Anubias Bonsai

Anubias Bonsai - Smallest Dwarf Anubias

The Anubias Bonsai is the smallest species in the Anubias family and an absolute favorite for nano aquariums and detailed aquascaping. With its miniature leaves of up to 3 cm and a total height of only 6 cm, this plant is perfect for creating a sense of scale in your aquarium. The Anubias Bonsai is descended from the Anubias Nana but remains considerably smaller, making it ideal for foreground planting in even the smallest aquariums.

Why choose the Anubias Bonsai?

• Smallest Anubias species: Maximum 6 cm tall with leaves of only 3 cm
• Perfect for nano aquariums: Ideal for aquariums from 10 liters
• Extremely easy: Requires little light, perfect for beginners
• Very robust: Strong, compact leaves that can withstand most fish
• Slow grower: Minimal maintenance, no constant trimming required
• Aquascaping favorite: Popular for creating scale effects
• Wide temperature tolerance: Thrives at 15-30°C, highly adaptable

Care and Placement

The Anubias bonsai is a rhizome plant, meaning the rootstock (rhizome) should not be buried under sand or gravel to prevent rot. Its ultra-compact growth makes this plant perfect for:

• On small stones: Create a miniature landscape in iwagumi style
• On small driftwood: Attach with thin wire or superglue for a natural look
• Front Zone Carpet: Use multiple plants for a densely planted foreground effect
• Nano aquariums: Perfectly suited for small aquariums where larger plants are too dominant

Over time, the plant's roots will naturally attach to the decorative material. It grows very slowly, allowing you to enjoy a stable, low-maintenance foreground for a long time.

Technical Specifications

• Placement: Front zone | on wood and/or stone
• Maximum height: 6 cm (smallest Anubias)
• Blade length: Maximum 3 cm
• Leaf color: Dark green
• Temperature: 15-30°C
• pH: 5.0-8.0
• KH: 0-21
• CO2: 5-40 mg/l (not required, but promotes growth)
• Light requirements: Little
• Origin: Africa
• Family: Araceae
• Type: Rhizome plant
• Other name: Dwarf Anubias
• Propagation: By division of the rhizome

Perfect for Miniature Aquascapes

The Anubias bonsai is one of the most popular plants for nano aquascaping because of its miniature size and perfect proportions. The plant is ideal for:

• Nano aquariums (10-30 liters)
• Iwagumi-style aquascapes with a focus on scale
• Miniature Nature Aquarium foreground planting
• Detailed aquascapes with small decorative elements
• Low-tech aquariums without CO2
• Shrimp aquariums (perfect hiding place for baby shrimp)
• Paludaria and wabi-kusa setups

Combination tips

Combine the Anubias Bonsai with slightly larger Anubias species such as Anubias Nana Petite (middle zone) and Anubias Nana (back zone) for a perfect layered effect with natural scale in nano aquariums. It also pairs perfectly with small Bucephalandra species, miniature Cryptocoryne parva, or mosses such as Flame Moss or Fissidens Fontanus. For a classic iwagumi style, you can mount the plant on very small Seiryu or Dragon stones.