Anubias Nana Petite

Scientific name: Anubias barteri 'Petite'

Origin: cultivar raised in a Singapore nursery

Growth: slow, 3–5 cm tall

Light and CO2: low; no CO2 needed

Placement: small rock work, foreground; rhizome exposed

Propagation: cut the rhizome

Anubias Nana Petite (Anubias barteri 'Petite') is a miniature form of Anubias that appeared in cultivation at a plant nursery in Singapore rather than in the wild. It stays under 5 cm tall with leaves only a centimetre or two across, so it fits on small pieces of rock and in the foreground of a nano tank where full-size Nana would look coarse. Its rhizome, the thick creeping stem the leaves grow from, reaches 5–10 cm and branches readily, so a single piece slowly builds into a dense clump. Care is the same as any Anubias: low light, no added CO2, very slow growth of perhaps a leaf every few weeks, and the rhizome must never be buried or it rots. Because the leaves are small and long-lived they gather biofilm, the microbial film shrimp graze, and the tight clump gives shrimp small gaps to shelter in. It is one of the easiest plants for a first tank.

Water: undemanding across the usual range of hardness, pH and tropical temperatures.

Planting: glue or tie the rhizome to a stone or piece of wood with aquarium-safe cyanoacrylate gel glue or cotton thread. Do not push it into the substrate; the rhizome must stay above it. To make more, cut the rhizome into pieces that each carry a few leaves and attach them separately.

Light and feeding: low light. CO2 injection (carbon dioxide gas added to speed growth) is not needed. Strong light mostly grows algae on the slow leaves, so place it in shade. A small dose of liquid fertiliser covers its needs.