Anubias aquarium plant: species, maintenance and cultivation

Anubias is a flowering plant from a small genus of the same name, belonging to the Aroid family. The genus Anubias is distributed over a relatively small area - in West Africa. All species are inhabitants of tropical swamps and are, first of all, semi-aquatic plants. However, due to the peculiarities of the climate of their growing area, they periodically undergo complete flooding, which sometimes can last almost six months. At this time, the plant slows down its growth, and after the onset of the dry period, it continues to grow. This ability made it possible to use Anubias as landscaping for aquariums. However, they still feel more comfortable in a wet terrarium or paludarium (artificial swamp).

As an aquarium plant, Anubias remains quite exotic. At the same time, despite a number of difficulties in cultivation, it is excellent for a tropical aquarium. Large forms with dark green leaves can be an excellent backdrop for more delicate plants. The dwarf form is a good decoration for the bottom of any aquarium. The submerged plant grows slowly, without disrupting the overall design of the aquarium interior and without requiring serious surgical interventions.

Anubias bloom in an aquarium is quite rare. Under natural conditions, it occurs during the period of terrestrial growth, when the active growth of the plant begins. Anubias grows much better and blooms regularly in a humid greenhouse or paludarium.Nondescript inflorescence - the ear is protected by a thin wrapper leaf. A characteristic feature of all members of the genus are thick rhizomes, sometimes reaching 1.5 cm in thickness. The rhizome branches easily, growing in the surface layer of the soil, numerous roots that hold the plant extend from it.

The leaves are dense, with constant flooding, they grow very slowly, therefore, they are often covered with a bloom of algae. The shape of the leaves is from ovoid to lanceolate. A longitudinal protruding vein is clearly visible on the lower surface of the leaf. Having dense covers, the leaves of anubias successfully resist mollusks and herbivorous fish. Even catfish cannot dig up an overgrown rhizome.

The genus Anubias has only 12 described species. They differ in similar growing conditions due to their almost identical natural habitat. In aquarism, several varieties of this plant are most common.

• Anubias Afcellii. One of the varieties of this species is the well-known lanceolate anubias. The plant is grown both in aquariums and in paludariums, where it grows much more actively. It is a fairly large plant and can grow up to 50 cm in an aquarium. The best place to plant it is in the corners at the back of a large aquarium with a dense carpet of floating plants preventing direct light from spreading. Usually no more than 7 leaves grow from the rhizome.

• Anubias nana. Anubias nana or dwarf is one of the subspecies of Anubias barteri. It differs from the lanceolate described above in its miniature size. This variety is capable of covering the entire bottom of the aquarium with a dark green carpet. Small oval leaves are very densely located on short shoots - rhizomes. Nana reaches a maximum height of 10 cm after a few years, and the number of leaves can reach up to 20. The best place for a dwarf species is in the front of the aquarium.

• Anubias gigantean. The giant anubias is a very rare plant in aquariums, which is more common in greenhouses and paludiriums. At home in West Africa, the leaves of a plant of this species can reach 1 m in height. It grows well in large aquariums in a semi-submerged state. A distinctive feature is the variety of forms of the leaf plate, from the typical lanceolate to arrow-shaped. This is the record for the number of simultaneously growing leaves among all Anubias, there may be more than 35 of them.

• Another large species is also called variegated. Anubias congensis (Congolese). This plant, like the previous one, is preferable to keep semi-submerged or in a paludarium.

Anubias are grown in a tropical aquarium, and at the same time they can contain any medium-sized tropical fish. However, there are still a number of limitations. Actively burrowing fish, such as most catfish, raise a large amount of turbidity from the bottom - small particles of soil and silt. This suspension, when settling, can fall on the leaf plates of the Anubias. Due to the slow growth, leaf renewal practically does not occur, the contaminated leaves are gradually destroyed, which can lead to the death of the entire plant. Regular filtration and weekly water changes will help reduce this effect.

At the same time, a small relative of the large catfish mentioned above is ancistrus, on the contrary, will be very useful for anubius neighbor... Due to the peculiarities of the structure of the oral apparatus, it is able to clean off algal growths from their hard leaves. Some species of viviparous (guppies, swordtails, platies, mollies) can be ideal helpers in the fight against fouling. A flock of gourami can serve as an alternative to live-bearers. One or two labeo fish will also be enough to combat this unpleasant phenomenon. Honored professionals of this difficult business - ototsinklus and girinoheilus, will perfectly help in the fight against algae.

All Anubias species come from tropical West Africa. The climate of this territory is either equatorial - hot and humid, or subequatorial with pronounced two seasons - wet and arid. They grow along river banks or in swamps with very moist, loose and nutritious soil, preferring areas shaded by multi-tiered forest canopies. The air temperature in these latitudes very rarely drops below + 24 ° С. In the rainy season, reservoirs overflow their shores, flooding the growing places of Anubias, turning them into real inhabitants of reservoirs. Some varieties of these plants do equally well in water and on land, but most still grow better when not submerged.

Keeping any plants, including anubias, in an aquarium or greenhouse, is primarily aimed at creating conditions close to those created by nature in their homeland. Caring for these plants consists in maintaining the parameters of the surrounding artificial environment within acceptable limits.

As already mentioned, Anubias are inhabitants of swampy tropical forests and coastal thickets. Sunlight reaches them repeatedly scattered, it is for this reason that an aquarium or paludarium with these plants should be illuminated with dim light. For example, floating plants that love bright direct light can be placed in the aquarium at the same time... This will slightly reduce the luminous flux generated by the lamps. Natural diffused lighting is very useful, but in an artificial reservoir it is rather difficult to provide it.

A good lighting problem can be solved with highly efficient LED strips. This illumination option allows you to vary the intensity and the main quality of the luminous flux. The combination of cool and warm whites simulates diffused natural light. The inclusion of strips with different ratios of red and blue LEDs in the lighting system will expand the range of lighting that are usually missing in the conditions of artificial cultivation, the shades necessary for plants.

Daylight hours for tropical plants should be 11–12 hours. It is this "day and night" regime that is considered optimal for Anubias. Excessive lighting can promote the development of microscopic algae and the rapid growth of anubias leaves.

The creation of an acceptable artificial soil for Anubias is not difficult. It is important to remember that these plants have a powerful developed root system, and even for the dwarf anubias nana, a rather thick layer of soil is needed, at least 10 cm. The size of the soil particles is preferable to coarse, although in fact this factor does not really matter. The best substrate is fine pebbles or coarse sand. Due to the slow growth of the plant, the nutrients accumulating along with the sludge are quite enough for the plant, and additional feeding is practically not required.

The optimum water temperature for this tropical plant is around + 24 ° C. An increase in temperature to + 28– + 30 ° С is not critical, but lowering below + 22 ° С is undesirable and can lead to a cessation of growth and slow death of the plant. The water in the anubias aquarium should be changed regularly (weekly) by about 25% of its volume and must be passed through a filter. These activities are necessary not only to ensure the flow of nutrients, but also as the main means of fouling control.

Planting a young plant in a new aquarium is easy. It is necessary to plant plants of large varieties with overgrown fleshy roots, dropping them in the ground along with the rhizome. In a dwarf form, it is enough to dig in only the roots, leaving the rhizome on the surface. As a top dressing, it is advisable to place silt from an old aquarium in the soil under the roots. It is important to place the plant correctly at the bottom of the prepared reservoir, for this it is necessary to take into account the light intensity in different parts of the aquarium.

It has not yet been possible to propagate Anubias using seeds, as it happens in natural conditions, in aquariums or paludariums. In aquariums, the plant never gives germinating seeds, and it blooms extremely rarely. All modern aquarium plants of this rare genus are obtained by dividing the rhizome. A final section with 3-4 leaves and several roots is separated from the overgrown rhizome, and it is planted in a new place. Soon, one or more buds appear on the rhizome of the mother plant not far from the cut, from which new actively growing rhizomes develop, which can be used for breeding Anubias.

As an aquarium decoration, Anubias have undeniable advantages over most aquarium plants. They grow slowly and therefore do not require frequent intervention from the aquarist trying to maintain an acceptable appearance in their aquarium. The possibility of combining with floating and other rooting plants makes them very convenient as the basis for a tropical aquarium interior. Large plants are planted at the back of the aquarium or in the corners, dim lighting adds mystery to such a reservoir, a dark screen behind the back wall will perfectly complement the interior, creating an effect of depth. In such an interior, flocks of playful neons, slow discus and large scalars will look great.

In the design of aquariums in popularity, not a single variety of anubias can compete with the dwarf (nana). These plants are best placed against the front glass of the aquarium. So they do not block the view of the rest of the space, rhizomes protruding above the ground - an excellent habitat for small inhabitants of an artificial reservoir - fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Nana thickets are always full of life, create a kind of carpet, while zoning the volume of the aquarium. Above the carpet of dwarf anubias leaves there is enough free space for actively swimming fish. Nana looks great on snags or stones.

For information on how to plant anubias in an aquarium, see the next video.