PlantEpiphyte

Anubias Barteri

Anubias barteri var. barteri

West AfricaBeginner

TL;DR, Anubias Barteri

The full-size barteri, bigger, taller broader leaves than the 'nana' dwarf cultivar already in the catalogue. Same bombproof care: low light, no CO₂, tie to hardscape, never bury the rhizome. Use as a midground feature rather than a foreground accent. Brown patches on rhizome = rot; cut clean and re-tie.

Anubias Barteri (Anubias barteri var. barteri) is a rhizome / epiphyte aquatic plant for the midground to background of a planted tank. It reaches 25–40 cm under good conditions and grows at a slow rate. Light: low to medium. CO₂: none to optional. Target 22–28 °C, pH 6.0–7.5, and 2–15 dGH. Substrate: Attach to wood or stone, never bury the rhizome. Propagate via rhizome division.

LightLow to Medium
CO₂None to Optional

Care at a glance

Updated 22 May 20261 min read

Part of our complete guide to the planted aquarium.

Leaves yellowing, pitting, or new growth coming in pale or twisted? Work out what it’s short of in our plant deficiency guide.

Tank fit

The parameters that decide whether anubias barteri fits in your tank.

Parameters

Temperature22–28 °C

15 °C20 °C25 °C30 °C

pH6.0–7.5

4.05.06.07.08.0

Hardness2–15 dGH

0 dGH5 dGH10 dGH15 dGH20 dGH25 dGH

Height25–40 cm

020406080

LightLow to Medium

Low

Medium

High

CO₂None to Optional

None

Optional

Recommended

Required

GrowthSlow

Slow

Medium

Fast

V. fast

FlowLow to High

Still

Low

Medium

High

V. high

Profile

Family

Araceae

Type

Rhizome / Epiphyte

Position

Midground to Background

Substrate

Attach to wood or stone, never bury the rhizome

Propagation

Rhizome division

Habitat

Rocks and roots in West African forest streams

West Africa

Kit for this plant

Who it lives with

Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.

Weighing it against something similar? Compare Anubias Barteri head to head:

Frequently asked questions

Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.

Does Anubias Barteri need CO₂?

CO₂ requirement: none to optional. Light requirement: low to medium. Under low-tech conditions the plant grows at a slow rate.

What light level does Anubias Barteri need?

Anubias Barteri (Anubias barteri var. barteri) needs low to medium light. Run a photoperiod of 6–8 hours; longer photoperiods invite algae unless CO₂ and dosing are dialled in.

Where should Anubias Barteri be planted?

Position: midground to background. Substrate: Attach to wood or stone, never bury the rhizome It typically reaches 25–40 cm.

How do you propagate Anubias Barteri?

Propagation method: Rhizome division. Anubias Barteri is a rhizome / epiphyte plant.

What water parameters does Anubias Barteri tolerate?

Target 22–28 °C, pH 6.0–7.5, and 2–15 dGH. Flow tolerance: low to high.

Is Anubias Barteri suitable for beginners?

Difficulty: 1/5. Almost unkillable, a solid first-tank choice.

Sources & further reading

More plants

Adjacent specimens in the catalogue.

See all plants

Plant

Anubias Barteri Nana

Anubias barteri var. nana

Almost impossible to kill. Tie or glue to hardscape, never bury the rhizome. Susceptible to Anubias rot if rhizome is damaged; trim brown leaves at the base.

BeginnerWest Africa (Cameroon)