Lanceolate Anubias (Lance-Leaf Anubias) care

Light

Lanceolate 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. One of the most shade-tolerant aquarium plants available. Thrives under low lighting (5–20 PAR) and is well-suited to aquariums with dense canopy cover. Avoid direct intense light, which causes stubborn algae growth on the slow-growing leaves. Expect slow growth and pale new leaves; that's the cost of low light, not a sign anything is wrong.

Watering

Aim for permanently submerged or emersed aquatic plant for lanceolate 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. Extremely adaptable: pH 6.0–8.0, GH 3–20. Tolerates hard, alkaline water unusual for tropical aquatics. Does not benefit significantly from CO2 injection. Good flow reduces algae risk on the large, slow-growing leaves.

Soil and pot

Lanceolate Anubias grows best in attached to hardscape — the rhizome must not be buried. Critical rule: never bury the rhizome in substrate or it will rot. Attach to driftwood or rocks using thread or aquarium-safe super glue. The roots will grip the surface within a few 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

Lanceolate Anubias sits happiest at around Aquatic or high-humidity emersed — 70–95% humidity and 22–28°C (72–82°F). Frequently grown emersed in nursery conditions and in open-top paludariums. In emersed form it produces flowers (a white spathe) and grows slightly faster. Tolerates lower humidity than many aquatics when emersed. If you keep the room above 22–28°C 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 lanceolate anubias sparingly. Fertilise minimally — Anubias is a slow grower and does not require heavy feeding. A dilute liquid fertiliser once every 2–4 weeks is sufficient. Excess nutrients in low-light conditions primarily feed algae on the leaves, not the 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 lanceolate anubias in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Algae on leaves — The most common problem; slow leaf growth means algae has time to colonise. Keep light low, add algae-eating catfish or snails, and ensure good water flow over the leaves.
• Rhizome rot — Caused by burying the rhizome in substrate. Ensure the rhizome remains fully exposed and attached to hardscape, not buried.
• Yellowing leaves — May indicate iron or micronutrient deficiency, or too much direct light. Assess both factors; Anubias rarely shows deficiency in well-maintained tanks.
• Very slow growth — Normal — Anubias is inherently slow. Even under ideal conditions, one new leaf per 2–4 weeks is typical. This is not a problem to solve.
• Brown leaf tips — Can indicate poor water quality, salt accumulation, or mechanical damage. Maintain regular water changes and check water parameters.

Companion plants

Lanceolate Anubias pairs well with Microsorum pteropus, Bucephalandra sp., and Bolbitis heudelotii. 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

Propagate by cutting the rhizome into sections, each bearing at least 3–4 leaves and a portion of root. Attach each section to new hardscape; the cut ends callous over and the plant continues growing normally. 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

Lanceolate Anubias is toxic to pets. Anubias lanceolata is an Araceae aroid containing insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. The ASPCA lists Anubias species as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, causing oral irritation, pawing at the mouth, drooling, and swelling if chewed. Keep away from pets that chew aquatic plants or have access to the aquarium. 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.

Lanceolate Anubias deep-dive guides

Every aspect of lanceolate anubias care, each with its own calibrated guide:

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

Featured in these plant shortlists

Lanceolate Anubias qualifies for 5 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.
• 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

Lanceolate Anubias is also commonly called Lance-Leaf Anubias or Lanceolata Anubias.

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