If your newly planted Anubias is turning mushy, clear, or falling apart, try not to panic. This is commonly known as “melt,” and it’s one of the most frequent things new Anubias owners run into right after planting. In most cases, the plant isn’t dying.
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It’s adjusting, and as long as the rhizome stays healthy, new growth will follow. Here’s what causes melt, how to tell if your plant will recover, and what to do while you wait.
For general species care basics, see our Anubias Nana Petite care guide.
Quick Answer
Anubias melt after planting is usually caused by transplant shock, a transition from emersed (grown out of water) to submersed (underwater) growth, or minor physical damage during planting.
The leaves may look bad, but what actually matters is the rhizome (the thick horizontal stem the leaves grow from). If the rhizome stays firm, green or tan, and doesn’t smell foul, the plant is very likely to recover with new leaves in the coming weeks.
Common Causes of Anubias Melt
Transplant Shock
Any time a plant’s roots or rhizome are disturbed, moved, or handled, it experiences some level of stress. Anubias is generally hardy, but freshly planted specimens can respond to that disturbance by dropping or melting a leaf or two while they settle in. This is a normal, short-term reaction rather than a sign of a bigger problem.
Emersed-to-Submersed Transition Shock
This is one of the most common causes of melt, especially with plants purchased as tissue culture.
Many Anubias are grown emersed (in humid, open-air nursery conditions) before being sold, and their leaves are adapted to that environment. When they’re suddenly submerged underwater, those emersed leaves often can’t adapt and melt away, even though the plant itself is healthy.
New leaves that grow in afterward will be true submersed leaves, better suited to life underwater. Research on aquatic plant physiology from Utah State University Extension notes that leaves formed in one growth form often cannot survive a switch to the other, which is why melt is expected rather than a sign of a failing plant.
Rhizome Buried Too Deep or Damaged During Planting
Anubias rhizomes should never be buried in substrate. If the rhizome was accidentally covered with soil or gravel during planting, or if it was nicked, cracked, or bent while handling, that damage can trigger melt in the leaves closest to the injury.
A buried rhizome is also prone to rot over time, which is a separate and more serious issue.
Our terrarium soil and substrate guide covers proper planting depth if you’re setting up a new terrarium.
Sudden Water Parameter Change
Moving Anubias into a new tank with different water hardness, temperature, or pH than what it was previously growing in can cause a stress response. This is more relevant for plants transferred between tanks or straight from a store’s holding tank into your setup, rather than plants freshly acquired from tissue culture.
Tissue Culture Adjustment
Tissue culture plants are grown in a sterile, nutrient-rich gel under controlled lab conditions.
When they’re removed from that environment and planted into a tank or terrarium, it’s common for the original tissue-culture leaves to melt back completely as the plant redirects energy into producing leaves suited to its new, real-world environment.
This is expected and not a sign that something went wrong with the planting.
How to Tell If It’s Melt or Death
The leaves are not the part of the plant to focus on. Check the rhizome instead.
- Rhizome is firm, feels solid when gently squeezed, and is green, tan, or brown: the plant is alive and will very likely regrow, even if every leaf melts away
- Rhizome is mushy, dark brown or black, and has a foul smell: this points to rhizome rot rather than normal melt, which is a more serious problem often caused by burial or prolonged poor conditaway
If you’re seeing signs of the second scenario, that’s a different issue from typical post-planting melt and needs the rotten section trimmed away rather than just patience. (See our companion guide on Bucephalandra rhizome rot for a closer look at how rot differs from melt.)
What to Do When Anubias Is Melting
- Leave the rhizome in place. Resist the urge to uproot the plant to inspect it repeatedly. Frequent disturbance slows recovery more than the melt itself does.
- Trim off fully melted or mushy leaves only. Use a clean, sharp terrarium plant trimmer and cut close to the rhizome. Leave any leaf that still has green tissue, even if it looks partially damaged, since it may still be photosynthesizing.
- Don’t fertilize aggressively during recovery. A stressed plant doesn’t need a nutrient boost right away. Wait until you see new growth before resuming a normal fertilizing routine.
- Be patient. New growth after melt can take anywhere from two to six weeks to appear, depending on tank conditions and how much of the plant melted. Slow, steady conditions matter more than trying to speed things up.
- Provide gentle, consistent light and flow. Avoid sudden increases in light intensity while the plant recovers. Our terrarium lighting guide has guidance on appropriate light levels for shade-tolerant plants like Anubias.
How to Plant Anubias Correctly to Avoid Melt Next Time
- Never bury the rhizome. Only the roots should be in the substrate. The rhizome itself should sit on top of or above the substrate line, exposed to water or air.
- Acclimate tissue culture plants gradually. Rather than moving straight from the cup to your tank, some growers rinse the gel off gently and allow a short adjustment period rather than shocking the plant with an abrupt environment change.
- Handle roots and rhizomes gently. Minimize the number of times you touch, move, or reposition the plant once it’s placed. Get the position right the first time where possible.
- Anchor rather than bury. Use aquarium-safe thread, a plant weight, or press the rhizome gently against driftwood or rock instead of pushing it into the substrate.
FAQ
How long does Anubias melt last?
Melt itself typically resolves within a few days to two weeks as affected leaves fully die back. New growth to replace them usually takes two to six weeks to appear, depending on conditions.
Will Anubias grow back after melting?
In most cases, yes, as long as the rhizome remains firm and healthy. Anubias is a slow but resilient grower, and a healthy rhizome will continue producing new leaves even after losing all of its original ones.
Is Anubias melt the same as rhizome rot?
No. Melt refers to leaves dying back due to transplant stress or environmental transition, while the rhizome stays healthy. Rhizome rot is a more serious condition where the rhizome itself turns mushy and discolored, often from being buried or kept in poor conditions for an extended period, and requires cutting away the affected section.