Anubias nana 'Petite' care guide
Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite' · Araceae
Anubias nana 'Petite' (Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite') is an aquatic plant. It belongs to the Araceae family. It is native to 'Petite' arose in cultivation (Tropica: a mutation at a Singapore nursery); the wild var. nana is known only from Victoria (now Limbe), Cameroon, in west-central Africa. It needs low light. Water temperature: 22°C – 28°C. pH: 5.0 – 8.0. Care difficulty: Very Easy. Growth rate: very slow.
How do you care for Anubias nana 'Petite'?
| Light | Low (thrives in subdued light; strong light mainly feeds green spot algae) |
|---|---|
| CO₂ | Not required |
| Temperature | 22°C – 28°C |
| pH | 5.0 – 8.0 |
| Placement | Tied or glued to wood or stone with the rhizome exposed |
| Growth | Very Slow |
| Difficulty | Very Easy |
| Family | Araceae |
How do you trim and propagate Anubias nana 'Petite'?
Remove old or algae-covered leaves at the petiole. Propagate by cutting the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each; it also branches on its own into dense clumps.
What problems affect Anubias nana 'Petite'?
Green spot algae on the slow leaves under strong light or low phosphate; anubias rot — a soft, mushy, discoloured or foul-smelling rhizome (exact cause unknown; strongly linked to buried rhizomes, poor water quality, stagnant low-oxygen spots and already-infected farm stock).
How do you fix Anubias nana 'Petite' problems?
Shade it, raise phosphate slightly (Flowgrow: about 1.5–2 mg/l) and add algae grazers. For rot, cut away all soft tissue with a sharp blade and replant it above the substrate in good flow.
Where does Anubias nana 'Petite' come from?
'Petite' arose in cultivation (Tropica: a mutation at a Singapore nursery); the wild var. nana is known only from Victoria (now Limbe), Cameroon, in west-central Africa · Biotope regions: Africa.
Sources
- Anubias barteri Schott — Kew Plants of the World Online (via search listing)
- Anubias barteri var. nana — Wikipedia
- Anubias barteri 'Petite' — Tropica
- Anubias barteri var. nana 'Petite' ('Bonsai') — Flowgrow Wasserpflanzen-Datenbank
- Anubias Rot: Symptoms, Causes, and Solutions — Aquarium Co-Op
Care details checked against these sources on 2026-09-23.
Which aquascapes and tanks use Anubias nana 'Petite'?
- Balancing light, CO₂ and fertiliser in a planted tank
- Jungle aquascape: plants, layering and setup
- Paludarium: how to build a half-land, half-water tank
- Riparium: a riverbank tank with plants above the water
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