Coffee-leaf Anubias (Coffee Anubias) care

Light

Coffee-leaf Anubias is a useful plant for the room nobody else likes — the north-facing hallway, the basement office, the windowless bathroom with the ceiling LED. Adapted to low-light conditions under the forest canopy; 10-25 PAR suits it well in aquariums. Too much direct aquarium light encourages algae growth on the slow-growing leaves. Java fern or floating plants can help diffuse overhead lighting. Expect slow growth and pale new leaves; that's the cost of low light, not a sign anything is wrong.

Watering

Aim for submerged aquatic — routine 20-30% weekly water changes are recommended. for coffee-leaf anubias, but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Tolerates a wide range of water parameters. Soft to moderately hard water at pH 6.0-8.0 is acceptable. Stable conditions prevent leaf melt and algae build-up.

Soil and pot

Coffee-leaf Anubias grows best in attached to hardscape (wood or rock) — rhizome must not be buried. Tie or glue the rhizome to driftwood or stone using thread or cyanoacrylate gel glue. Burying the rhizome causes it to rot. Roots will anchor naturally over weeks. 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

Coffee-leaf Anubias sits happiest at around N/A (submerged aquatic) humidity and 22-28°C (72-82°F). Fully submerged in freshwater. Also kept emersed in very humid vivariums or paludariums where the leaves grow above water. 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 coffee-leaf anubias sparingly. Liquid fertiliser (particularly iron and micronutrients) benefits leaf colour and health. CO2 injection is not required but marginally speeds growth. Root tabs under nearby substrate do not benefit rhizome-attached plants significantly. 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 coffee-leaf anubias in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Algae on leaves — Slow growth and strong light create ideal conditions for algae. Reduce photoperiod, introduce algae-eaters (e.g. Otocinclus), or manually remove algae with a toothbrush.
• Rhizome rot — Caused by burying the rhizome in substrate. Always attach to hardscape and keep the rhizome exposed.
• Yellow leaves — Indicates iron or micronutrient deficiency. Dose a liquid fertiliser containing chelated iron.
• Slow growth — Normal for Anubias; one or two new leaves per month is typical. CO2 supplementation and adequate nutrients can accelerate this slightly.

Companion plants

Coffee-leaf Anubias pairs well with Microsorum pteropus, Bucephalandra pygmaea, and Cryptocoryne wendtii. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Divide the rhizome with a sterile blade, ensuring each section has at least 2-3 leaves. Attach the sections to hardscape immediately. The cut ends will callous and new leaves will emerge in 4-8 weeks. 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

Coffee-leaf Anubias is toxic to pets. Anubias coffeifolia belongs to the Araceae family. Aroids contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals; the ASPCA lists Anubias as toxic to cats and dogs, causing oral pain, drooling, and gastrointestinal upset if chewed. 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.

Coffee-leaf Anubias deep-dive guides

Every aspect of coffee-leaf anubias care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common coffee-leaf anubias problems & fixes
• Coffee-leaf Anubias watering schedule
• Coffee-leaf Anubias light requirements
• Best soil mix for coffee-leaf anubias
• Coffee-leaf Anubias fertilizing guide
• When to repot coffee-leaf anubias
• How to propagate coffee-leaf anubias
• How to prune coffee-leaf anubias
• What's eating my coffee-leaf anubias?
• Coffee-leaf Anubias growth rate & size
• Coffee-leaf Anubias cold hardiness
• Coffee-leaf Anubias temperature & humidity
• Is coffee-leaf anubias toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is coffee-leaf anubias toxic to cats?
• Is coffee-leaf anubias toxic to dogs?
• All 13 Anubias varieties

Featured in these plant shortlists

Coffee-leaf Anubias qualifies for 3 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.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• 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 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Coffee-leaf Anubias is also commonly called Coffee Anubias or Coffeifolia Anubias.

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