Anubias Nana Petite is one of those aquarium plants that looks simple until you try to find the right place for it. Its leaves are tiny, its growth is slow, and it doesn’t need much attention. Yet a small planting mistake can cause problems that take weeks to become obvious.
Thank you for reading this post, don’t forget to subscribe!
The most important thing to understand is that Anubias Nana Petite grows from a rhizome that should remain exposed, not buried beneath aquarium substrate.
Once you understand how the rhizome grows, the rest of its care becomes easier.
This guide covers where to place Anubias Nana Petite, how much light it needs, what healthy growth looks like, and what to check when its leaves or rhizome begin to deteriorate.
What Is Anubias Nana Petite?
Anubias Nana Petite is a miniature aquarium plant commonly sold as Anubias barteri āPetiteā or Anubias Nana Petite.
It belongs to the Araceae family, which includes other familiar aquatic and tropical plants.
The plant is valued for its small, dark green leaves and compact growth habit. Unlike fast-growing stem plants, Nana Petite develops gradually along a thick horizontal rhizome.
Its roots help anchor it to rocks, driftwood, and other suitable surfaces.
According to Tropica’s Anubias āPetiteā profile, the selection originated from a mutation discovered in cultivation at the Oriental aquarium plant nursery in Singapore.
Nana Petite is particularly useful in aquascapes where larger Anubias leaves would overwhelm small rocks or delicate pieces of driftwood.
Anubias Nana Petite Care at a Glance
| Care requirement | General guidance |
|---|---|
| Botanical trade name | Anubias barteri āPetiteā |
| Common name | Anubias Nana Petite |
| Plant type | Rhizomatous aquatic plant |
| Typical height | Approximately 3ā5 cm |
| Growth rate | Slow |
| Lighting | Low to moderate |
| Water temperature | Approximately 20ā28Ā°C |
| COā injection | Not essential |
| Placement | Attached to rock or driftwood |
| Substrate | Optional; keep rhizome exposed |
| Fertilizer | Modest water-column nutrients as needed |
| Propagation | Rhizome division |
| Aquarium use | Nano aquariums, foreground accents, hardscape details |
These are general cultivation guidelines rather than rigid requirements. The plant’s appearance and growth can vary with aquarium conditions.
Where Should You Place Anubias Nana Petite?
Nana Petite works especially well on small rocks, driftwood branches, and hardscape near the front of an aquarium.
Its miniature leaves allow the shape of the hardscape to remain visible.
You can place it in the foreground without expecting it to spread quickly into a carpet. It also works in the midground of a very small aquarium or among larger plants where you want a compact patch of green.
Choose a position where the plant can remain undisturbed as its roots establish.
A shaded or partly shaded area can be useful, particularly in aquariums with strong lighting.
Nana Petite vs. Regular Anubias Nana
These plants look similar when young, but regular Anubias Nana generally develops larger leaves and a fuller appearance.
Nana Petite is better suited to miniature details, while regular Nana can provide more substantial foliage around larger rocks or driftwood.
If you’re choosing between them, read our comparison of Anubias Nana Petite vs. Regular Anubias Nana for differences in mature size, leaf proportions, and aquascaping use.
How to Plant Anubias Nana Petite Correctly
Unlike many rooted aquarium plants, Nana Petite doesn’t need its rhizome buried in gravel or soil.
The rhizome is the thick horizontal stem connecting the leaves and roots.
It should remain exposed.
You can let the roots extend toward the substrate, but avoid covering the rhizome itself.
Attaching Nana Petite to a rock
Choose a rock with a small crevice or an area where the plant can sit securely.
Position the rhizome against the surface, keeping the leaves upright.
Use aquarium-safe thread or a small amount of aquarium-suitable cyanoacrylate gel to hold it in place.
If using glue, apply only a small amount to the attachment area rather than coating the entire rhizome.
Over time, the roots may grip the surface.
Attaching Nana Petite to driftwood
Driftwood works in much the same way.
Place the plant where the roots can reach the wood and the rhizome isn’t crushed between hard surfaces.
Secure it gently until the roots become established.
Avoid pulling on the plant to check whether it has attached. That can damage new roots.
Can you plant it in sand or gravel?
You can position the roots among sand or gravel, but the rhizome should remain above the substrate.
Burying the rhizome is an avoidable risk and can make it difficult to notice developing tissue problems.
If the rhizome becomes soft, mushy, or begins losing its structure, see our guide to Anubias Nana Petite rhizome rot. It explains how to inspect the affected tissue and assess whether a healthy portion remains.
How Much Light Does Anubias Nana Petite Need?
Anubias Nana Petite is well suited to low- and moderate-light freshwater aquariums.
It doesn’t need intense light to produce healthy foliage.
In fact, stronger lighting can create a maintenance problem when algae begins growing on the plant’s long-lived leaves.
Because Nana Petite grows slowly, its leaves remain exposed in the aquarium for extended periods.
That gives algae time to settle on them.
Signs the lighting may need attention
Consider reviewing the lighting if:
- Algae repeatedly covers the leaves.
- The plant was moved directly beneath a much stronger light.
- Dark surface growth appeared after increasing the photoperiod.
- Nearby low-light plants are also developing algae problems.
These symptoms don’t prove that lighting is the only cause. Nutrient availability, aquarium maintenance, and other conditions also influence algae growth.
A useful starting point is to keep the plant in a location that receives sufficient light without unnecessary intensity.
There is no single lighting schedule that works for every aquarium.
Does Anubias Nana Petite Need COā?
No. Injected COā is not essential for ordinary Anubias Nana Petite cultivation.
The plant can grow in low-tech aquariums without a dedicated COā system.
Additional carbon dioxide may influence plant growth under suitable conditions, but it won’t transform Nana Petite into a fast-growing plant.
Its naturally slow development is part of its character.
If your aquarium already uses COā for other plants, Nana Petite can be included in the layout.
If you don’t use COā, there is no need to install a system solely for this plant.
Does Anubias Nana Petite Need Fertilizer?
Nana Petite needs nutrients, like other living plants, but its slow growth means it generally has modest demands.
Because it is often attached to hardscape rather than planted deeply in substrate, nutrients dissolved in the water are particularly relevant.
A suitable aquarium fertilizer may help when nutrient availability is limited.
However, more fertilizer does not automatically produce faster growth.
Liquid fertilizer vs. root tabs
Liquid aquarium fertilizers supply nutrients to the water column.
Root tabs are designed primarily to enrich the substrate around plants that feed extensively through their roots.
For Nana Petite attached to driftwood or rock, root tabs are not usually the first thing to consider.
If the aquarium contains other plants rooted in substrate, those plants may have different nutrient requirements.
Before increasing fertilizer, look at the overall condition of the aquarium rather than reacting to one discoloured leaf.
How Fast Does Anubias Nana Petite Grow?
Slowly.
A healthy Nana Petite may produce leaves gradually while the rhizome extends over time.
You shouldn’t expect it to fill an empty foreground within a few weeks.
The plant can look almost unchanged for a while, especially after being moved or attached to new hardscape.
That doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong.
How to recognize healthy growth
Look for:
- Firm, intact leaves
- A healthy, firm rhizome
- New roots attaching to hardscape
- Occasional new leaves
- No progressive deterioration of existing tissue
A photograph taken every few weeks can make small changes easier to notice.
Avoid repeatedly moving the plant to check whether it is growing.
Why Is My Anubias Nana Petite Not Growing?
Before assuming the plant has stopped growing, consider how long you’ve been observing it.
Nana Petite is naturally slow, so the absence of a new leaf over a short period isn’t necessarily a problem.
Check whether the plant is otherwise healthy.
If the leaves remain firm and the rhizome is intact, patience may be appropriate.
If growth has stopped alongside yellowing, transparent patches, soft tissue, or widespread leaf loss, investigate further.
Useful things to review include lighting, nutrient availability, recent environmental changes, and rhizome condition.
Don’t make several changes at once unless there’s an obvious urgent problem.
How to Propagate Anubias Nana Petite
The dependable propagation method is rhizome division.
You cannot reliably grow a new Nana Petite plant from an ordinary detached leaf that has no viable rhizome tissue.
Dividing the rhizome
Start with a healthy, established plant.
Locate the horizontal rhizome and identify sections with viable growing points.
Use a clean, sharp cutting tool to divide it, leaving enough healthy tissue on each section.
Where possible, retain leaves and roots on each division.
Attach the resulting sections to suitable hardscape, keeping their rhizomes exposed.
When not to divide
Avoid dividing a tiny or weakened plant simply to encourage faster growth.
Cutting creates additional wounds and reduces the amount of tissue available to each fragment.
If your plant is already losing leaves or showing signs of rhizome damage, focus on its health before attempting propagation.
Common Anubias Nana Petite Problems
Even though Nana Petite is relatively undemanding, its slow growth means damage can take time to replace.
The most useful approach is to identify the specific symptom rather than treating every problem as a fertilizer deficiency.
Yellow leaves
An older leaf may yellow as it ages.
If only one older leaf is affected and the rest of the plant remains healthy, you may simply need to monitor it.
If several leaves begin yellowing together, review recent changes to the aquarium and inspect the rhizome.
Transparent or see-through leaves
A leaf that becomes pale, glassy, or translucent may have damaged or deteriorating tissue.
This is different from a new leaf that emerges lighter in colour and gradually matures.
If the leaf becomes thin, develops holes, or starts breaking apart, it may not recover its original appearance.
Our article on Anubias Nana Petite leaves turning transparent explains how to distinguish developing foliage from damaged tissue and when to inspect the rhizome.
Black spots or dark patches
Dark marks may be surface algae, accumulated deposits, or areas of damaged leaf tissue.
Look at the texture.
Fuzzy growth suggests a different problem from a flat patch that appears to be part of the leaf itself.
Avoid scraping small leaves aggressively or applying chemical treatments before identifying the cause.
Holes in leaves
Holes can develop when damaged tissue breaks down.
Possible contributors include physical injury, aging, or unsuitable growing conditions.
A hole alone does not identify a specific nutrient deficiency.
Check whether other leaves or aquarium plants are affected before changing the fertilizer routine.
Soft or mushy rhizome
This deserves prompt attention.
A healthy rhizome should generally remain firm.
If it becomes soft or begins collapsing, the plant’s central growing tissue may be deteriorating.
Check whether any firm section remains and avoid burying or crushing the rhizome.
For a focused recovery guide, read Why Is My Anubias Nana Petite Rhizome Turning Soft?.
Should You Remove Damaged Leaves?
Not every imperfect leaf needs to be removed.
A firm leaf with minor discolouration or a few algae spots may still be useful to the plant.
However, a leaf that is mostly dead, soft, or breaking apart can be trimmed carefully.
Use clean scissors and cut the leaf stalk without damaging the rhizome.
Because Nana Petite grows slowly, avoid removing large amounts of healthy foliage just to make the plant look tidier.
There is no need to prune it on a fixed three- or four-week schedule.
Trim only when the plant actually needs it.
Can Anubias Nana Petite Grow in a Terrarium?
Anubias can grow with its foliage above water under suitably humid conditions.
That makes Nana Petite a possible choice for some paludariums, ripariums, and humid planted displays.
However, growing it emersed isn’t the same as placing it in an ordinary dry terrarium.
The plant needs an environment that prevents its foliage and growing tissue from drying out.
A paludarium with a suitable moist growing area may be more appropriate than an open, low-humidity display.
If you’re moving an established submerged plant to emersed conditions, avoid assuming that every leaf will adapt without damage.
Is Anubias Nana Petite Good for Shrimp Tanks?
Nana Petite can be a useful addition to freshwater shrimp aquariums.
Its leaves, roots, and hardscape attachment areas create surfaces where biofilm and other microorganisms may develop.
Shrimp may graze on these surfaces.
The plant also provides small areas of cover.
However, the presence of Anubias does not replace proper aquarium filtration, suitable water conditions, or an appropriate diet for shrimp.
When adding a new plant to a shrimp aquarium, consider its source and any potential pesticide or chemical residues.
Invertebrates can be sensitive to substances that may not visibly affect aquarium plants.
What Plants Grow Well With Anubias Nana Petite?
Nana Petite can be combined with other freshwater plants that tolerate similar conditions.
One useful companion is Java Fern.
Both plants can be attached to rocks or driftwood while their rhizomes remain exposed.
Java Fern typically develops much longer leaves, making it suitable for background or midground contrast.
Mosses can also work around Nana Petite, especially on driftwood and smaller rock formations.
Avoid allowing faster-growing plants to completely shade Nana Petite or trap large amounts of debris around its rhizome.
Anubias Nana Petite Aquascaping Ideas
The plant’s small size makes it particularly useful when you want greenery without hiding the hardscape.
Small rock arrangements
Attach several small Nana Petite plants to separate rocks.
This creates repeated patches of green without requiring a continuous carpet.
Driftwood branches
Place a small cluster near a branch junction.
As the roots attach, the leaves can soften the appearance of the wood.
Nano aquarium foreground
Use individual plants as foreground accents rather than expecting them to spread rapidly across the substrate.
Mixed Anubias layouts
Combine Nana Petite with regular Anubias Nana to create contrast between small and larger leaves.
For a closer look at their differences, see Anubias Nana Petite vs. Regular Anubias Nana.
What to Check Before Buying Anubias Nana Petite
Look beyond the number of leaves.
A healthy rhizome is more important than a plant that appears full but has deteriorating tissue beneath the foliage.
Before buying, inspect:
- Rhizome firmness
- Leaf condition
- Visible growing points
- Signs of severe algae coverage
- Soft or collapsing tissue
- The plant’s labeling and source
A small but healthy Nana Petite may establish better than a larger specimen with a damaged rhizome.
If the plant is sold in a nursery pot, remove the surrounding material carefully before attaching it to your aquarium.
Final Thoughts
Anubias Nana Petite is a good choice when you want a compact aquarium plant that doesn’t require constant trimming or complicated equipment.
Its care comes down to a few important habits: keep the rhizome exposed, provide suitable lighting, avoid unnecessary disturbance, and allow time for slow growth.
When something changes, pay attention to the specific symptom.
A transparent leaf isn’t the same as a soft rhizome. A few algae spots don’t necessarily mean the plant is dying. And a plant that hasn’t produced a new leaf recently may simply be growing at its normal pace.
With a suitable position and stable aquarium conditions, Nana Petite can remain an attractive part of a planted aquarium for a long time.
About the author
Tahsin Al Habib is the founder of TerrariumMaster.com. His interest in plants grew from family gardening, and he writes practical guides for readers learning to care for terrarium and aquarium plants.