Propagation

Cut the rhizome into pieces, each retaining several leaves and roots, then reattach to hardscape. Divisions establish reliably but grow slowly; do not split into very small fragments. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Anubias barteri var. nana is mildly toxic to pets. Not individually listed by the ASPCA. As an Anubias it belongs to the arum family (Araceae), which the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs due to insoluble calcium oxalates. Treat with caution and verify with a vet rather than assuming it is pet-safe. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Anubias barteri var. nana deep-dive guides

Every aspect of anubias barteri var. nana care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Anubias barteri var. nana watering schedule
• Anubias barteri var. nana light requirements
• Best soil mix for anubias barteri var. nana
• Anubias barteri var. nana fertilizing guide
• When to repot anubias barteri var. nana
• How to propagate anubias barteri var. nana
• Anubias barteri var. nana growth rate & size
• Anubias barteri var. nana cold hardiness
• Anubias barteri var. nana temperature & humidity
• Is anubias barteri var. nana toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is anubias barteri var. nana toxic to cats?
• Is anubias barteri var. nana toxic to dogs?

Featured in these plant shortlists

Anubias barteri var. nana qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best bathroom plants — Humidity-loving houseplants that also cope with lower light — suited to the steamy, often-dim conditions of a typical bathroom.
• Best small & tabletop houseplants — Compact houseplants that stay under about 40 cm — desk, shelf and windowsill plants that never outgrow a small space.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

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Anubias barteri var. nana is also commonly called dwarf Anubias or petite Anubias.

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