Anubias barteri var. nana ‘Gold’

Description

Species Background

Anubias ‘Gold’ is a cultivated color variant of the West African river plant Anubias barteri. In the wild, Anubias species spend their lives tucked along shaded banks, low-flow streams, and splash zones where they quietly shrug at strong currents and bright light. The ‘Gold’ form is simply a selectively bred twist that brings out those glowing yellow-green leaves.
Shrimp treat Anubias like a neighborhood café, picking through the micro-grazing buffet that forms naturally on the slow-growing leaves.

Growth Behavior

This is a classic epiphyte: slow-growing, tough, creeping rhizome, happiest when attached to rock or wood rather than buried. It grows slower than a snail contemplating life’s purpose, but it makes up for it by looking great every single day. Shade-friendly and steady.

Size and Growth Form

Mature plants form a compact clump with a creeping rhizome that produces thick, rounded leaves in tight succession. Typical height sits around 2 to 4 inches, and spread expands gradually as the rhizome branches. Shrimp climb it like a tiny arboretum, and nano fish weave between the leaves when they want a low-stress hangout.

Aquascaping Tip

Aquascapers love tucking this plant into shadows beneath wood or stone, where its gold-toned leaves glow just enough to create a subtle focal pop.

Water Parameters

Temperature: 70–82°F
pH: 6.0–7.8
GH: 3–12
KH: 1–8

These ranges reflect both wild tolerance and long-term farm cultivation, which has made Anubias adaptable across a wider band than older care sheets imply.

Light Requirements

Low to medium. High light tends to wash out the golden tones and may invite algae if the plant grows slower than your ambitions. Under lower light it holds that soft, luminous yellow and stays compact.

CO₂ Requirements

CO₂ is optional. With CO₂, the plant behaves like it finally got a gym membership and uses it once or twice — a little quicker growth, tighter leaves, but still very much itself.

Nutrient Requirements

Feeds mainly from the water column. It appreciates a stable supply of micronutrients, and root tabs are irrelevant unless it’s on substrate (still shouldn’t be buried). Clean water and consistent feeding keep the gold vibrant.

Tank Placement

Perfect for the midground on wood or stone, or tucked into shade pockets where its color does the talking. Also popular in nano tanks because it basically refuses to outgrow the space or cause chaos.

Why Aquarists Keep It

The gentle golden hue, the super easy care, the slow-and-steady growth, and the way shrimp immediately treat it like prime real estate. It’s one of those plants that quietly upgrades every aquascape without demanding anything dramatic in return.