Anubias frazeri

Overview

Anubias frazeri (Anubias × frazeri) is a robust hybrid Anubias prized for its larger, elongated heart-shaped leaves and slightly upright growth. Like every Anubias it is a slow, nearly bulletproof rhizome plant: it needs no CO2, tolerates low light, is ignored by most fish and cichlids, and asks only that you keep its rhizome out of the substrate. It makes a bolder midground statement than the compact Anubias nana while being just as forgiving.

Planting & placement

Anubias frazeri is an epiphyte. Tie or glue its rhizome — the thick horizontal stem — to wood or rock, keeping the rhizome fully exposed so only the roots anchor down. Our how to plant aquarium plants guide covers the technique. Its size suits the midground, and it pairs naturally on shared hardscape with Anubias barteri, Java fern and mosses for a layered beginner aquascape.

Light, CO2 & ferts

Keep light low to medium — Anubias is a shade plant, and strong light mainly encourages algae on its long-lived leaves. It needs no CO2, though a little speeds its slow growth. Because it feeds largely through its leaves, a modest weekly liquid water-column fertilizer keeps the foliage deep green; see our best aquarium plant fertilizer guide for dosing.

Propagation & problems

Propagate by rhizome division: cut a section with at least three or four leaves and its own roots, then attach it to new hardscape. Growth is slow, so a division takes months to bush out. The usual problems are algae on old leaves (reduce light, add cleanup crew) and rhizome rot from burial or damage. Anubias is also one of the few plants that can catch Anubias rot, a soft-stem melt — remove affected sections back to firm, white tissue. To keep the rhizome healthy, avoid tucking it into stagnant corners where detritus settles; a spot with gentle flow keeps the base clean. Treated well, a single Anubias frazeri lasts for years and slowly builds into a handsome clump that shrugs off the rough treatment of goldfish and larger cichlids alike.