07/10/2026
Anubias going soft or rotting? Check the rhizome 🌱
The thick, horizontal stem at the base of an Anubias is the rhizome – it's what the leaves and roots grow from. The most common reason Anubias struggles is that it's been planted like any other plant, with the rhizome pushed under the gravel or sand. Buried, it can slowly rot and take the leaves with it.
The fix is simple:
1️⃣ Tie it to wood or rock with cotton thread or fishing line, or fix it with plant-safe superglue gel
2️⃣ Or wedge it into a gap between stones so the rhizome sits on top
3️⃣ If you do plant it in substrate, bury only the roots and keep the rhizome above the surface
Got a soft, mushy patch already? Trim back to firm, healthy rhizome and reattach. Once it's sitting right, Anubias is one of the easiest plants you'll keep – low light, no CO2, slow and steady.
The same goes for Java fern and Bucephalandra – they're rhizome plants too.
