Anubias Congensis - Potted

Anubias Congensis (Anubias heterophylla, sold throughout the hobby as Anubias congensis) is one of the big ones. It sends long, narrow, deep green leaves up on tall upright stalks, reaching a foot or more in a mature tank, and it does it with the same bulletproof habits every Anubias is loved for: low light, no CO2, no special substrate, and leaves tough enough that cichlids and goldfish leave them alone. Slow and steady is the whole personality here, which is exactly why it works in tanks where faster plants get shredded or outgrow the space. See the rest of our live freshwater plants to fill in around it.

Care Guide

• Never bury the rhizome. This is the one rule that matters. The thick horizontal stem the leaves and roots grow from has to stay in open water or it rots and takes the plant with it. Tie or glue the rhizome to wood or rock and let the roots find their own way down, or set it on the substrate with only the roots buried.
• Light: low to moderate. Anubias grows slowly no matter what you give it, so extra light mostly feeds algae on the leaves rather than the plant. If you see green spot algae building up, dial the light back or shorten the photoperiod.
• CO2 and fertilizer: neither is required. A general water column fertilizer such as Seachem Flourish keeps the color deep and the new leaves coming, but this plant will survive plain water and a window's worth of light.
• Water: 72 to 82°F, pH 6.0 to 7.5, soft to hard. Genuinely undemanding, which is why it turns up in everything from blackwater tanks to African cichlid setups.
• Your potted plant arrived grown above water. Nursery stock is raised emersed, so pop the plant out of the pot and pull the rockwool off the roots before you put it in the tank. Rinse it, trim any mushy roots, and expect a few of the older leaves to melt back over the first couple of weeks while it converts to underwater growth. New submersed leaves follow, and they are the ones that stay.
• Growth rate: slow, as in one new leaf every few weeks. Do not read that as a problem, read it as no trimming, ever.

Specifications

Placement and Companions

Where it goes: back corners and along the rear glass in tanks 29 gallons and up, where its height reads as a backdrop instead of a wall. In a big tank it also works as a midground specimen with shorter plants in front of it. Attach it to Malaysian driftwood or stone and it looks established immediately.

Pairs well with other Anubias. The genus layers beautifully by size: Anubias Nana and Nana Petite low at the front, Anubias Barteri through the middle, and Congensis or Anubias Hastifolia providing height at the back. Same care for all of them, which makes the tank easy to run.

Fish and invertebrates: safe with everything. The leathery leaves stand up to goldfish, African cichlids, silver dollars and other notorious plant eaters that destroy softer species, and the broad flat surfaces are prime grazing real estate for shrimp, snails and plecos. Bettas rest on the leaves.

Recommended Supplies

• Seachem Flourish: comprehensive water column fertilizer, the simplest way to keep Anubias leaves dark green.
• Seachem Flourish Tabs: root tabs for the rooted plants sharing the tank.
• Fritz aquaADHERE Aquarium Glue: the fast way to fix the rhizome to hardscape without thread.
• Malaysian Driftwood: a natural mounting surface that suits the plant's scale.
• Anubias Hastifolia: the other tall Anubias, if you want two different leaf shapes at the back.

FAQ

Why is it called congensis if the label says heterophylla?
Because the hobby settled on the older name and never let go. Anubias congensis was described separately, then folded into Anubias heterophylla when botanists worked out they were the same plant. Every supplier still ships it as congensis, so that is what we call it too. You are getting the correct plant either way.

My leaves are turning yellow and mushy after a week. What went wrong?
Almost always a buried rhizome. Lift the plant and check that the thick horizontal stem is sitting in open water rather than down in the gravel. The second most common cause is leftover rockwool wrapped around the roots, which traps debris and rots.

How big does it actually get?
A foot or more tall once it is settled, with individual leaves running six to eight inches. It takes a while to get there given how slowly Anubias grows, so a fresh pot will look modest for the first several months.

Do I need CO2 or a special light?
No to both. This is a plant for people who want greenery without a pressurized cylinder. Standard aquarium lighting on a normal photoperiod is plenty, and going brighter causes algae on the leaves rather than faster growth.